Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our lodging page for a comprehensive list of places to stay on Flathead Lake. Keep in mind that lodging on Flathead Lake fills up fast. The closest lodging on Flathead Lake to us is the Flathead Lake RV Park— it’s only a 5 minute walk from the Go Fail office and the Dayton Harbor!

For all sailing and kayaking trips on Flathead Lake, you’ll want to bring the essentials for a day out on the water! Think sunglasses, hat, water, snacks, etc. We’re fine with you bringing alcohol onboard as long as you stay below the .08 BAC legal limit. 

If you are taking an ASA sailing course on Flathead Lake then you’ll also want to bring your textbooks, logbook, and a pen/pencil to take notes with. Our ASA courses are full-day so make sure you bring a lunch too!

We love furry friends but unfortunately, they have to stay on shore or at home during any tour on Flathead Lake with Go Sail Charters, rentals or lessons. 

It’s hard to get lost in Big Arm Flathead Lake Private Marina! As you drive down US-93, you’ll know you are getting close to the turn when you see all the sailboats in the harbor. Turn off at the Flathead Lake Private Marina. Please park along the blue fence and meet us at the gate. 

If you are flying into the area, the Glacier Park International Airport is the closest airport to Go Sail Flathead Lake. We are about an hour and 30 minute drive south of the airport.

Yes! Bring deck shoes or tennis shoes that you haven’t worn outside. Whatever shoes you wear at the gym are fine— non-marking soles, comfortable, and practical.

You can but we provide USCG approved Type II life jackets for everyone aboard. You will need to provide youth life jackets for anyone on the trip under 80 pounds. 

Go Sail offers a variety of American Sailing courses on Flathead Lake. For those new to sailing (or new to ASA courses) we offer ASA 101. For sailors with some experience, we offer ASA 103, and for more advanced sailors we offer ASA 104 and ASA 102. We also offer ASA refresher courses (ASA 111) and a three hour introduction to sailing course that does not come with any ASA certifications. You can take multiple ASA courses at once or just focus on taking one at a time. 

Once you pay a deposit on an ASA course on Flathead Lake, or pay for your ASA course in full, we will mail your textbooks to the address you provided on your ASA course registration form. The price of your textbooks and shipping them is included with your ASA course payment! Make sure you read your books prior to class, it allows us more time to focus on hands-on sailing with you once you arrive for your lessons on Flathead Lake. 

ASA certifications for ASA course includes a two-part assessment of skills and exam. All certifications are authorized by the ASA instructor who is teaching your class. Passing scores for the exam is 80/100 and skills is 100/100. You may always ask for more clarification on any skill or knowledge section and retake the written exam once, without penalty.

Every sailor’s reasons for taking ASA courses are unique! However, these are a few of the main reasons students give us for taking ASA courses on Flathead Lake with Go Sail:

• Becoming bareboat certified: Students who complete ASA 104 can apply for their International Proficiency Certificate (IPC) and bareboat charter around the world!
• Learning a new skill: Many sailors share a love of adventure and a passion for learning new things! Taking ASA courses on Flathead Lake with a knowledgeable ASA instructor is a great way to do both
• Picking up a new hobby: Many students are learning whether sailing is the right hobby for them — some are even considering buying a boat and love getting expert tips from an ASA instructor while out on the Flathead Lake waters!
• Advancing sailing skills: Even well-seasoned sailors can learn from ASA instruction! That’s because sailing is a constant learning process and none of us ever know everything. These sailors generally enjoy taking ASA 111 courses and ASA 102 courses to really hone in on skills like sail trim and advanced sailing maneuvers. 
• Meeting others in the Flathead Lake sailing community: Taking ASA courses on Flathead Lake is a great introduction to the sailing community in the area! We’re a tight knit and small group of sailors out of the Dayton Harbor and we’d love to have you as a friend! 

At Go Sail Flathead Lake, our ASA sailing courses are designed with your growth as a sailor in mind. We keep classroom learning to a minimum because the hands-on practice you’ll get out on the water is where the real learning takes place! Each day, you’ll be out on the water, mastering essential sailing skills like tacking, jibing, and anchoring. When your course wraps up, you’ll take the ASA exams with confidence. After so much practical experience, you’ll be well-prepared to succeed.

Kids as young as 13 can take ASA courses on Flathead Lake with us, however, Montana state law restricts the operation of motorized vessels to individuals aged 15 or older. This means younger students can participate in the courses but cannot operate motorized vessels until they meet the legal age requirement.

If you are unable to pass your ASA course you will not receive your ASA certification. No refunds will be given for levels not completed. You may retake the written exam once, without penalty. 

Having said that, rarely does a student struggle to pass ASA courses with us. We put a strong emphasis on building competent, confident sailors and our instructors are very well-versed in working with even the most novice and nervous sailors! As long as you listen to your instructor and are open to learning, we doubt you’ll have any issues passing your ASA course. However, if you have specific concerns, please bring them up with your instructor. We are here to help!

The size and type of boat you can sail after an ASA course depends on the level of course you complete. After you pass ASA 101, you can rent out Go Sail’s Capri 22 sailboats! However, in order to charter a 30 ft boat out on the Flathead Lake waters, you’ll need to pass ASA 103. Looking to bareboat charter somewhere else? We suggest getting your International Proficiency Certification (IPC) first, which requires passing ASA 104.  

We offer three types of boat tours on Flathead Lake: day cruises, sunset cruises, and introduction to sailing tours. All our Flathead Lake boat tours are on Capri 22 sailboats and are three hours long. You can learn more about our Flathead Lake boat tours here. 

All our boat tours of Flathead Lake are three hours long. The best winds are generally between Dayton Harbor, Wild Horse Island, and Big Arm Bay so we suggest sticking to this area! However, our boat tours are all about you having the best experience possible so let us know if there is somewhere specific you would like to see! You can read our full boating guide of Flathead Lake to get ideas of where to visit.  

Go for it! You can swim during your sailboat tour of Flathead Lake, learn to sail, or just hang out and relax. How you want to spend your three hours is completely up to you! 

We love when guests on our Flathead Lake boat tours show an interest in learning to sail! We are happy to show you the ropes whether you are on a day cruise of Flathead Lake, sunset cruise, or the introduction to sailing tour. Just ask! No pressure, we won’t put the boat in your command so you can learn at your own pace or for as short a time as you want.

Every time we take a trip to Wild Horse Island, we see something new! The wildlife is absolutely spectacular and it’s possible to spot everything from native birds to wild horses and bighorn sheep. There are a variety of trails on Wild Horse Island to explore as well as an old homestead! You can read more about the homestead and the history of Wild Horse Island here. The island also has a compostable toilet. 

Wear shoes and clothes on your Flathead Lake kayak tour that you don’t mind getting wet. We recommend watershoes or sandals, a swimsuit, and quick-dry fabrics. Jeans and cotton clothing aren’t a good idea! It’s not a bad idea to bring a backpack with hiking boots or shoes for when you arrive at Wild Horse Island and pack sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, and water bottle in your bag too.

Yes, both single and double kayaks (tandem kayaks) are available for the Flathead Lake kayak tours. 

Your guided tour of Wild Horse Island covers the park entry fees, kayak rental, life jacket, and lunch. The lunch typically consists of a sandwich (turkey, ham, or veggie option), a piece of fruit, a granola bar, and bottled water. We can accommodate dietary restrictions with advanced notice. 

These Flathead Lake kayak tours are family friendly! We recommend ages 10 and up but if you have younger kids, give us a call and we can discuss your specific situation.

No, the only boats available for rent on Flathead Lake with Go Sail are sailboats. We no longer offer paddleboard or kayak rentals.

No, we do not offer overnight boat rentals. Rental sailboats must be returned to Dayton Harbor by the end of your booking time.

In order to rent a boat on Flathead Lake with Go Sail you’ll need to meet a few qualifications. While up to four people can sail aboard the Capri 22, we require at least one of those on board to be 25+ years old and have ASA 101 or equivalent sailing experience. This person will be considered the skipper for your trip and will need to have competency sailing with the assistance of just one other crew member.

Take our sailboats anywhere you can sail to and return to safely in your allotted rental time! Check out our Flathead Lake Boating Guide to get an idea of all the fun places you can sail a boat on Flathead Lake.

You can bareboat charter our Capri 22 sailboat on Flathead Lake for 3 or 6 hour sailing adventures! You can learn more about the Capri 22 here.

Go Sail Flathead Lake docks and stores our boats at Dayton Yacht Harbor. If you are interested in docking or storing in Dayton, call  Dayton Yacht Harbor at (406) 849-5423.  They offer docking and dry storage.

Go Sail Flathead Lake does not offer assistance in selling sailboats and we are not in the market to buy any sailboats at this time. 

We do not have any sailboats for sale on Flathead Lake. We recommend searching on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, sailboatlistings.com or Yacht World for available boats for sale near you.

Yes, you can use the public boat launch in Dayton to launch your boat. The public boat launch is located at the end of 2nd Street.  

You can read the full policy, terms, and conditions for Go Sail Flathead Lake tours, rentals, and ASA sailing lessons here.

We offer a full refund if we must cancel your Flathead Lake tour, rental, or ASA sailing lessons due to the weather. Lake wind advisories, thunderstorms, heavy rain, extreme cold, or high wind may cause us to cancel your trip. We will send you a gift card of the value of your Flathead Lake trip so you can book an alternative date.

Cancellations must be made by phone or email and confirmed for approval. The penalties will be calculated from the date we receive your cancellation. A number of companies provide travel insurance, including some credit card companies. However, keep in mind we are not affiliated with any of them. This is our refund policy:

Flathead Lake tour and rental cancellations:

• 7+ days prior to your trip: 100% refund
• 2-7 days prior to your trip: 50% refund
• No shows or less than 48 hours prior to trip: 0% refund

Flathead Lake ASA course cancellations:

• More than 60 days prior to your trip: 90% refund plus the cost of textbooks, logbook, and shipping.
• Between 60 and 30 days prior to your trip: 50% refund plus the cost of textbooks, logbook, and shipping.
• Less than 30 days prior to your trip: No refunds

You’ll be asked to pay a deposit on your Flathead Lake tour, course, or rental when you make your booking. The rest of your payment will be due 30 days before your trip.  We use Fareharbor online bookings to manage our booking system for safe transactions. Payments can also be made over the phone using a debit or credit card or at our office using a credit card, debit card, or cash.