Boat Rental by Sail La Vie at Friday Harbour — Local services in Innisfil

Sailing with Oleg and Marina has been a life-altering experience for my husband Dmitri and myself. We consider ourselves very lucky indeed.

During our first visit, in December 2021, we spent a week sailing the magical turquoise waters of the Bahamas – it was our first experience living on a boat and sailing on a monohull. It was such an amazing trip on many levels: we learned new skills, we explored curious places, we were in constant wonder at the beauty of the sea and sky. We had truly quality communication with our dearest captains. Oleg and Marina treated us like their friends: they opened their home to us (a beautiful yacht, Victoria) and, moreover, they opened their hearts. They are both incredibly bright souls, and this allows the people around them to express themselves freely. It creates a wonderful atmosphere of trust and engaging conversations. Not to mention, both have a great sense of humour – we were laughing the whole way, with Oleg always the first to laugh at himself :-)

They are both skilled teachers: they will give you just enough information (with a little extra for a challenge). They suggest tasks just right for engaging your brain and body, challenging but accessible enough to get you into the flow state. They won’t chew and swallow for you – you must dig into the problem yourself. But they are always nearby! Rest assured, they will stay attentive and give you a hint if you are stuck, or pull the weight themselves if you are exhausted.

So, at the end of March 2023, we found ourselves sailing on Victoria again: this was our way to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, and Marina and Oleg truly made this journey unique! We enjoyed stunning sunrises and sunsets, we sailed under sun and rain, we even sailed at night, and we caught a bonafide ocean barracuda fish and fried it on the spot (the most delicious seafood you can imagine)! We recited our favorite poems to each other, and discussed so many important matters. Though we have our differences of opinion, this only stirred our interest and struck more veins of conversation.

We do believe that Oleg and Marina have a very special relationship with the ocean, and there is a little magic here ;-) This was confirmed when we stepped out on an uninhabited island of Ile Fourchue, and it gave us a most special gift: a heart-shaped rock, in honour of our wedding anniversary and a perfect token to celebrate our love.

Overall, we feel like we had a rare chance to look into a very kind mirror, reflecting a better version of ourselves: more daring, feeling more freedom and gaining more awareness. Thank you so much, our dear captains! Looking forward to more...

Definitely a fun experience. We rented the pontoon, since the aqua Tesla was not available due to the heavy winds. The ride was pleasant, our captain was great. Only issue we had was with the check in process, our boat arrived late which was disappointing, and mind you we were paying for the hour. The check in service seemed overwhelmed and not sure what was happening. Staff during the check in process was not friendly and seemed like they didn’t know what was happening, even though we had just paid for the ride 15 mins earlier. They asked us to stand in the corner and wait for the boat, as opposed to making it a welcoming experience. Kept saying “oh it will be here” “just wait”. I believe they thought we were part of the daily sunset cruise, even though we had just paid for the pontoon boat. Definitely can improve their customer service in order to improve...

I’ve had 8 outstanding years of experience with Sail La Vie! Oleg and Marina, the owners, not only imparted invaluable sailing skills but also became cherished friends. Learning in Lake Simcoe, Toronto, laid a solid foundation before unforgettable charter adventures in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. They have been a major part of my life helping me achieve my dreams and goals of sailing in Greece and the Caribbean. They are not just instructors they turn ordinary lessons into extraordinary memories. A 5-star journey that extends...