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American Sailing Certification Courses

Learn to Sail on Flathead Lake in Dayton, Montana.

Your Best Sailing Experience Starts With Go Sail – Here’s Why

A welcoming environment to all: Go Sail offers ASA sailing course options for all ages and abilities. Learn to sail with family, on your own, or take advanced sailing courses! 

Clear communication and support: Call us with any questions about your sailing trip and you’ll be greeted by one of our knowledgeable staff members. We are committed to clear communication, transparency, and respect for all our clients. 

Award-winning sailing instruction: Receive your ASA certifications and IPC from the best sailing instructors in the business (they have the accolades to prove it!). Our ASA instructors and captains will treat you with respect, kindness, and patience— no yelling ever! 

Customized sailing courses: Our courses are tailored to your specific learning goals, we can put extra focus on certain topics or attempt certain tasks as many times as you like until you feel confident in your abilities!

Commitment to your success: We offer small classes of no more than 4 people so everyone gets a chance to practice all their sailing skills. Your safety, confidence, and enjoyment of sailing are our main priorities!

A perfect mix of learning and fun: Students have plenty of time to learn to sail on Flathead Lake while also enjoying the beautiful Flathead Lake views and scenery.

American Sailing Courses Available on Flathead Lake

Explore our available ASA courses with more information on the days and times each course is offered, along with any prerequisites for taking a specific American Sailing course.

  • Most Popular!
From $2,034
  • 15+

American Sailing Combo Course: ASA 101, ASA 103 & ASA 104

Take all the beginner ASA courses at once with this six day course that will give you the confidence to sail anywhere! Upon completion of this combo ASA course, students qualify for their International Proficiency Certification (IPC). This qualification allows sailors to bareboat charter just about anywhere in the world!

Prerequisites: none

Time Commitment: Six day course

Days/Times Offered: 9:00- 4:30, Thursdays through Tuesdays

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All of our classes are customized for the students in the class. We offer small classes of no more than 4 people so everyone gets a chance to practice all the skills.

Your safety, confidence, and enjoyment of sailing are our main priorities!

Daily Timetable for American Sailing Courses:

Our American Sailing courses range from two to six days, depending on how many courses you take. This timetable may adjust depending on when the wind is blowing best during the day, however, this timetable will give you a general idea of what to expect each day on your sailing course!

8:45am: Check in at the Go Sail Flathead Lake sailing shop

9:00am: Class begins! Discuss plans for the day with your crew

9:30am: Head down to the dock for a safety briefing and hands-on sailing skills

12:30pm: Lunch break on shore

1:00pm: Sailing theory and then back on board for hands-on sailing!

3:00pm: Book work (sailing exams, reviewing exams, sailing theory)

4:30pm: Class ends for the day

American Sailing Course Descriptions

Read about each of the American Sailing courses offered at our sailing school in Flathead Lake with detailed information on the knowledge you’ll gain and the skills you’ll learn in each course.

text

ASA 101 Keelboat 1 Textbook

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ASA 101: Beginner Sailing Course

Learn to skipper a 20′ – 27′ sloop-rigged keelboat by day, in light to moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn basic sailing terminology, parts and functions, helm commands, basic sail trim, points of sail, buoyage, seamanship and safety including basic navigation rules to avoid collisions and hazards.

KNOWLEDGE

✔️ Keelboat Sailboat Terminology

✔️ Safety equipment & Procedures

✔️ Weather

✔️ Sail Planning

✔️ Seamanship

✔️ Emergencies

SKILLS

✔️ Tacking

✔️ Jibing

✔️ Figure eight/COB

✔️ Mooring/Anchoring

✔️ Return to dock/slip

✔️ Knots

a close up of a boat

ASA 103 Coastal Cruising Textbook

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ASA 103: Intermediate Sailing Course

Able to skipper a sloop-rigged auxiliary powered (inboard or outboard engine) keelboat of approximately 25 to 35 feet length by day in moderate winds (up to 20 knots) and sea conditions. Knowledge of cruising sailboat terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather interpretation, safety and seamanship.

KNOWLEDGE

✔️ Cruising Sailboat Terminology

✔️ Safety equipment and Procedures

✔️ Navigation and Weather

✔️ Sail Planning

✔️ Seamanship

✔️ Emergencies

SKILLS

✔️ Preliminaries

✔️ Navigation

✔️ Under power

✔️ Under sail

✔️ Return to dock/slip

✔️ Knots

a boat in the water

ASA 104 Bareboat Cruising Textbook

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ASA 104: Advanced Sailing Course

Able to skipper a sloop-rigged, auxiliary powered keelboat of approximately 30 to 45 feet in length during a multi-day cruise upon inland or coastal waters in moderate to heavy winds (up to 30 knots) and sea conditions. Knowledge of provisioning, galley operations, boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, routine maintenance procedures, advanced sail trim, coastal navigation including basic chart plotting and GPS operation, multiple-anchor mooring, docking, health & safety, emergency operations, weather interpretation, and dinghy/tender operation.

KNOWLEDGE

✔️ Cruise Planning

✔️ Systems

✔️ Emergencies

✔️ Seamanship

✔️ Navigation and Weather

SKILLS

✔️ Under power

✔️ Under sail

✔️ Navigation and Weather

✔️ Knots

website

ASA 101+103 Textbooks

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ASA 101+103 Combo Course

Prerequisites: None!

Learn to skipper a 20ft – 35ft sloop-rigged keelboat by day, in light to moderate winds and sea conditions. Knowledge of basic sailboat terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather interpretation, safety and seamanship.

KNOWLEDGE

✔️ Keelboat Sailboat Terminology

✔️ Safety equipment & Procedures

✔️ Sail Planning

✔️ Seamanship

✔️ Emergencies

✔️ Cruising Sailboat Terminology

✔️ Navigation and Weather

SKILLS

✔️ Tacking

✔️ Jibing

✔️ Figure eight/COB

✔️ Mooring/Anchoring

✔️ Return to dock/slip

✔️ Knots

✔️ Preliminaries

✔️ Navigation

✔️ Under power

✔️ Under sail

text

ASA 103+104 Textbooks

Book Now

ASA 103+104 Combo Course

Prerequisite: ASA 101

Able to skipper a sloop-rigged auxiliary powered (inboard or outboard engine) keelboat of approximately 25 to 45 feet in length by day in moderate winds (up to 20 knots) and sea conditions. Knowledge of cruising sailboat terminology, basic boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, docking procedures, intermediate sail trim, navigation rules, and so much more!

KNOWLEDGE

✔️ Cruising Sailboat Terminology

✔️ Safety equipment and Procedures

✔️ Seamanship

✔️ Emergencies

✔️ Cruise Planning

✔️ Systems

✔️ Navigation and Weather

SKILLS

✔️ Preliminaries

✔️ Under power

✔️ Under sail

✔️ Return to dock/slip

✔️ Navigation and Weather

✔️ Knots

text

ASA 101+103+104 Textbooks

Book Now

ASA 101+103+104 Combo Course

Prerequisites: None!

Learn to skipper a 20ft – 45ft sloop-rigged keelboat by day, in light to moderate winds and sea conditions. Knowledge of provisioning, galley operations, boat systems, auxiliary engine operation, routine maintenance procedures, advanced sail trim, coastal navigation including basic chart plotting and GPS operation, multiple-anchor mooring, docking, health & safety, emergency operations, weather interpretation, basic coastal navigation, anchoring, weather interpretation, safety, seamanship and dinghy/tender operation.

KNOWLEDGE

✔️ Keelboat Sailboat Terminology

✔️ Safety equipment & Procedures

✔️ Sail Planning

✔️ Seamanship

✔️ Emergencies

✔️ Cruising Sailboat Terminology

✔️ Safety equipment and Procedures

✔️ Navigation and Weather

✔️ Cruise Planning

✔️ Systems

 

SKILLS

✔️ Tacking

✔️ Jibing

✔️ Figure eight/COB

✔️ Mooring/Anchoring

✔️ Return to dock/slip

✔️ Knots

✔️ Preliminaries

✔️ Navigation

✔️ Under power

✔️ Under sail

Go Sail Flathead Lake's 5-star reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

An eyeopener into life on a sailboat

It was one of the best experiences I ever had. It was fairly intense. It was definitely a learning to sail experience. It was an eyeopener into life on a sailboat and coastal sailing. -Edi Stan

Super knowledgeable and awesome instructors.

I took the 101 course with Trevon Baker and 103 with John Barlow. They were super knowledgeable and awesome instructors. I had zero experience and now I am absolutely hooked! I can’t wait to buy my own sailboat and will be taking the 104 class as soon as I can.

– Sarah Claridge, Google Review
Wild Horse Island State Park Sailboat Charter

We took a charter sail out with Captain Taylor. He was safety conscious, encouraging and enjoyed our conversation. The water and wind was perfect. Flathead Lake is a beautiful lake. Dayton is a quiet get away from the tourist areas.

– Chris Leistico, Google Review
Professional ASA instructor and good to learn from

Captain Genevieve is absolutely phenomenal in her knowledge and how readily she shares her insight. My husband and I want to build more confidence and skills in sailing our boat and asked Captain Genevieve to help us. She provided us an incredible lesson. She carefully listened to us for what we wanted out of the lesson. During the lesson, she offered direction and helpful hints, We love Go Sail Flathead Lake and highly recommend it.

– WeExplore2015, Tripadvisor
Truly incredible experience

This was a truly incredible experience. The team made the learning fun, effective and helped the knowledge stick. Our second course in particular, 103 with Jon Barlow, left me feeling confident I could charter my own keelboat and not leave it at the bottom of a bay somewhere. Jon is a great instructor and had a manner of ensuring you were comfortable with being effective on the water. If you do the 101, definitely follow with the 103.

– Paul Johns, Google Review
Excellent Private Charter with a Captain

We wanted to try something different and unique and selected this wonderful sailing experience on Flathead Lake. Our charter captain for our afternoon trip was a lovely, charming young man who has sailed all over the World on all kinds of boats and he made this trip perfect for us with his interesting travel stories. Very safety conscious and as much (or as little) time for us to practice sailing techniques. The lake is still a little cold for me right now, but we were also offered the option to take a dip and swim in the lake if we wanted. We would highly recommend Captained Sailing Charter this experience especially if celebrating a special occasion as we were welcome to bring our own cooler with adult beverages.

– cruzfool2005ft, Tripadvisor
Truly incredible experience

This was a truly incredible experience. The team made the learning fun, effective and helped the knowledge stick. Our second course in particular, 103 with Jon Barlow, left me feeling confident I could charter my own keelboat and not leave it at the bottom of a bay somewhere. Jon is a great instructor and had a manner of ensuring you were comfortable with being effective on the water. If you do the 101, definitely follow with the 103.

– Paul Johns, Google Review
Super knowledgeable and awesome instructors.

I took the 101 course with Trevon Baker and 103 with John Barlow. They were super knowledgeable and awesome instructors. I had zero experience and now I am absolutely hooked! I can’t wait to buy my own sailboat and will be taking the 104 class as soon as I can.

– Sarah Claridge, Google Review
Wild Horse Island State Park Sailboat Charter

We took a charter sail out with Captain Genevieve. She was safety conscious, encouraging and enjoyed our conversation. The water and wind was perfect. Flathead Lake is a beautiful lake. Dayton is a quiet get away from the tourist areas.

– Chris Leistico, Google Review
Professional ASA instructor and good to learn from

Captain Genevieve is absolutely phenomenal in her knowledge and how readily she shares her insight. My husband and I want to build more confidence and skills in sailing our boat and asked Captain Genevieve to help us. She provided us an incredible lesson. She carefully listened to us for what we wanted out of the lesson. During the lesson, she offered direction and helpful hints, We love Go Sail Flathead Lake and highly recommend it.

– WeExplore2015, Tripadvisor
Excellent Private Charter with a Captain

We wanted to try something different and unique and selected this wonderful sailing experience on Flathead Lake. Our charter captain for our afternoon trip was a lovely, charming lady who has sailed all over the World on all kinds of boats and she made this trip perfect for us with his interesting travel stories. Very safety conscious and as much (or as little) time for us to practice sailing techniques. The lake is still a little cold for me right now, but we were also offered the option to take a dip and swim in the lake if we wanted. We would highly recommend Captained Sailing Charter this experience especially if celebrating a special occasion as we were welcome to bring our own cooler with adult beverages.

– T. Rollons, Tripadvisor
Something to be learned throughout the day

It felt like a lot of growth happening in just a few days and each day felt pleasantly long but not overdone and there was something to be learned throughout the day. -Marc Gottlieb

A unique experience

It is a unique experience going from reading your manual, practicing the skills and then wrapping up the afternoon swimming with sea turtles. -Matt Fenlon

Honestly unbelievable

It was honestly unbelievable. It’s not something I ever thought was even remotely possible for me. If you would have told me two years ago I would be surrounded by the sailing community, I would have lost that million dollar bet. -Morgan Spitznagle

Learning from eachother

It was nice to meet new people from other backgrounds in sailing, as well as parts of the country, and learn from them as well since it’s an interactive sport. It was great to have that ability to bounce things off of people and learn from each other. -Todd Ferderer