Learn To Sail Vacations

Upcoming Trips

Browse the available cruising routes and click “Learn more” to read about the trip and sign up to join!

November 9-18, 2024

Get your feet wet with offshore cruising and overnight passagemaking from San Carlos on mainland Mexico to Loreto on the Baja in the Sea of Cortez. And prepare to see some spectacular sights along the way!

4 Spots Available - Reserve Yours Today!

Want a custom trip?

Got other ideas?

If you have a specific trip or timeframe in mind, why not contact us and let us know what you’re thinking — we’re happy to come up with an itinerary just for you.

We also accomodate private 1-on-1 coaching.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? All of our trips are multi-day, overnighter, and offshore excursions. But if that’s not your cup of jo, we can probably still help you out! Jump over to our parent company website, Blue Yonder Yachts, to check out options for doing day lessons or some coastal cruising or even signing up for cruiser coaching.

Shot of a handsome young man reading a book on a relaxing boat cruise

Plan a Custom Itinerary

Outside of our pre-planned trips and itineraries, we can explore any number of options and the goals you have for the experiences you want to get out of this adventure! Perhaps you want to experience more time sailing offshore, or maybe you’d prefer to get a firm grasp on what’s involved in planning many stops in many anchorages, and exploring more near-land-based activities (hiking, snorkeling, spear fishing, beach days, etc).

For some of our clients, this is all about building miles and experiencing varying sea conditions and wind conditions. For others, it’s about getting into the groove of the cruising lifestyle, planning routes, anchorages, recreational activities, & being comfortable living on and out of a boat! There’s no right or wrong way to do it; it’s really about what you’re comfortable with, your cruising “style”, and the goals you have for your cruising future.

This flexibility also allows for us to plan a trip that can have you fly in/out of the same arrival/departure point, or virtually any number of options for arriving in one place and leaving from another… depending on the desired length of trip and what you want to experience in that time!

Apply for a custom itinerary

Here’s just some of the quality learning you can expect on your trip…

Self-assessments
Learning about your background, skills, experiences, strengths & weaknesses, and working within a crew
Points of Sail & Sail Trim
Understanding the wind, the boat's handling characteristics, and getting the most from our sails
Anchoring
Types of anchors and tackle, guidelines for scope/tide, techniques & associated equipment
Sailing on/off Anchor
A valuable skill to have when auxiliary power may not be an option
Engine Maintenance
The minimum basics every boat owner & cruiser should know
Windvane
Use of a Hydrovane windvane for mechanical sail-steering and vessel steering redundancy
Provisioning & Galley Management
How to properly plan, shop, organize, store, prep & cook for the entire crew
Weather Modeling & Weather Routing
Interpreting forecasts, understanding localized weather patterns & how they influence models, and planning routes accordingly
Route Planning
In addition to weather routing, understanding digital and paper charts, correctly identifying hazards and obstructions, and making courses for optimizing safety and efficiency
Charting & Dead Reckoning
Developing a solid foundational knowledge of paper charting practices
Transits / Triangulation
Facilitating the skills learned in paper charting
Logging
The best practices for keeping a ships log of key vesesl info and navigation data
Navigating / Instrumentation
A deeper dive in making best use of digital aids to navigation
Storm Tactics & Sail Reefing
Learning how to control the boat in difficult conditions for safety and comfort on a passage
Emergency Management
How to triage, lead, and take control during an emergency situation
Watch Keeping
The fundamentals of organizing crews for vessel safety by avoiding fatigue
Resource Management (Power, Water, Food)
Food, water, and energy are fiite resources on passages, so practicing mindful use of valuable resources is paramount
Pre-Departure/Arrival Checks & Docking
Depending on specific itineraries, a focus on vessel handling in marinas to account for varying conditions
Rigging Checks
The basics of rig checks, tuning, apprpriate safety & climbing practices
Dive Checks
Being comfortable and operating safely under the water is a critically important component of boat ownership and successful cruising
Dinghy Operations
Safe handling of a tender for vessel approaches and shore landings/departures
Shore Excursions & Comms
Planning and coodination for safe movement of crews to/from vessel and shore
Water Activities & Safety Protocols
A focus on fun & safety when recreating!

Why not accelerate your learning ahead of your trip with 2 beginner-friendly online sailing courses - absolutely free? You get How the Sails Work, teaching you the basics of making sails fly efficiently. And, you get How the Rules On-The-Water Work which are important for everyone on the water to know for safety and confidence in any navigation situation.

Continue Learning with Learn To Sail Mexico and NauticEd!

Start sailing with your free NauticEd eLogBook!

For our learners on a Learn To Sail Vacation, before you sail we encourage you to sign up with NauticEd (free!) so that you can gain access to your eLogBook. Your eLogBook is proof of your “hours at sea”. Should you choose to pursue formal training in the future, your eLogBook is used like a resume to gain positions as competent crew on private boats or charter boats, or to even charter your own boat as a Skipper!

Become a NauticEd student – earn Certifications & Verified Competencies!

We hope your Learn to Sail Vacation will get you excited about continuing your sailing education. As you start accummulating “hours at sea” and completing your formal theoretical training through NauticEd, you can earn internationally recognized Certifications. And when you complete your practical on-the-water assessements with us, we can digitally stamp your certificates with Verifed Competence!

Click here to start today with TWO FREE ONLINE COURSES!

Learn to Sail Mexico Skipper Certificate from NauticEd

STAY IN THE LOOP

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