Let’s GO Sailing
You have completed your ASA 101 training and you are thinking of taking more courses, perhaps ASA 103, Basic Coastal Cruising or ASA 104, Bareboat Cruising.
There is no shortage of places to sail – it’s just a matter of picking a spot, finding a boat and untying the lines. An obstacle to sailing in new locations is finding a boat or crew, utilizing the GoSailing App fixes that. You don’t need to own your own boat to go sailing, you just need to find a few new friends who are looking for crew. If you already know how to sail, this makes the search even easier.
Utilize the Go Sailing App
The GO SAILING App helps you find crew or apply to be crew on other skippers’ trips. There are also sailing related social events, seminars, and sailing lessons on the app. GO SAILING is the best free sailing app for connecting to your local sailing & boating community.
Key features of the GO SAILING app allow users to easily:
- Post a sailing trip in order to find crew.
- Discover upcoming sailing trips and join as crew.
- Learn to sail by taking an introductory GO SAILING experience.
- Communicate effectively and efficiently with crews from within the app.
- Keep track of trips, sailing buddies, certifications and more.
Go Sailing
Tired of sailing to the same cove over and over? We have a few ideas for sailing destinations to help you use your sailing skills and to build upon your sailing resume. Each of these destinations has options for charter opportunities as well as sailing schools that can build on your existing knowledge and certifications.
Sailing Destinations
Exotic Destinations
Looking for 7 exotic locations to work on your sailing? Consider Grenada, La Paz or St. Lucia or any of a number of off-the-beaten-path places to sail. Try the Go Sailing App in these locations and you might find you have new friends in faraway places. You could also contact an ASA affiliated school and work on your skills for new certifications.
Sail in Greece
According to Captain Bampakos of Fair Winds Sailing Greece “Corfu island is considered one of the finest destinations in the Mediterranean.” The town of Corfu has been characterized by the vast majority of visitors as cosmopolitan, picturesque and fascinating. The many villages along with picturesque cliffs and isolated, secluded beaches make for an abundance of exploration opportunities on Corfu. You can examine the sites of prominent Greek history, sample the Mediterranean cuisine or take on a strenuous hike to view the surrounding islands.
Sail the Florida Keys
If you fantasize about boat life or you just want to spend time near the water, the Keys might be calling you. If you want to learn how to sail there are quite a few places in the Florida Keys where ASA courses are taught and where you can combine a getaway with enhancing your sailing education. Veterans would be especially interested in Captain Joe Matrangelo’s Veterans Sailing Association.
Sail San Diego
San Diego is the ideal location to visit because you can mix in your ocean adventures with some sightseeing and some cultural sites. Throw in a visit to a wild animal park and sample some craft beers and you can easily see why a sailing vacation in Southern California’s other beach city is the spot to choose to work on your sailing education.
Explore Hawaii by Sailboat
Venturing further than Waikiki, a sailing adventure from Oahu might start with a short cruise to Keehi Lagoon. Downwind from Ala Wai, Keehi is home to La Mariana Sailing Club, the original Tiki Bar and an unofficial “dock and dine” stop with some of the best seafood dishes, local favorite rum punch, and live entertainment. After a fun night at La Mariana, Keehi Marine Center is also the place to top off on fuel at the start of your multi-day sailing adventure.
Sail the Pacific Northwest
Take a moment and breathe in the crisp air on Puget Sound. Feel the wind as it moves across the water and through your hair. Mount Baker in the distance Victoria to the north and the Pacific Ocean beyond a series of islands heading out west. For the lover of the outdoors, the Pacific Northwest is the ultimate playground of lush green forests and deep blue ocean that is alive with wildlife.
We’ve been chartering with Great Lakes Sailing out of Traverse City, Michigan for a few years. They call their charters “Unsalted Sailing”. As Kentucky residents, we love to vacation in the little ports (Omena, Suttons Bay, Northport, Elk Rapids) along the coast of Grand Traverse Bay, as well as the towns (Charlevoix, Petosky, Harbor Springs) along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan. Having grown up in Connecticut and learned sailing on the ocean, this is different and very satisfying. The fleet of boats at Great Lakes are quite varied and exceptionally well maintained. The staff do a great job of making you feel welcomed and help you develop a itinerary for both short and long term charters. We highly recommend you take to sailing the wonderful “Unsalted” waters in Michigan!