Coach Kurt Taulbee
I’m Kurt Taulbee, an experienced small-boat sailor and coach with deep roots in Laser sailing. I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, where I grew up sailing the Niagara River through the Niagara Sailing Club. Since 1977, I’ve sailed everything from Sunfish and Albacore to Finns, Hobie 16s, Snipes, Lightning, and Lasers. A few summers, I even crewed competitively aboard a C&C 38 on Lake Ontario, earning top honors along the way.
From the Niagara River to Clearwater Bay, sailing has been part of my life since childhood.
My greatest sailing achievements include two gold medals at the New York State Empire Games, multiple Laser campaigns tied to the Savannah, Sydney, Athens, and Beijing Olympics, and three seasons representing the U.S. as a US Sailing Team athlete. At 39, I became the oldest Laser sailor ever to qualify for the US Team. I’ve raced and trained in countries such as Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Spain, a journey that taught me the technical, mental, and physical edge needed to compete at a high level.
Proven on the racecourse with Olympic campaigns, U.S. Sailing Team experience, and international competition.
After earning my Master’s in Engineering Management (and an undergraduate degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering) from the University at Buffalo, I chose a different path: instead of a corporate office, I built a business—SailFit—that combined coaching with my love of travel and competition. In 1994, SailFit began with chartering and transporting Laser sailboats to regattas across North America. Over time, it grew into a coaching-focused company offering lessons, workshops, and regatta support designed to help sailors improve their skills and enjoy sailing to the fullest.
Blending coaching, competition, and travel into SailFit’s mission of helping sailors succeed.
US Sailing Team Athlete
- Three seasons representing the U.S., including as the oldest Laser sailor to qualify at age 39.
Olympic Campaigns
- Competed in Laser campaigns for Savannah, Sydney, Athens, and Beijing, sharpening tactical and technical expertise.
International Racing
- Trained and raced across five continents, bringing a global perspective to coaching.
Proven Coaching Record
- Level 3 certified coach with decades of helping sailors of all levels gain speed, confidence, and results.
The SailFit Story
What started as a way to get Lasers to regattas has grown into decades of racing, coaching, and helping sailors discover their potential.
Origins (1994 Launch)
At the time, I had just wrapped up a tour of sailing events on the West Coast and decided to commit to campaigning in the Laser class full time. I knew it would take years to get to the level I wanted—competing internationally—and I also knew I’d have to find a way to pay for it. That’s where the idea for SailFit came from.
From solving a problem on the regatta circuit, SailFit was born.
Chartering & Life on the Road
I started by chartering and transporting Laser sailboats and selling parts. It filled a real need on the North American circuit, and it also allowed me to be at the events I needed to compete in for my own sailing goals. I traveled with a trailer full of extra boats and gear, and sailors could fly in and charter a fully prepped Laser. It was a win-win situation.
From 1994 to 2008, I covered a lot of ground—literally. With a trailer and van, I crisscrossed the U.S. and Canada, logging over 200,000 miles. The first trailer held six boats, but after some reworking, I got it up to 12. Add a couple more on top of the van and one inside, and I could haul up to 15 Lasers at once. It wasn’t exactly easy to load the trailer, but it worked!
SailFit was the first consistent Laser charter service on the North American circuit.
Campaigning at My Highest Level
My dream was to become a World Class sailor and I was committed to competing in as many events as I could, and all the high-level North American regattas. It’s hard to recall, but I would estimate I competed in the Laser Midwinters East Championships, National Championships, North American Championships, and CORK at least ten times each. It was a wild ride with a lot of road time! I drove from the East Coast to the West Coast and back around five times, and from my home town in Buffalo to Florida and back fifteen plus times. Mixed in there was traveling to World Championships and other high level international training and regattas.
It was a wild ride, but chasing the top of the Laser fleet was worth every mile.
Shift Toward Coaching
Over time, as I traveled less and less I began shifting the focus toward coaching—lessons, clinics and regattas. Along the way, fitness and nutrition was also a part of what was offered. I’ve always been into health and fitness, and I knew how important it was for sailing performance.
Starting in 2000, Meka Taulbee played a major role in shaping that side of the business. She brought a background in fitness and holistic nutrition that added presence to SailFit for many years, and she suggested the business name change to SailFit. Although Meka has moved on to other endeavors, I’m grateful for the work we did together and the impact she had on many sailors.
As the chartering era slowed down, SailFit evolved into coaching, training, and fitness for sailors.
SailFit Today
These days, SailFit is all about helping sailors grow—especially those who are new to the sport. I coach regularly throughout the year, offering private lessons, workshops, and regatta coaching. While Clearwater Beach, Florida is my home base, I also travel to work with sailors on their home waters and at regattas. Teaching people how to sail for the first time is one of the most rewarding aspects of what I do. There’s nothing like seeing someone discover the freedom and challenge of being on the water.
Whether you’re brand new to sailing or looking to sharpen your racing skills, SailFit coaching is always hands-on, personalized, and focused on real progress.
From first-timers to racers, SailFit builds real progress on the water.
Staying Connected
I still sail and race, too. I get to sail with coaching clients and race in master regattas. This keeps my game sharp and I feel like I am still improving. I feel very fit and I have the vision that I am becoming a better sailor as I get older. I am looking forward to training hard and getting back on a national and World level masters circuit. Staying active as a sailor and competitor keeps me connected to the sport that I love and the sailors that I coach.
Sailing alongside the sailors I coach keeps me sharp and connected to the sport I love.
Your Sailing Journey Starts Here
My own sailing journey has taken me from hauling a trailer of Lasers around North America, to racing on international stages, to standing alongside sailors as a coach. Along the way, I’ve learned that every sailor’s path is unique, but the joy of being on the water is universal. That’s what SailFit is all about — creating opportunities for you to grow, challenge yourself, and enjoy sailing at every level.
The SailFit story is still being written—let’s write the next chapter together.