“Masterful sailing is honed through preparedness, built upon a foundation of self-reliance and readiness, proven only by taking responsibility for actions immersed in sea experience.” Paul Exner
Paul Exner — highly experienced, professional sailor, maritime instructor, and coach based in Hawaii, renewoned for his Modern Geographic Sailing School.
With a career spanning fifty years, Paul specializes in offshore sailing instruction, heavy-weather preparedness training, and mentorship for sailors seeking leadership roles at sea — often training aboard his self-built Cape George 31 cutter, SV Solstice.
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Professional Expertise
Paul is recognized as a senior-level instructor who has coached thousands, focusing on practical seamanship, scientific theory, and applied engineering. He is known for advancing his student’s technical expertise with the entirety of their sailing ability and enabling them to achieve the big, complex goals they strive for.
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Modern Geographic Sailing
Operating out of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Paul offers immersive, hands-on training, including passages like the Alenuihaha Channel, designed to prepare sailors for masterful sailing anywhere in the world.
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Coaching Methodology
Exner teaches his “Six Pilars of Sailing Readiness Approach,” coaching sailors gain the necessary technical skills and holistic awareness to handle their own vessels in a wide variety of conditions.
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Boat Builder
Paul is notable for having built his own 31-foot Cape George Cutter, SV Solstice, from a bare hull, a construction project that took 10.5 years but continues to today as a capable offshore training sailboat.
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Background
Paul Exner’s work is widely regarded for it’s technical depth, leadership mentoring, and proven results that help people go anywhere by sail, often described as a holistic approach to maritime education.
