Welcome to Sails & Grace
I'm Emily Leach—founder, sailor, and someone whose life was changed by learning to sail.
My home water is Lake Travis, just outside Austin, Texas, and it's where most of the magic happens. I teach private, one-on-one sailing lessons, and I love working with women, men, and couples.
Along the way, I saw how intimidating the sailing world can feel for women, especially in spaces where confidence is assumed rather than built. I started Sails & Grace to offer something different: a place where women can learn at their own pace, ask every question, and step into leadership on the water with real confidence. There's something incredibly powerful about taking the helm—and realizing you belong there.
Together, we'll work hands-on with the skills that matter most: boat handling under power, sail trim, anchoring, mooring, and adapting to changing conditions. Sailing has a way of revealing what you're capable of—those quiet moments when you realize, I've got this.
People Come From All Over
Here's the part I never saw coming: people don't just come from Austin. Students have traveled from Canada, Mexico, Spain, and Brazil to learn to sail with me on Lake Travis.
It has been genuinely amazing to watch. Every time a student I've never met steps onto the dock, ready to learn, I'm reminded how special this is.
My Story
I've always joked that I'm genetically unemployable—wired for independence and allergic to neat little boxes.
In an earlier chapter, that energy built Austin's largest local freelance business community, including The Freelance Conference, National Freelance Business Week, and the Freelancers Choice Awards. That work taught me how to build community, lead with heart, and turn big ideas into something real.
A few years ago, I turned the page—and this time, I stayed there.
I've spent the last several years teaching sailing: leading trips, training students, and building a life rooted in the water. The same skills that once powered my work on land now guide me at sea—calm under pressure, clear leadership, and deep trust in the process.
This chapter fits. And I'm not done yet.
How I Landed Here
It started quietly, with a book—Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffett—and a pull toward the sea I couldn't explain away.
That curiosity turned practical fast: sailing certifications, long study days, and eventually a well-maintained 35+ year-old sailboat of my own. The first time I took her out, excitement gave way to fear. The wind rose, the boat heeled, and I realized how little control I actually had.
That moment changed everything.
With the guidance of two exceptional instructors, I stayed with the discomfort. I learned the systems, the language, and the rhythm of the boat.
More importantly, I learned how to stay calm, make decisions, and trust myself when conditions weren't perfect.
Over time, fear turned into competence. Competence turned into confidence.
Today, I teach sailing in real conditions—helping students move through the same hesitation I once felt and into steady, capable command of the boat. I've weathered personal storms along the way, and each return to the helm has reinforced the same truth: this is where I'm most myself.
What matters most to me now is teaching women to sail.
There's a powerful shift that happens when a woman takes the helm, feels the boat respond, and realizes she knows what to do. Watching that moment unfold—again and again—is the heart of my work.
This isn't about escape or fantasy ... It's about skill, confidence, and freedom that carries far beyond the water.
Sailing Credentials & Experience
USCG Captain License (Q1 2027)
The sea time is logged. Now it's study mode. I'm preparing for the USCG exam and on track to earn my license in early 2027.
NauticEd Sail Instructor, Captain Level V
Verified competence in sailing systems, navigation, weather interpretation, and on-water decision-making, as well as standardized instructor training through NauticEd.
ASA 101-104 + 20 Years Sailing
Comprehensive instruction in sailing fundamentals through bareboat cruising, including navigation, anchoring, and vessel systems, reinforced by two decades of hands-on sailing across varied conditions.