Arnstein spent the summers of his youth working 20-hour days aboard fishing trawlers in the rough North Atlantic off the coast of Iceland. Realizing that this was not “yachting” he then turned his attention to various small sail and powerboats throughout the 1980’s. Later he joined Club Nautique as a member and continued his US Sailing education through Coastal Passage Making. Since 1999 Arnstein has been a certified instructor for all classes, power and sail, and regularly teaches the offshore and navigation courses. Aside from Club Nautique Arnstein also teaches USCG captain license exam training at the Maritime Institute, and is roving examiner for International Yachtmasters. He has raced his own Melges 24 and other boats for several years but now owns and cruises a Tayana 48 cutter. Arnstein is a passage maker and delivery captain with several long distance ocean crossings and numerous coastal passages under his belt, including a 45-day ocean crossing between Yokohama and San Francisco in 2002.
Arnstein has a 100-ton Near Coastal USCG Masters license, Yachtmaster Ocean certificate, STCW-95 endorsement and is US Sailing certified through passage making as an instructor. He says, “I can think of no other human endeavor that takes in such a vast amount of subject matter as does sailing. Everything from celestial navigation to diesel mechanics and from sail trim to cartography. I guess that is what’s so fascinating about this great sport and activity…it’s the university you never graduate from. And that’s why I really enjoy sharing my enthusiasm and knowledge with students because I too benefit greatly from the exchange.”
