Family & Friends Courses
Three- to Six-Day Family / Group / Friends Vacation Certification Course
Register: Family & Friends 3–6 Day Bareboat Charter Skipper Certification - ASA Courses 103 & 104
Express Interest or Request Info: Family & Friends 3–6 Day Bareboat Charter Skipper Certification
Course Location
Apostle Islands, Lake Superior. Vacation Courses are held on cruising sailboats in the beautiful Apostle Islands near Bayfield, Wisconsin. Students may pre-board the boat after 5 PM on the evening before the course starts.
Pikes Bay Marina, 84190 Pikes Bay Road, Bayfield, WI 54814
Link to Apostles Islands National Lakeshore: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Link to "Our Marina," at Pike's Bay, two miles south of Bayfield, Wisconsin: Pikes Bay Marina
Any Basic Keelboat or Basic Small Boat Location. We offer Family & Friends versions of all our courses, including Basic Keelboat and Basic Small Boat.
Description
Northern Breezes offers a unique instruction and certification program to meet the needs of family and friends interested in sharing exciting sailing adventures. We personalize this course for your family or group, but without compromising our high standards. Here's how it works:
Many families have one or two members who are interested in being certified. There may be other family members who would like to become familiar with the boat, contribute as crew, etc., but do not want to take an exam and get certified. Often these are the very crew the prospective skipper will have on their own sailboat, whether chartered or owned. Prospective skippers, will be expected to meet all the national and international standards of the American Sailing Association for the desired certification. The crew will be taught on a personalized level based on age, interest, and experience level. The crew will gain many skill sets, feel empowered as sailors, and will be the best crew they can be in support of their skippers.
Prospective skippers should meet any prerequisite standard for the certification they are attempting. Call us with your experience and/or course options so we can find the right course for you. Every brochure or flyer we publish contains the phrase, "We are flexible . . . please call." We mean it and it applies to this class as much as any other we do. After deciding which course to take, select your crew, whether they are family or friends. Your instruction will focus on the ASA standards and the team building / teamwork of your crew, whom you'll be chartering with in the future.
The number of crew allowed on the boat varies, depending on the course and crew should be well briefed on what to expect during the trip. We leave it to the skippers to do this with a little help from us.
Provisions are generally bought by you and your group. However, if this is a problem, we can and often do provision the boats for you for a slight fee. If you provision the boat, please include the Captain in your plans.
Successful completion of this course will empower you with the knowledge and confidence to safely and comfortably skipper boats. Start creating memories, realizing your own sailing dreams, and best of all doing it with your most likely sailing partners, your own family and friends! Northern Breezes is here to assist you!
Basic Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Charter Options
Save $100 per person! Family & Friends Sept 21–23, 2026: $2,149 One Bareboat Skipper; $2,449 Two Bareboat Skippers
The Three-Day Family and Friends Option. The cost is based on the number of Bareboat Skippers being nationally certified by Northern Breezes to the American Sailing Association standards.
• One Bareboat Skipper receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $2,249 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Two Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $2,649 plus provisions for the entire group. Remember that all crew members receive valuable training and a Northern Breezes “Competent Crew Certificate.”
Note: Two certifying students are the maximum for a three-day option. Adding the Basic Keelboat (101 standard) training is only possible with a minimum of 4 days. Students may alternatively certify in ASA 101/103 for the same price as the ASA 103/104 combination. Pricing includes one set of course textbooks to share. Additional course textbooks may be purchased. Pricing for the Three-Day Option is based on scheduling Monday through Wednesday. Any Three-Day schedule that overlaps a Thursday through Sunday, takes away valuable boat time from our regular class schedule and is surcharged to $3,149 for one certifier or $3,549 for two certifiers. Cancellation Policy
The Four-Day Option. The Four-Day Family & Friends costs more because it uses a partial weekend. This option is available for one, two, three, or four Bareboat Skippers being nationally certified by Northern Breezes to the American Sailing Association standards.
• One Bareboat Skipper receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $3,449 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Two Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $3,849 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Three Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $4,249 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Four Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $4,649 plus provisions for the entire group.
Note: Adding the Basic Keelboat (101 standard) training is available with the 4-Day Option for an additional fee of $300 per certification. Students may alternatively certify in ASA 101/103 for the same price as the ASA 103/104 combination. Pricing includes one set of course textbooks to share. Additional course textbooks may be purchased. All ASA 101 Certifiers receive an ASA Logbook. Pricing for the Four-Day Option is surcharged because it takes away valuable boat time from our regular Thursday through Sunday class schedule. Cancellation Policy
The Five-Day Relaxed Option. The cost is based on the number of Bareboat Skippers being nationally certified by Northern Breezes to the American Sailing Association standards. This option is available for one, two, three, four or five Bareboat Skippers.
• One Bareboat Skipper receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $4,649 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Two Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $5,049 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Three Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $5,449 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Four Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $5,849 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Five Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $6,249 plus provisions for the entire group.
Note: Adding the Basic Keelboat (101 standard) training is available with the 5-Day Option for an additional fee of $300 per certification. Students may alternatively certify in ASA 101/103 for the same price as the ASA 103/104 combination. Pricing includes one set of course textbooks to share. Additional course textbooks may be purchased. All ASA 101 Certifiers receive an ASA Logbook. Cancellation Policy
The Six-Day Relaxed Option. The cost is based on the number of Bareboat Skippers being nationally certified by Northern Breezes to the American Sailing Association standards. This option is available for one, two, three, four, five or six Bareboat Skippers.
• One Bareboat Skipper receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $5,799 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Two Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $6,249 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Three Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $6,649 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Four Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $7,049 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Five Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $7,449 plus provisions for the entire group.
• Six Bareboat Skippers receiving the Basic Cruising (103 standard) and Bareboat Charter (104 standard) is $7,849 plus provisions for the entire group.
Note: Adding the Basic Keelboat (101 standard) training is available with the 6-Day Option for an additional fee of $300 per certification. Students may alternatively certify in ASA 101/103 for the same price as the ASA 103/104 combination. Pricing includes one set of course textbooks to share. Additional course textbooks may be purchased. All ASA 101 Certifiers receive an ASA Logbook. Cancellation Policy
What will I learn?
There will be two ashore seminar sessions of approximately one to two hours. The On-the-Water Instruction includes the following topics, the complete standards are in the links which follow:
Under Power/Docking
Dock Line Management
Testing Engine and Transmission
Spinning
Backing
Approaches
Departures
Dinghy Handling
Under Sail
Securing for Sea
Raising and Setting Sails
Points of Sail
Tacking
Jibing
Heaving to
Reefing and Shaking Out Reefs
Sail Changes
Person Overboard Recoveries (two methods)
Seamanship
Weather, Weather, Weather
General Safety Issues
Radio Use
Right-of-Way Rules
Basic Navigation
Crew Direction and Management
These courses are scheduled based on the group’s needs and schedules. They often are an addition to or replace one of our regularly scheduled vacation classes. We offer this course from June through September and WE ARE FLEXIBLE, if the dates below do not meet your needs. If you wish to discuss an alternate schedule, please call us at 612-597-7399.
Northern Breezes Continues Veterans Sailing Education Program!
The goal is to share our healthy, peaceful sport with far more "Veterans, Current or Past," and their families.
Click for Northern Breezes Veterans Sailing Education Program
Lake Superior courses:
2026 Class Schedule
Spring Delivery Adventure: Sat–Mon: May 23–25, 2026*
Bayfield 1: Thurs–Sun: May 28–31, 2026
Docking Bayfield: Sat–Sun: May 30–31, 2026
Family & Friends 2: Mon–Wed: June 1–3, 2026
Bayfield 3: Thurs–Sun: June 4–7, 2026
Family & Friends 4: Mon–Wed: June 8–10, 2026
Bayfield 5: Thurs–Sun: June 11–14, 2026
Family & Friends 6: Mon–Wed: June 15–17, 2026
Bayfield 7: Thurs–Sun: June 18–21, 2026
Family & Friends 8: Mon–Wed: June 22–24, 2026
Bayfield 9: Thurs–Sun: June 25–28, 2026
Family & Friends 10: Mon–Wed: June 29–July 1, 2026
Bayfield 11: Thurs–Sun: July 2–5, 2026
Family & Friends 12: Mon–Wed: July 6–8, 2026
Bayfield 13: Thurs–Sun: July 9–12, 2026
Family & Friends 14: Mon–Wed: July 13–15, 2026
Bayfield 15: Thurs–Sun: July 16–19, 2026
Family & Friends 16: Mon–Wed: July 20–22, 2026
Bayfield 17: Thurs–Sun: July 23–26, 2026
Family & Friends 18: Mon–Wed: July 27–29, 2026
Bayfield 19: Thurs–Sun: July 30–Aug 2, 2026
Family & Friends 20: Mon–Wed: Aug 3–5, 2026
Bayfield 21: Thurs–Sun: Aug 6–9, 2026
Family & Friends 22: Mon–Wed: Aug 10–12, 2026
Bayfield 23: Thurs–Sun: Aug 13–16, 2026
Family & Friends 24: Mon–Wed: Aug 17–19, 2026
Bayfield 25: Thurs–Sun: Aug 20–23, 2026
Family & Friends 26: Mon–Wed: Aug 24–26, 2026
Bayfield 27: Thurs–Sun: Aug 27–30, 2026
Family & Friends 28: Mon–Wed: Aug 31–Sept 2, 2026
Bayfield 29: Thurs–Sun: Sept 3–6, 2026
Family & Friends 30: Mon–Wed: Sept 7–9, 2026
Bayfield 31: Thurs–Sun: Sept 10–13, 2026
Family & Friends 32: Mon–Wed: Sept 14–16, 2026
Bayfield 33: Thurs–Sun: Sept 17–20, 2026
Family & Friends 34: Mon–Wed: Sept 21–23, 2026: Save $100 per person!
Fall Delivery Adventure: Sat–Mon: Sept 26–28, 2026*
*Fun Sails with Learning and Experience but "No" Set Class
Specially Schedule Sept & 1st Week Oct!
Successful completion of this course will empower you with the knowledge and confidence to safely and comfortably Bareboat Skipper. Start creating memories with your own sailing dreams and experiences! Northern Breezes is here to assist you!
Also consider our Family & Friends options for Cruising Catamaran!
See our Sailing Adventures in the Caribbean for more certification options.
Prerequisite for this course
Basic Keelboat (ASA 101) or equivalent experience with "test-out." When purchased as an "add-on" to the ASA 103/ASA 104 course, qualified sailors may test out of this course by passing the Basic Keelboat written pre-test and demonstrating on-the-water proficiency in the follow-on course for an additional fee of $139 for each certifier.
Purchasing the full Basic Keelboat (101 standard) training as an "add-on" to this course is possible with a minimum of 4 days for an additional fee of $300 for each certifier.
Students may alternatively certify in ASA 101/103 for the same price as the ASA 103/104 combination.
Basic Keelboat (ASA 101) is offered at many of our locations. In Bayfield, you may "stay on the boat" (the same as our advanced courses) so you do not need to pay for separate lodging.
Call Northern Breezes Sailing School at 612-597-7399 to register or with questions.
Register: Family & Friends 3–5 Day Bareboat Charter Skipper Certification - ASA Courses 103 & 104
Express Interest or Request Info: Family & Friends 3–5 Day Bareboat Charter Skipper Certification