Terms and Conditions
Puget Sound Sailing Institute
Effective Date: Oct. 1, 2026
1. Introduction and Acceptance of Terms
Welcome to Puget Sound Sailing Institute (PSSI). This website, located at https://pugetsoundsailing.com, is operated by Gentle Breeze, LLC, doing business as Puget Sound Sailing Institute.
These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern access to and use of our website, online registration systems, and related services. They also establish certain general conditions applicable to purchases, registrations, and participation in PSSI programs.
PSSI offers sailing instruction, certification courses, sailing club memberships, and fractional boat share opportunities.
By using this website or purchasing services through it, you agree to these Terms to the extent applicable to your activities. Certain programs require additional agreements, policies, or liability waivers that must be accepted separately before participation.
Please review the applicable terms before purchasing or participating in any program. If you disagree with these Terms, please refrain from using our website or purchasing services through it.
2. Programs, Services, and Availability
PSSI provides sailing-related educational and recreational services, which may include:
Sailing instruction and certification courses
Practical on-water training
Sailing club memberships and associated benefits
Fractional boat share memberships
Other sailing-related educational opportunities and events
Descriptions, availability, schedules, qualifications, prices, and program features may vary.
PSSI reserves the right to modify course schedules, instructors, equipment assignments, vessels, and program offerings when reasonably necessary for operational, educational, or safety reasons.
Material changes affecting a confirmed purchase or reservation will be communicated to the affected customer, together with any applicable cancellation, rescheduling, or refund options.
3. Registration and Eligibility
Customers must provide accurate and complete information when registering for classes, purchasing memberships, or participating in PSSI programs.
Some activities require prior training, sailing certifications, demonstrated competency, or specific eligibility requirements.
PSSI may request verification of qualifications and may decline or restrict participation when eligibility or safety requirements have not been satisfied.
Minor Participants
Participants under 18 must have registration completed or authorized by a parent or legal guardian, who must also sign all required participation documents.
The minimum age for sailing certification is generally 16.
Younger students may be considered for instruction on a case-by-case basis, subject to PSSI approval, but will not receive certification under PSSI's current age policy.
Participation by minors is subject to instructor approval, course suitability, supervision requirements, and applicable program rules.
4. Class Registration and Payment
Payment is required in accordance with the terms presented at registration.
Course registration is subject to availability, receipt of required payment, fulfillment of prerequisites, and completion of applicable participant documentation.
Customers are responsible for reviewing course dates, locations, prerequisites, and refund conditions before completing registration.
Any mandatory fees will be disclosed as part of the applicable purchase process.
5. Class Cancellations, Refunds, and Transfers
The following policy applies to student-initiated withdrawals and class change requests unless different terms are expressly disclosed for a specific course.
Student-Initiated Withdrawals
More than 30 days before the scheduled class: A refund of the amount paid will be issued, less a $75 per-person cancellation fee, a 4% processing fee, and the cost of any class textbook already supplied.
30 days or fewer before the scheduled class: Payments are forfeited and are nonrefundable, except as required by applicable law or any other expressly applicable written policy.
Student-Initiated Class Changes
Requests to transfer an existing registration to another available class are subject to the following fees:
Notice before scheduled classTransfer fee30 days or more$50 per person21–29 days$75 per person14–20 days$100 per personFewer than 14 daysOriginal class payment is forfeited
Transfers are subject to availability and any applicable course requirements.
A request to change classes does not guarantee availability in the desired class.
Other Cancellation Circumstances
Policies governing PSSI-initiated cancellations, unsafe weather, medical emergencies, failure to attend, partial attendance, and unused course credits will be addressed in the separate Class Cancellation & Refund Policy.
Those provisions will be incorporated following confirmation of PSSI's operating procedures.
6. Sailing Club Memberships
PSSI offers sailing club memberships, with benefits and eligibility requirements determined by the membership program purchased.
Club memberships may include recurring payments and automatic renewal.
Before enrollment, customers will be provided with the applicable membership price, billing frequency, renewal conditions, and cancellation terms.
By expressly enrolling in a recurring membership, a customer authorizes PSSI or its designated payment processor to charge the selected payment method according to the disclosed billing schedule until the membership is canceled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the applicable agreement.
Membership cancellations, refunds, minimum commitments, and billing deadlines are governed by the Sailing Club Membership Terms accepted at enrollment.
PSSI may restrict membership privileges when a member fails to satisfy payment obligations, participation requirements, or safety standards, subject to the applicable agreement and law.
7. Fractional Boat Share Memberships
PSSI offers fractional boat share memberships that provide eligible participants with contractual access to designated vessels for specified periods.
A fractional boat share membership is a recreational vessel-use arrangement, not a purchase of any ownership interest in a boat.
Members do not acquire equity, title, or ownership rights in participating vessels through their membership.
Available membership plans may provide six, eight, or ten vessel-use days per quarter, depending on the selected plan.
Membership privileges, reservations, operating restrictions, payment requirements, and vessel responsibilities are governed by a separate Fractional Boat Share Agreement.
Sailing Qualifications
PSSI's current qualification requirements include:
ASA 104: Required to enroll in the fractional boat share program.
ASA 105: Required to sail outside Puget Sound, including the San Juan Islands and Strait of Juan de Fuca.
ASA 106: Required for sailing into Canadian waters.
Possession of a certification does not eliminate other requirements, including vessel-specific orientation, demonstrated competency, destination approval, and applicable regulations.
Vessel Care and Return
Members must operate vessels responsibly and comply with all applicable operating instructions.
Unless otherwise expressly agreed, vessels must be returned in a clean condition and with fuel replenished.
For qualifying shorter excursions, PSSI may offer an engine-hour-based fuel reimbursement option.
Insurance and Damage
PSSI provides insurance for vessels participating in the fractional boat share program, subject to the terms, exclusions, deductibles, and conditions of the applicable insurance policies.
A damage deposit is required under the membership agreement. The amount generally corresponds to the applicable insurance deductible.
Members may be responsible for damage up to the applicable contractual damage amount, subject to the signed agreement, insurance provisions, and applicable law.
Detailed provisions addressing deposits, damage claims, prohibited uses, insurance exclusions, and financial responsibility will be contained in the Fractional Boat Share Agreement.
8. Safety and Participant Responsibilities
Sailing and other on-water recreational activities involve inherent risks, including changing weather, rough water, vessel movement, equipment failure, collisions, slips, falls, injury, and other hazards.
Participants must exercise reasonable care, follow applicable safety rules, and comply with instructions provided by authorized PSSI instructors, captains, or staff.
Participants must not operate a vessel beyond their approved qualifications or authorized sailing area.
PSSI may restrict or discontinue participation when reasonably necessary to address unsafe conduct, insufficient qualifications, dangerous conditions, or violations of applicable program rules.
Participants must complete any required safety briefings and separate liability waiver before taking part in applicable activities.
Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude liability that cannot legally be excluded under applicable law.
9. Liability Waivers and Assumption of Risk
Participation in certain PSSI activities requires execution of a separate liability waiver and assumption-of-risk agreement.
These Terms do not replace that agreement.
Participants must review and sign the applicable waiver before participating in activities for which it is required.
The rights and obligations established by any waiver are subject to applicable Washington, federal, and maritime law.
10. Online Accounts and Customer Information
If a customer account is provided, users are responsible for maintaining accurate account information and protecting their login credentials.
Customers must notify PSSI of suspected unauthorized account activity.
PSSI may temporarily restrict account access when reasonably necessary to protect account security, investigate misuse, or comply with applicable law.
11. Electronic Communications
By communicating with PSSI electronically, customers agree that PSSI may respond electronically and provide transactional communications concerning purchases, registrations, membership administration, operational changes, and other service-related matters, subject to applicable law.
Agreement to these Terms does not independently constitute consent to receive promotional marketing messages.
Marketing communications will be managed according to applicable consent requirements and PSSI's Privacy Policy.
12. Privacy and Personal Information
Use of this website is subject to PSSI's Privacy Policy.
The Privacy Policy describes how personal information may be collected, used, stored, and shared in connection with website activity, registrations, communications, and services.
Personal information provided through third-party registration or payment platforms may also be governed by those providers' applicable privacy practices.
13. Third-Party Platforms and Services
PSSI may use third-party platforms to facilitate class registration, scheduling, payment processing, communications, and membership management.
These providers may maintain separate terms and privacy policies.
PSSI is not responsible for unrelated content or services offered independently by third-party websites.
Nothing in this section eliminates PSSI's legal responsibilities relating to the services it provides or the service providers it engages.
14. Intellectual Property
Unless otherwise indicated, website text, photographs, graphics, branding, instructional materials, and other original content are owned by or licensed to PSSI.
Content may not be reproduced, distributed, republished, or commercially exploited without appropriate permission, except as permitted by law.
Customers may use materials provided in connection with a purchased course for their authorized personal educational purposes.
15. Website Availability and Information
PSSI makes reasonable efforts to maintain accurate website information, but descriptions, schedules, availability, and other content may occasionally contain errors.
PSSI may correct inaccuracies and update website content as appropriate.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the website and general informational content are provided without guarantees of uninterrupted access or error-free operation.
This section does not limit any nonwaivable legal rights or obligations relating to services purchased from PSSI.
16. Suspension and Termination
PSSI may suspend or terminate access to website accounts, programs, or membership privileges in circumstances involving material policy violations, nonpayment, fraudulent activity, or significant safety concerns, subject to applicable contractual obligations and law.
Any refund or remaining payment obligation will be determined according to the applicable program agreement, the circumstances of termination, and applicable law.
17. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms are governed by the laws of Washington State, except where applicable federal law, including maritime law, controls.
For disputes properly brought in court and subject to any enforceable dispute-resolution agreement, the parties intend that appropriate state or federal courts located in or serving Pierce County, Washington, will be the venue, to the extent permitted by law.
Final provisions concerning mandatory arbitration, court proceedings, class action waivers, and recovery of attorney fees remain subject to PSSI's approval and legal review.
18. Relationship to Additional Agreements
Specific PSSI services may require a separately executed agreement, including a membership contract, fractional boat share agreement, or liability waiver.
Where a separately executed agreement contains specific provisions addressing the same service, those provisions will control to the extent of any conflict with these general website Terms, unless otherwise required by law.
19. Changes to These Terms
PSSI may update these Terms to reflect operational, service-related, or legal changes.
The effective date will be updated when revisions are published.
Changes will apply prospectively, subject to applicable law and existing contractual obligations. Material changes to active memberships or other ongoing contracts will be handled in accordance with the applicable agreement and legal notice requirements.
Continued website use after the effective date of properly communicated revised website terms may constitute acceptance to the extent permitted by law.
20. Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect to the extent permitted by applicable law.
21. Contact Information
Questions concerning these Terms, class policies, memberships, or other PSSI services may be directed to:
Gentle Breeze, LLC
Doing business as Puget Sound Sailing Institute
5632 Marine View Drive
Tacoma, WA 98422
Phone: 253-383-1774
Email: matthew@pugetsoundsailing.com
Website: https://pugetsoundsailing.com
Effective Date: Oct. 1, 2026