Joakim Karlsen · Head Coach, URI Sailing · Founder, JK Sailing

Better coaches build better sailors.

A coaching platform built on behavioral science, process over outcome, and twenty years of evidence from youth Optimist racing to Division I collegiate competition.

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Joakim Karlsen, Head Coach URI Sailing
© Rob Migliaccio Photography
2024
NEISA Coach of the Year
20+
Years Coaching
L3
US Sailing Certified
The JK Sailing Method

Three principles. Every session.

01
Behavioral science, not folklore
Coaching decisions are grounded in how athletes actually learn, not how they're traditionally taught. Every drill, every debrief, every conversation is intentional.
02
The sailor is the focus
Results follow development. When a sailor understands why they're doing something — not just what to do — the performance takes care of itself.
03
Process over outcome
Trophies are a byproduct of good process. We measure what we can control: decision quality, preparation, and execution under pressure.
Background

From the top of the fleet to building the next generation

Joakim Karlsen is a Norwegian-born sailing coach and former world-ranked competitor who ran an Olympic campaign before dedicating his career to developing sailors at every level — from six-year-olds in Optimists to Division I collegiate athletes at the University of Rhode Island.

Named NEISA Coach of the Year in 2024, Joakim brings an athlete's understanding of pressure, process, and performance to every coaching interaction.

20+
Years professional coaching
NEISA
2024 Coach of the Year
Opti → D1
Full development pathway
L3
US Sailing certification
Get in touch
URI Sailing team on the water