Advanced Sailing Certification on Lake Superior

The Advanced Sailing Course is a five day sailing class designed to create more competent, confident sailors. You will improve your sailing skills and experience night sailing, standing watches and sailing offshore in varying weather conditions. Everyone is involved in planning the passage. The instructor will review navigation procedures, use of charts, dead reckoning, radar and GPS in an easy to understand and relaxed environment. This exciting adventure covers over 140 nautical miles, weather depending, with destinations such as Isle Royale National Park , Keweenaw Peninsula and Grand Marais, MN.

Your Classroom
Our Advanced Sailing Certification class takes place on 36 - 41 foot boats which serve as your classroom and overnight accommodations. You will sleep onboard the boat in harbor with complementary boarding the evening prior to the first day of your instruction. You will spend all other nights at anchor or at other ports with the instructor aboard. There are heads and a galley on all boats. Bring sleeping bag or bedding and towels.

Sign up Alone or with Friends
This course requires four people minimum / maximum. We highly recommend a three or four day course to help you prepare for this long distance cruise.

Provisions are included in the cost of this package.

The Cost
$ 1295 per person* , four person minimum, must be previously certified.

*Save! $250 when two sailors sign up for certification together!

Starts on Thursday or Friday - Call today - 800.772.5124

Sign up today! Only $250 per student deposit will hold your place in any course. The balance due will be collected 30 days before the class begins.


Sample Itinerary
You will set sail from the Apostle Islands with an overnight passage to Isle Royale, then on to Grand Marais and back to the Apostle Islands over the course of five days.

Pre-board the evening before the course begins. Relax, settle-in and get to know your crew.

Day One
Prepare the boat for departure and begin a leisurely sail through the Apostle Islands while you become familiar with your boat and discuss the open water passage. A late afternoon departure from the islands will ensure your landfall at Isle Royale in daylight on Day Two.

During the night crossing the crew will keep watch in teams of two in four hour shifts. Keeping a lookout for shipping traffic, you will learn watch-keeping skills using radar, the "rules of the road" and interpreting ship's navigational lights.

Day Two
 Landfall at Isle Royale . Navigating the fiord-like entrance to Windigo will challenge your piloting skills. Rocks and reefs are numerous and a good lookout on the boat is important. The afternoon provides the crew with free time to go ashore to hike the trails or just sit back and relax.

Day Three
Day-long sail to Grand Marais. Another chance to experience open water, wind and waves. After tying up in the marina, you can enjoy hot showers and a walk into town.

Day Four
In the morning you will depart for your crossing back to the Apostle Islands . Arriving in the evening you will anchor in the islands, well positioned for a day sail back to Superior Charters.

Day Five
Weigh anchor and sail back through the islands discussing the trip and enjoying the view, off boarding by 4 pm.

Throughout the trip there will be plenty of opportunity for discussion of offshore sailing strategies, communication systems, weather forecasts, heavy weather strategies and safety.

You will be encouraged to experiment with navigational tools onboard such as binoculars with integrated compass, hand bearing compass, digital chart plotter, etc.