Our Story
Founder Chuck Tantillo began the Tantillo Adaptive Sailing Foundation in 2021 after decades of dedication to the sport of sailing and philanthropy for the disabled community.
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When Chuck was a child, he and his Dad enrolled in a 6-week U.S. Power Squadron boating class at the National Guard Armory. It was here that Chuck and his father learned what truly good seamanship meant, and the two made it their sailing matra from that point forward. In his youth, Chuck volunteered as a music teacher’s assistant at the Capper Foundation for Crippled Children where he worked closely with disabled kids. It was during this time he became inspired by the children’s ability to thrive in the activities they were able to participate in, as opposed to focusing on those that they weren’t within reach.
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Today, Chuck now owns a flotilla in both Kansas and the British Virgin Islands. Attending boat shows has become an annual pilgrimage, and it was at one of these shows that he first discovered adaptive sailing organizations based in towns such as Annapolis, Miami, and Chicago. The light bulb went off and the idea to combine two of his passions by starting an adaptive sailing organization was born. After founding the Tantillo Adaptive Sailing Foundation, Chuck also purchased a sailing shop in Lawrence, KS called Kansas City Sailing. These two ventures now work in tandem to introduce disabled people to the art of sailing while getting them out on the water.
Our Team
Charles R. Tantillo, Jr.
President
Charles (Chuck) Tantillo began sailing at a very young age with his father in 1966. From their first venture out on Lake Shawnee in Topeka, KS, Chuck - and his Dad - were hooked. As he grew older, Chuck continued to sail and teach others about the joys of the sport across the Midwest and along the East Coast while getting involved in philanthropy efforts for organizations that supported disabled children, even offering sunset dinner sails as charitable fundraisers. Chuck’s family fleet only continued to grow over time, cementing sailing as a lifelong devotion for both him and his son, Matt. Chuck brought his two passions together when he founded the Tantillo Adaptive Sailing Foundation and hasn’t looked back since.
Matthew Tantillo
Director
Matt grew up sailing on boats big and small on Perry Lake in Kansas. Throughout his adult years, he has turned this foundational experience into many opportunities for sailing across the country, including a voyage from Hawaii to San Francisco with the Sea Education Association. He loves getting to take friends out on the water and share the experiences of traveling without engine noise while following the restricting challenges of nature's forces. Matt hopes those given the opportunity to try sailing through the Tantillo Adaptive Sailing Foundation will likewise cherish the same thrills.
Certifications
We proudly hold the following certifications
US Sailing Inc.
Adaptive Sailing Instructor Level 1 Certification
US Sailing Inc.
Small Boat Sailing Instructor Level 1 Certification.
US Sailing Inc.
Small Boat Sailing Online Instructor Level 1 Certification
US Sailing Inc.
Teaching & Coaching Fundamentals Online Certification
US Sailing Inc.
Safe Sport Certification
US Sailing Inc.
Creating Safe & inclusive Environments for Athletes with Disabilities
American Sailing Association
104 Basic Keel Boat Sailing Certification
American Sailing Association
103 Basic Coastal Cruising Certification
American Sailing Association
104 Bareboat Cruising Certification
American Red Cross
First Aid Certification
Memberships
We are honored to be members of the following organizations
