About the ISSA

International Sailing Schools Association (ISSA)

Established in 1969, ISSA is the official abbreviation of the International Sailing Schools Association, the global authority for sailing education and training standards. The ISSA is an international non-governmental organization committed to offering opportunities worldwide for people who dream of learning sailing. ISSA helps those looking to start their sailing education in schools and also provides an international career pathway for sailing and windsurfing instructors to teach in different countries.

As a non-profit international association, ISSA sets common standards for quality and safety in sailing and windsurfing schools globally. These standards apply universally, ensuring consistent certification for students completing courses at all levels. ISSA ensures that all its sailing and windsurfing instructors are trained to the same high standards.

Organizational Leadership Structure

The ISSA is managed by a committee elected from its member sailing and windsurfing schools, ensuring effective oversight and representing the diverse perspectives and interests of its member institutions while upholding ISSA's commitment to excellence and safety in sailing and windsurfing education worldwide.

Tomasz Lipski

President

Assaad Rayess

Vice President

ISSA Trainers

Trainer for Professional Sailing Instructor - Assaad Rayess
Trainer for Catamaran Instructor - Christiana Fass
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor - Dzmitry Zhuk
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor - Erez Vardi
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor – Vadim Nareyko
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor, Rescue Instructor – Kris Krzysztof Buczek
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor – Konstantin Zhukov
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor – Mike Downard
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor – Mirosław Lamkowski
Trainer for Sailing & Power Instructor – Tomasz Szczegielniak
Trainer for Inclusive Sailing Instructor – Anita Marszalek
Trainer for Power Instructor – Tarek Hassan
Trainer for Sailing Instructor – Ilgonis Balodis

ISSA Officers

Chief Operating Officer – Weiding Zhang
Chief Project Consultant – Michal Stronka
Head of Office Administration – Elvira Sarkhanova
Lead Editor of the textbook – Rafael Kander
Maritime Authorities Relations – Erez Vardi
Marketing Officer – Katarzyna Kozinska
News Room Officer – Ramil Bayramov
Professional Training Development – Assaad Rayess

Administrative Council Members

Assaad Rayess
Bogdan Brodowski
Erez Vardi
Irina Fedorowa
Konstantin Zhukov
Orjan Jansson
Piotr Stańczak
Silvia Guerra

ISSA Regional Representatives

Europe

Germany – Jarosław Wistuba
Greece – Alexander Shehu
Spain – Jose Pascual Valenzuela

East Asia

China (Guangdong Province) – Chunshan Bai

West Asia

Israel – Erez Vardi
Persian Gulf Area – Tarek Hassan

South East Asia

Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore - Mike Downard

ISSA History

From 1969

ISSA was created in 1969 in London by:

Les Glenans FRA
Polish Yachting Association POL
Yacht Club de Morges SUI
Casa di Vela Caprera ITA
National Schools Sailing Association GBR
Centro Internacional de Navigacion de Arousa ESP

1969

ISSA was established as a continuation of the French committee for the development of sailing on the initiative of several national federations with a strong position in sailing.

1970s

The Polish Yachting Association as a co-founder of ISSA is gaining recognition in the European sailing community.
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Developing the pattern of a seaman's book (Logbook), still widely used in many countries today.
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An international sailing license is created; its largest modification took place in 2014, and on the occasion of the jubilee, in 2019 a new design was introduced.
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Organization of the first international conferences devoted to sailing training.

1980s

Obtaining the status of a European Community advisory organization.

Substantive support and close cooperation in the development of a world institution managing the sport of sailing International Sailing Federation (ISAF); currently World Sailing.

1990s

Cooperation with national sailing federations is extended to support individual sailing schools. The implementation of ISSA training standards is taking a new level.

Opening up to the markets of the Middle East, former USSR countries and Australia.

2000s

ISSA constantly cooperates with representatives of maritime state authorities of many countries.

Obtaining the status of a member of the International Telecommunication Union - ITU, the UN agency responsible for setting standards in maritime radio communications.

Performing activities under Union of International Associations - promoting the activities of international organizations.

Introduction of ISO 9001: 2008 standards.

Active participation in the work of the working group of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe dealing with the International Certificate of Competence (ICC).

2010s

Implementation of a project financed by the European Commission, aimed at standardizing skipper training in the Mediterranean.

Strengthening ISSA's position on existing markets and entering Asian markets, including signing a partnership agreement with the Chinese authorities.

The first ISSA Festival of Sails was launched - cyclical events promoting cultural exchange through sailing.

2020+

The first International Marine Environmental Protection Conference was organized in Cyprus, with organizations and institutions from 15 countries participating. The Prevent Plastic Pollution (PPP) project was launched, since then ISSA has incorporated environmental awareness into its training system.

The Inclusive Sailing Project was launched to create opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sailing, along with a dedicated instructor-training category focused on supporting sailors with disabilities, which is so-called Sailing Instructors of Persons with Disabilities (SIPD).

ISSA has partnered with the World Maritime University to strengthen the development of ISSA’s international standardization system.

The ISSA Hub online education platform was launched, making it easier for everyone to access ISSA training resources.

50 Years' Anniversary

In 2019, ISSA proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary in Greece at the ISSA Festival of Sails.

Past AGMs

1969 – London, the UK
1973 – Finale Ligure, Italy
1974 – Enkhuizen, Netherlands
1975 – Brest, France
1976 – Neuchatel, Switzerland
1977 – Warsaw, Poland
1978 – Wien, Austria
1979 – Quiberon, France
1980 – Largs, Scotland
1981 – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
1982 – Tetouan,Morocco
1983 – Cowes, England
1984 – Bombannes, France
1985 – Helsinki, Finland
1986 – Montreal, Canada
1987 – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
1988 – Algiers, Algeria
1989 – La Rochelle, France

1990 – Timmendorfer Strand, Germany
1991 – Gols, Austria
1992 – Caprera Sardaigne, Italy
1995 – Hamburg, Germany
1996 – Brighton, England
1997 – Marstrand, Sweden
1998 – Palma de Mallorca, Spain
1999 – Athens, Greece
2000 – Edinburgh, Scotland
2001 – Paris, France
2002 – Rome, Italy
2003 – Dublin, Ireland
2004 – Paris, France
2005 – Singapore
2006 – Helsinki, Finland
2007 – Barcelona, Spain
2008 – Vienna, Austria
2009 – Midlands, England

2010 – Istanbul, Turkey
2011 – Poznań, Poland
2012 – Łódź, Poland
2013 – Berlin, Germany
2014 – Marmaris, Turkey
2016 – Dusseldorf, Germany
2017 – Dusseldorf, Germany
2019 – Kamień Pomorski, Poland
2023 – Beijing, China
2024 – Dusseldorf, Germany
2025 – Dusseldorf, Germany

ISSA's Previous Publications

Logbooks

American Sailing Association logbook issued by the American Sailing Association at the end of 1980s

Association of German Sailing Schools Sailing Certificate issued by Association of German Sailing Schools (Verband Deutscher Segelschulen)

AustriaSailor’s ID logbook issued in Austria (VOS)

Belgium Yachting Association logbook issued by Belgium Yachting Association (Landelijke Bond van Watersport Verenigingen in Belgie)

Belgium logbook issued by regional Belgium yachting organization (Ligue Regionale du Yachting Belge)

Canadian Yachting Association logbook issued by Canadian Yachting Association at the beginning of 1990s

Dutch Sailing Schools Federation logbook issued by Dutch Sailing Schools Federation (Vereniging van Zeilscholen Nederland) – 1983

Finnish Yachting Association Finnish logbook issued by Finnish Yachting Association (Suomen Purjehtijaliitto ry.) at the end of 1980s

French Sailing Federation 80s Logbook issued by French Sailing Federation (Federation Francaise de Voile) at the end of 80s

French Sailing Federation 90s Logbook issued by French Sailing Federation (Federation Francaise de Voile) at the end of 90s

ISSA 2002 Logbook issued by ISSA in 2002 – in Arabic, English and French

Polish Sailing Association certificate of windsurfing instructor issued by Polish Sailing Association

Polish Yachting Association logbook issued by Polish Yachting Association (Polski Związek Żeglarski)

Spanish Sailing Federation logbook issued by Spanish Sailing Federation (Federation Espanola de Vela)