Transformation Through Adventure

About Navaia

Navaia helps people build real skills, lasting confidence and a deeper sense of what is possible through sailing.

From first steps aboard to coastal adventures, competitive racing and offshore passages, every experience is designed to be hands-on, personal and genuinely rewarding.

Whether you are learning to sail, developing the confidence to skipper your own boat, joining a racing campaign or looking for an adventure that takes you beyond everyday life, Navaia gives you the support and opportunity to move forward.

This is real sailing.

You take the helm.
You handle the sails.
You make decisions.
You become part of the crew.

And somewhere along the way, you may discover more than simply how to sail a boat.

Why Navaia Exists

Too many people complete a sailing course but still do not feel ready to take charge.

Others dream of racing, crossing oceans or setting out on their own adventures, but do not know how to take the next step.

Navaia exists to close that gap.

We combine expert tuition, practical experience and personal coaching to help people become more capable and confident—both on the water and beyond it.

There are no crowded training boats, rushed lessons or passengers sitting quietly on the rail.

You learn through doing.

You make mistakes, understand them and improve.

You leave not only with more knowledge, but with the confidence to use it.

Who It Is For

Navaia is for:

  • Complete beginners ready to discover sailing

  • Aspiring skippers who want practical experience and confidence

  • Recently qualified sailors who still feel unsure taking charge

  • Boat owners wanting support on their own yacht

  • Sailors ready to experience competitive racing

  • Adventurers drawn to coastal passages and ocean crossings

  • People looking for challenge, clarity and a break from ordinary life

You do not need to arrive as an expert.

You simply need curiosity, a willingness to participate and the desire to move forward.

What Makes Navaia Different

Navaia is intentionally small and personal.

Most experiences are limited to just a few people, giving you meaningful time on the helm, direct coaching and the space to learn at your own pace.

We do not take over and ask you to watch.

We help you become the sailor.

That might mean handling a yacht confidently in a marina, planning and skippering a coastal passage, learning to race as part of a committed team or standing watch during an ocean crossing.

Every experience is different, but the approach remains the same:

Real sailing.
Real responsibility.
Real progression.

Safety always comes first, but comfort is not the only objective. The right amount of challenge builds skill, confidence and perspective.

This is more than a sailing lesson.

It is the opportunity to step aboard, take responsibility and discover what you are capable of.

Matthew North

Founder and Managing Director (and Coach North)

  • I spent over a decade as Head of HR for a multi-billion-dollar global business, leading people strategies, sustainability initiatives, and high-performance transformations across continents. With more than 25 years in leadership roles, I’ve helped individuals and organisations thrive — from building inclusive cultures to reducing CO₂ emissions.

  • I’m a Yachtmaster Ocean with a commercial endorsement and an RYA Cruising Instructor, but more than that—I’m someone who’s happiest with salt in my hair and a horizon to chase. I’ve clocked over 15,000 sea miles, from racing dinghies at university to sailing across the Atlantic with my family on a year-long adventure from the Med to the Caribbean and back. For me, sailing isn’t just about charts and knots—it’s about freedom, adventure, and the pure joy of being out there, learning with every wave and leading through whatever the sea throws at you.

  • I’m passionate about helping people reconnect with purpose, overcome what’s holding them back, and move forward with clarity. My approach blends strategic insight from the corporate world with the depth and adaptability learned through adventure.

  • I’m a dad of two awesome girls, a husband of 10 years, and part of a chaotic, joyful household that includes one very enthusiastic dog. Family is at the heart of everything I do — and a daily reminder of what truly matters.

Why I Do This

Because life moves quickly, and it is easy to put off the things we really want to do.

Through Navaia, I create opportunities for people to get out on the water, learn new skills, take on new challenges and enjoy proper sailing.

That might mean building confidence as a skipper, joining a racing crew, exploring the coast or setting off on a bigger adventure.

For me, it is about sharing the sailing I love and helping more people experience the freedom, challenge and sense of achievement that comes with it.