Introductory Sailing Courses and Adventures

Short Overview
Most adults follow a beginning course path by choosing Basic Keelboat as their first course. This is an ideal start point for moving on to larger keelboats which are generally available for bareboat charter on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan and the Caribbean. What is a keelboat? What is a bareboat?

Basic Small Boat is a reasonable introductory course if bigger boats are not on your horizon. We rent our small boats to graduates. The sailing skills transfer to bigger boats but keelboat characteristics are different than in these light, quick boats. Young folks generally like these boats because they are close to the water. We use the 17' WindRider in our youth camp. It has the widest wind range of any of our small boats.

Enjoy a ride whether it is a sunset cruise or a brisk late summer day "leaf" sail. Tell your instructor, skipper what you would like, we'll try to accommodate your desires. Be as involved as you want to be!
 
Take A Ride!
Take a ride on a sailboat with a certified skipper!  We provide the boat and skipper for you so you can enjoy your time out on one of the beautiful lakes we sail on, including Lake Minnetonka and Lake Superior's beautiful Apostle Islands.
Basic Small Boat
A perfect class for the sailor who just wants to get out on the water on a small boat without a keel.  Offered at two metro lakes, this class is a convenient way to learn to sail small boats quickly. Instructor to Student ratio is one to two.
Basic Keelboat
 Basic Keelboat is taught by ASA-certified instructors at many locations around the Twin Cities area. This course is the prerequisite for most of our more advanced sailing courses. Qualified graduates will become charter certified for day sailing on 22-23' keelboats. Many of our graduates come to us from other programs, they often test-out of Basic Keelboat enroute to intermediate and advanced courses and adventures. Instructor to Student ratio is one to three.
[ Comparison Guide ]
Teach Me on My Own Boat
These are all specially designed courses, often without ASA certification, to help you learn to sail or refresh your sailing skills. One big problem we often encounter is your new, used boat has some rough or incorrect rigging. We often spend half the allotted time working with you on the standing rigging, running rigging or various other "issues". The strong positive is that we refine your skills on your own "new" boat.
Refresher Courses
These are generally a great way to restore confidence in a safe, fun environment.
Family and Friends
Many families have one or two members who are interested in being certified by ASA at any level. There may be one to four family members who would like to become familiar with the boat, contribute as crew, etc., but not have to meet the standards of ASA and Northern Breezes. Often these are the very crew the prospective certifying student will have on their own yacht, whether chartered or owned. The one or two members who are going to become certified in this course will be expected to meet all the national and international standards of the American Sailing Association for their certification level. The crew will be taught on a personalized basis based on age, interest and experience level. The crew will accomplish many skill sets and feel empowered as sailors. "Crew" will receive Northern Breezes' Crew Certification. We will do Family and Friends at every level from Basic Small Boat and Basic Keelboat through Advanced Coastal Cruising Offshore.
Sailing Youth Camp
Get your kids involved in a great lifelong sport by enrolling them in Northern Breezes Youth Sailing Camp.  We offer a program on Medicine Lake on 8 and 10 foot dinghies for youth 8-16 and a program on our keelboats on Lake Minnetonka for youth 14-18.
Crew Certifications
Northern Breezes awards crew certifications for sailors too young to be certified or not wishing to go through the rigorous ASA coursework who are attending class with a student being certified.  These certifications are offered at a discounted rate and are most often achieved through Family and Friends courses.
Keelboat Racing
This course is an excellent opportunity to experience the excitement of sailboat racing in a low stress environment.  Call 763-542-9707 for detail or to schedule a class.

[Back to Northern Breezes Sailing School schedule.]

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