Charting a New Course: The Story Behind Sail Loyalist

When Jose Sanudo arrived in the Saint John Region almost a decade ago, sailing wasn’t on his radar. He had moved for an engineering job, expecting the Maritimes to be a brief chapter in his life. Instead, a chance introduction to sailing revealed a side of the region few people get to see and ultimately convinced him to build a life here. Now, through Sail Loyalist, he’s inviting others to explore the region from its most defining vantage points – out on the rivers and the Bay that connect it all.

Originally from western Canada, Jose spent years working in tourism in Banff and Whistler before pursuing a career in engineering and moving to New Brunswick. As he settled into life on the East Coast, one thing kept catching his eye: sailboats. They seemed to be everywhere – on the provincial flag, in local logos, and on signs welcoming people to the province. His curiosity eventually won, and he decided to give sailing a try.

That decision changed everything.

 “Once I got into racing sailboats with some of the local yacht clubs, it became a little bit of an addiction,” he said. “It became the thing that led me to stay here.”

For Jose, sailing quickly became more than a hobby. It was a connection to history, exploration, and the natural world, and a rare feeling of working with nature rather than against it.

“Being on the water is a fantastic time,” he shared. “And if you can get out there without the motor running and just harness nature - harness wind energy, which is an amazing free source of power - you feel like you’re part of something bigger.”

As his passion grew, Jose began inviting friends, family, and newcomers to join him on the water. His photos and videos, often featuring his cat Sebastian, drew attention online from people who had never considered sailing before. The ripple effect reached all the way back to Alberta. After seeing the life he had built in the Saint John Region, his parents eventually moved east, too.

 “They asked me one day, ‘Are you planning on moving back to Alberta?’ and I said, ‘You know what, I’ve kind of fallen in love with this area.’ So, they said they’d come and join me.”

The final turning point came during a sailing certification course in Halifax. There, he met the Sail Canada Yacht Master who recognized both Jose’s enthusiasm and a gap in New Brunswick’s sailing landscape. At the time, anyone seeking Sail Canada-certified instruction had to leave the province.

“The Yacht Master told me they were interested in developing sailing more as a sport and a hobby in New Brunswick. I wanted to be able to share sailing with more people. That’s when I knew that this was doable.”

With Sail Canada’s support, Jose became a certified instructor and began building what would become Sail Loyalist.

Since launching in 2025, Sail Loyalist has opened the door for aspiring sailors across New Brunswick to access sailing certifications, marine radio licensing, and formal instruction. It also offers sailing tours and excursions that introduce visitors and locals to the region’s waterways in a way few have experienced.

While many people picture sailing destinations as bustling oceanside harbours, Jose believes the Saint John Region offers something far more rare: space.

“When you head out on the riverside of Saint John - the Kennebecasis and the Saint John River - you can sail for hours some days and never see another person.”

He describes the Saint John River Valley as one of the most overlooked sailing destinations he has ever encountered. Unlike many popular sailing centres, where marinas are crowded and shorelines heavily developed, the waterways around Saint John remain remarkably open and natural.

“You get on the Saint John River, and it feels like you’re in the wilderness, in this gorgeous valley that just doesn’t exist anywhere else in North America.”

At its core, Sail Loyalist exists to make sailing accessible. For many guests, that begins with a sunset sailing experience along Grand Bay-Westfield. Based on Sail Canada’s Introduction to Boating program, the excursion offers an approachable first step into the sport. Guests can learn the basics, help operate the boat, or simply relax and take in the scenery.

“People can be as involved as they want. If they want to learn how to pull lines and tie knots, I’ll happily show them. If they just want to sit on the boat and take in the experience, they can do that as well.”

Whether someone is looking for a memorable evening on the water or the first step toward becoming a sailor, the goal remains the same: “I want people to leave with that sense of wonder – that almost magic of what sailing can be.”

And perhaps, along the way, discover a side of the Saint John Region they never knew existed.