About Sails & Grace
Welcome to Sails & Grace. I’m Emily Leach, the founder. For me, sailing was a life-changing experience, and I knew I had to share that feeling. Early on, I saw how male-dominated the sailing world could be, making it intimidating for women who wanted to step up and confidently take the helm. I created Sails & Grace with a simple mission in mind: to be a place where women can learn, feel comfortable asking anything, and build the powerful confidence that only comes from commanding a sailboat on the open water.
What started as my personal project has become something so much bigger, and I’m truly honored to see it grow. I’m not doing this alone anymore! I’ve been lucky enough to partner with two incredible instructional captains, Jackie Busch and Maureen Vild, who share my passion and my vision. Together, we’re creating hands-on sailing programs that allow women to discover their own strength and sense of adventure through sailing.
My heart and soul will always be in creating these empowering programs for women. That’s my primary focus. But the truth is, I love teaching people to sail. So, I’m always happy to work men and couples, in personalized, one-on-one training sessions on Lake Travis right outside of Austin, Texas.
Transformative Experiences
As the founder of Sails & Grace, my biggest passion is helping women discover their own confidence and strength on the water. I’m so excited that I don’t do this alone anymore! I’ve partnered with two incredible sailors, Jackie Busch and Maureen Vild, who are now my fellow Instructional Captains. The three of us make a great team, and our main goal is to create a fun, supportive space where you feel comfortable taking the helm and seeing what you’re truly capable of.
When you’re out on the water with us, you’ll get hands-on experience with all the important stuff—from handling the boat under power to anchoring, mooring, and figuring out how to navigate whatever the weather throws at you. But honestly, the technical skills are only one piece of it. The real magic is in the friendships you build with your crewmates and the amazing feeling of your confidence growing every single day.
It’s truly a wonderful, personal journey. The feeling of the wind and sun is incredible, but what you’ll really take away is a new perspective on what you can accomplish. We’re not just showing you how to sail a boat; we’re helping you connect with a new, more adventurous side of yourself.
SailStrong
I am currently involved in a local Austin 501c3, SailStrong, they introduce at-risk youth to the opportunity for personal growth through exposure to and instruction in sailing. To teach self-confidence, decision making, and risk-taking in the context of sailing as building these important traits into a means for personal growth.