Celebrating Paul Wasilkoff Our Newest Skipper!

Published 3:07pm on 27 Nov 2025

The Burlington Sailing & Boating Club is proud to congratulate Paul Wasilkoff on successfully passing his Skipper Test through the Mentored Sailing Program. Pauls accomplishment reflects not only his dedication and growing skill as a sailor, but also the commitment of the mentors who supported him throughout his journey. Their guidance, encouragement, and steady mentorship played an important role in helping him reach this milestone, and the club extends its sincere thanks to each of them.

For Paul, the MSP has been an adventure from the very beginning — one filled with new challenges, teamwork, and meaningful connections. Over his time as a mentee, he had the opportunity to learn from several mentors, each offering their own style, perspective, and wealth of experience. Despite their unique approaches, Paul found all of them consistently knowledgeable, patient, and confidence-building.

Those lessons often unfolded in a wide range of conditions, from flat-calm evenings to energetic, boisterous winds. Through it all, Paul appreciated how clearly the mentors communicated and how effectively they helped him build both competence and confidence under varying circumstances.

One aspect of the program that stood out to Paul was the crew-focused nature of MSP lessons. Because mentees typically sail with the same group throughout the season, strong teamwork naturally develops. Paul valued how this structure encouraged each sailor to hone their own skills while also learning to communicate, coordinate, and work together as a unified crew. Over time, he became increasingly comfortable giving and receiving sailing commands, trimming sails, and handling the boat with confidence.

Beyond skill development, Paul felt a growing sense of community with his fellow mentees and the broader BS&BC membership. Weekly lessons became time well spent — an opportunity to learn, improve, and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with being on the water together.

Paul now looks forward to many more adventures on the bay as a newly minted BS&BC Skipper, and the club looks forward to seeing him continue to grow in his sailing journey. His story is a testament to the value of mentorship, teamwork, and the welcoming spirit of the BS&BC community.

Last updated 3:15pm on 27 November 2025