Start Sailing Now: Meet Tom and Liz Martin
In 2019, Tom and Liz Martin were in their late 40s and looking for something new and meaningful to share. What did they find? Sailing! It all started with a beginner Sunfish lesson during a family outing on the Potomac. Tom, who had been exposed to sailing as a kid, was reminded of how much he enjoyed being on the water. Although sailing was completely new to Liz, it felt to her like something that they could grow into together. They began with lessons at Sail Solomons and expanded their horizons, eventually purchasing their own boat. Here Tom and Liz share their story:
Building experience on the Bay
Tom and Liz primarily built their sailing experience on the Chesapeake, taking all their training through Sail Solomons. Tom worked through the full complement of courses steadily expanding his technical skills, and his next goal is to pursue a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License. Liz progressed more gradually, building confidence through repetition and time on the water. Her early coursework in coastal navigation and marine weather laid a good foundation for later experiences aboard their own boat. Her next step will be to complete a Bareboat Cruising certification.
The couple joined the Sail Solomons sailing club for experience with a variety of boats and to gain time on the water. Participation in the club’s annual flotilla helped to grow skills and confidence in a supportive community setting.
Did you have any preconceived notions about sailing?
Tom: I expected sailing to be technical and skill based, which proved true, but I didn’t fully appreciate how calming and immersive it would feel.
Liz: Sailing initially felt very foreign to me and, honestly, a little scary. The thought of being out on a huge blue ocean with no land in sight was something that struck real fear in me. But I was willing to explore it and face some of those fears. Over time, as we’ve built skills and gained experience, many of those fears have faded. I’ve become much more open to the idea of making sailing a meaningful part of our life and future. I also know the water is Tom’s happy place and supporting that has become important to me too.
It has been encouraging to meet sailors in their 60s and 70s fully enjoying the lifestyle—it reassured us we weren’t starting too late. I’ve also really enjoyed meeting other women sailors along the way.
What are your future sailing plans?
We plan to keep building experience and spend more time on the water as work schedules allow. Long term, we’re looking forward to making sailing a much bigger part of our lifestyle in retirement—hoping to explore the Intracoastal Waterway, the Caribbean, and other beautiful cruising grounds once we’re out of the daily grind. We plan to continue building our skills with more courses ahead, and Liz hopes to take a few women’s and couples sailing classes in the future. Tom finds night sailing exhilarating; Liz still finds it a little terrifying—but that’s all part of the adventure of learning together.
If someone were interested in learning to sail, what would you tell them?
You don’t need a sailing background or a boat to begin. Take a class, get out on the water, and learn at your own pace—confidence comes quicker than you think. Retirement sneaks up fast, so you might as well start the fun now. We’ve found that there’s something in sailing for just about everyone. Every sailor brings different strengths, and every crew works best when those skills come together. For us, our respective interests just happen to complement each other really well.
Did you encounter any obstacles or barriers when you began sailing?
Time has been the biggest factor. We both work full time and live about two hours from Solomons Island, so sailing requires planning—but that also makes each trip feel like a true getaway.
Sailing has also taught us a lot about patience and communication. When one person is on the bow and the other is at the helm trying to dock, it’s not always easy to hear each other and tensions can run high when you’re trying to do things safely and quickly. At first that was a challenge for us and sometimes led to arguments or bruised feelings, but over time we’ve learned to slow down, communicate more clearly, and be patient with each other. In the end it has actually brought us closer as a couple.
The softer side: provisioning and hospitality.
Liz: One part of sailing that I’ve really come to enjoy is what I think of as the softer side of the experience—provisioning and stewarding. I love creating a welcoming environment aboard and making the experience enjoyable for everyone. During a flotilla in Guadeloupe, Tom and I were assigned to be stewards for the group. The provisioning list from the company was entirely in French, so we had to work together to translate it and plan for the whole crew. It was a challenge but also a great learning experience in planning and teamwork. I’ve even thought about taking a steward class just for fun because I enjoy the hospitality side of sailing so much.
Tell us about owning a boat in a charter fleet.
We own Moxie, a 39 foot Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 39i. Her name reflects the spirit we admire: steady determination, a little boldness, and the energy to keep going. She serves as a floating classroom—not only for us but also for the Sail Solomons sailing school—and as our weekend getaway and little retreat. Keeping her in the Sail Solomons charter fleet ensures she stays active, well cared for, and professionally maintained, and it keeps us closely connected to the local sailing community while we’re still working full time. The main drawback is working around charter availability, but it works well for our current stage of life. Moxie has become a perennial favorite in the fleet and has also been featured in several ASA sailing publications, most recently Docking and Maneuvering Made Easy, which was a fun honor for us. We hope other couples and crews enjoy their time aboard Moxie as much as we do.
Find more stories about adult sailors getting hooked on sailing at startsailingnow.com.
