Sail Local: Sailing The Great Lakes

By: Destinations, Schools

Take a look at a map of the United States and the Great Lakes seem to be dwarfed by the two large bodies of water on the east and the west. Don’t let that fool you, the Great Lakes are huge and they offer a varied experience when it comes to sailing. If the ocean is not in your backyard, find a lake. We say “#saillocal” and find a school nearby to help you work on your sailing, teach you some skills or just introduce you to some new sailing friends.

Sail the Great Lakes

At over 95,000 square miles, The Great Lakes make up the largest body of freshwater on the planet. Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and Lake Michigan comprise over 10,000 miles of seashore and include over 34,000 islands.  These interconnected bodies of water are a haven for water enthusiasts and a haven for boaters. Sailors find an assortment of anchorages and itineraries available for even the most experienced of cruisers.

The American Sailing Association has over 20 schools and affiliates operating in the Great Lakes Region that offer sailing courses, charters and sailing clubs.

Schools in the region are teaching everything from ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing to ASA 114 Cruising Catamaran to ASA 120 Radar Endorsement. In other words, you can learn it all on the Great Lakes.

#saillocal

Minnesota

Lake Superior

Northern Breezes Sailing School – DuluthNorthernBreezesSailing.com(763) 542-9707DuluthMN
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 102, Keelboat Sailing 2 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 111, Sailing Review | ASA 114, Cruising Catamaran

Wisconsin

Lake Michigan

Sea Safaris Sailing School – Milwaukeeseasafarissailingschool.com(800) 724-5272MilwaukeeWI53202United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 110, Basic Small Boat Sailing | ASA 117, Basic Celestial Endorsement | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement | ASA 119, Marine Weather Endorsement | ASA 120, Radar Endorsement
SailTime Milwaukeewww.sailtime.com(262) 960-14702 Christopher ColumbusRacineWI53403United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement | ASA 120, Radar Endorsement

Illinois

Lake Michigan

Pinnacle Sailing Schoolpinnacleyachts.com(800) 285-7495401 North Michigan Avenue #1200ChicagoIL60611USA
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1
SailTime – Chicagowww.sailtime.com(815) 356-8791ChicagoILUSA
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising
Sea Safaris Sailing School – Milwaukeeseasafarissailingschool.com(800) 724-5272MilwaukeeWI53202United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 110, Basic Small Boat Sailing | ASA 117, Basic Celestial Endorsement | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement | ASA 119, Marine Weather Endorsement | ASA 120, Radar Endorsement
Fairwind Sail Chartersfairwindsail.com(708) 442-2670147 Bloomingbank RoadRiversideIL60546United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation

Michigan

Lake Michigan

GT Sailing SchoolGTSailing.com(616) 896-71273026 Adams StreetHudsonville MI29426United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising
Northern Breezes Sailing School – DuluthNorthernBreezesSailing.com(763) 542-9707DuluthMN
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 102, Keelboat Sailing 2 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 111, Sailing Review | ASA 114, Cruising Catamaran
Great Lakes Sailing Companywww.greatlakessailingco.com(231) 941-053512935 S. West Bay Shore Dr Suite 185Traverse CityMI49684United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 114, Cruising Catamaran | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement

Lake Huron

Sonset Sailing Schoolsonsetmarine.com(989) 635-26967365 Cedar St. Port SanilacMichigan48469United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 107, Celestial Navigation | ASA 108, Offshore Passagemaking | ASA 110, Basic Small Boat Sailing | ASA 114, Cruising Catamaran | ASA 117, Basic Celestial Endorsement

Lake St. Clair

Lake St. Clair Sailing School – Harrison Townshipwww.lakestclairsailingschool.com(586) 770-251831300 N. River RoadHarrison TownshipMI48045United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 111, Sailing Review | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement

Halcyon Sailing – Lake St. Clairwww.halcyonsailing.net(248) 723-949824400 E. Jefferson AveJefferson Beach MarinaSt. Clair ShoresMI48080United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement

Ohio

Lake Erie

Erie Islands Sailing Schoolerieislandssailingschool.com419 376 34301 Huron StreetSanduskyOH44870United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 114, Cruising Catamaran | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement
Full Sail Yacht Charterswww.fullsailyachtcharters.com419-469-6125451 W. Lakeshore DrivePort ClintonOH43452United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation

New York

Lake Erie

Sail BuffaloSail-Buffalo.org(716) 432-65892 Fuhrmann BlvdBuffaloNY14203United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 102, Keelboat Sailing 2 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation

Lake Ontario

Sail Ontariosail-ontario.com(315) 783-2755102 Navy Point RdSackets HarborNY13685United States
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation

Chautauqua Lake

Ready About Sailingwww.readyaboutsailing.com(716) 664-388332 Venice StreetCeloronNY14720USA
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising

Canada

Lake Ontario

North Shore Reachingwww.northshorereaching.ca(905) 259-7572710 Barcovan Beach Road Carrying PlaceON ​K0K 1L0Canada
Courses Offered:
ASA 101, Keelboat Sailing 1 | ASA 102, Keelboat Sailing 2 | ASA 103, Coastal Cruising | ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising | ASA 105, Coastal Navigation | ASA 106, Advanced Coastal Cruising | ASA 116, Dinghy and Outboard Endorsement | ASA 118, Docking Endorsement | ASA 119, Marine Weather Endorsement

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