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Offshore Sailing Course

Smiling woman in sun hat and sunglasses pointing while steering a boat on Lake Minnewanka, Canada.

Stop Dreaming. Start Sailing. Many people dream of learning to sail, but feel intimidated by the complexity of charts, knots, and navigation.

Others want more than classroom theory; they want the confidence that comes from real experience on open water.

A family enjoying a peaceful day sailing on a yacht in the summer sea.
A serene view of a yacht deck during sunset in French Polynesia's Windward Islands.
Happy family running at the beach

Learn to Sail with Confidence

Gain invaluable offshore sailing experience and build your confidence on challenging passages. Our expert instructors will guide you through navigation, watchkeeping, weather routing, and safety procedures. This training is modeled after the Incident Command System (ICS) used by FEMA and other government agencies, preparing you for effective leadership in any maritime situation. Students will learn to command in five critical roles:

  • Navigation: Mastering route planning, chart reading, and electronic navigation systems.
  • Engineering: Understanding vessel systems, engine maintenance, and troubleshooting.
  • Security: Implementing onboard safety protocols and emergency response.
  • Interior Management: Overseeing provisioning, galley operations, and crew welfare.
  • Captain: Overall command, decision-making, and crew leadership.

What’s Included:

  • 12 remote classroom session— you and your cohort will start to gel as a team and build rapport through exciting tabletops, d&d style games, and engaging classroom discussion 
  • Small group focus—personalized instruction and direct feedback
  • Practical offshore experience—bring your new skills to the boat and set off on your very own adventure together.  with the guidance of the captain and crew as well as a team of onshore support, you will provision, plan, and execute an amazing offshore passage.  particiapte in daily briefings, rotate through the ICS roles and fully immerse yourself in the salt life!

Why Train With Us?

This isn’t just a sailing course—it’s an immersive experience. You’ll learn from a seasoned captain who has navigated countless offshore miles and knows how to pass on that knowledge in a clear, supportive way.

The sails are trimmed, the horizon is wide open, and you’re at the helm. Every decision builds your skills. Every mile builds your confidence. This is where sailors are made.

How It Works

Select one of our  Course Dates

set time aside every wednesday evening to hang out on zoom with us

Event & Tent

Train in a safe controlled environment

Learn the skills you need to set sail

Sail with Confidence

cast the lines and make landfall on distant shores

Common Questions

Ugh, another zoom meeting! WHY

dont worry this isnt your bosses tps report meeting.  grab your favorite drink and snacks, participate in engaging real life discussion and share stories to build rapport with the team that you will ultimately trusting to watch your back on the open ocean.  the educational content is broken up with emergency management style table tops and D&D style role play sessions!

Can i come along and just watch?

This is a work trip, this isnt designed to be a vacation.  you will participate in daily briefings and debriefings, watch schedules, safety checks, cooking, cleaning, equipment maintenance, and all the things that make a yacht go and its crew happy between shores.  from time to time people do get seasick and can not participate as much as they would like, thats ok! its part of the learning.  the crew that isnt sick gets to learn how to care for a down crew member and the doen crew gets to learn where their limits are without the risk of going it alone of short handed. 

How many will be in each cohort?

Our lesson plan is designed for 3-4 students but there is plenty of participation for up to 6 (2 in each cabin).  students will have an opportunity both for the cleassroom sessions and the trip to rotate through all the stations.  Each station comes with a different challenge and different people having different strenths and interests, you never know which aspect of the journey you will find the most compelling!

will there be time before/after/during the trip to see and experience different places

absolutely! depending on the season, schedule, locations, crew, weather, etc.  we will gather at least 2-3 days before departure and possibly up to 1 week.  same after we arrive in our destination!  keep in mind, expenses onboard are covered but any offboard expenses are up to you.  

What should I pack for an offshore sailing trip

You should pack light and purposefully.  space on board is limited, that being said we dont have laundry facilities on board so plan accordingly.  bring a few warm things, a few light things, and a few rain resistant things. dont forget a book, some downloaded movies, music, and audiobooks to pass the time.  theres no interweb offshore!

Your Dream of Sailing Starts Here.

Contact

Phone (508) 815-7738
Email lathrop143@gmail.com

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