Fair Wind Sailing School |
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| Reviewers Male / Female | Recommend Yes / No | Number of Reviews | Classes & Instruction | School Facilities | Boats & Courses | Cost | Total Average Rating |
| 40 / 11 | 46 / 5 | 51 | 9.17 | 8.72 | 8.60 | 8.78 | 8.82 |
| Date Submitted: | January 30, 2012 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Highly Recommended Everything about the class exceded my expectations! Captain Francis is not only an excellent sailor, but also a great teacher. I learned a great deal more than I expected and both my wife and I have gained greater confidence in our sailing abilities. Plus, we had loads of fun! I give the boat a score of 9/10 because one of the throttle cables broke on the second to last day. Nothing that could have been anticipated. However, that gave us the additional opportunity to learn how to maneuver a cat with only one engine! I think the little quirks that popped up like that helped us deal with real-world problems we could expect if we were on our own. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Dave 53 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: St. Paul, MN |
| Date Submitted: | January 30, 2012 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 8 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Virgin Islands Bareboat School Had a great time and learned quite a bit. Capt Francis appeared very knowlegable and is a very good instructor. However, the boat needed a few minor repairs. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Andrew M. Cross Jr. 51 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Jonesborough, Tn |
| Date Submitted: | January 19, 2012 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Great Time in the USVI with Fairwinds My girl friend and I had a great week learning to sail with Fairwinds. I had never sailed before so this was a totally new experience. I learned a lot from Captain Francis, he was willing to answer any questions and took his time to ensure we learned the skills to propeorly handle the boat. I was so pleased with the class that I going back to take the advance sailing course with them. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Jerry 57 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Atlanta, GA |
| Date Submitted: | January 4, 2012 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 8 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Highly Recommended My wife Julie and I just finished up a fantastic week of sailing in the Virgin Islands completing both the Instant Cruiser and Bareboat Captain training under the tutelage of Captain Mark Yaney. The training sessions were exceptional, developing our seamanship skills and a sense of confidence in our abilities to sail safely on our own. The hands on training and close supervision Captain Mark provided were greatly appreciated. As an educator, I was extremely impressed with our instructor’s ability to explain often complex subject matter (e.g., engine repair, navigation) in a simplified and easy to understand manner. We were very happy with the quality of instruction and service provided by Captain Mark and the “Fair Wind Sailing” School. We look forward to having the opportunity of taking additional training through the school (e.g., catamaran / Advanced Sailing) and give our strongest recommendation for both our instructor Captain Mark and the school to anyone interested in sailing. Thank you again for an extremely rewarding sailing experience. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Joe & Julie 49 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Clemson, SC |
| Date Submitted: | November 17, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | A Great Week in the Virgin Islands My wife and I just finished getting our bareboat captain catamaran ICSO rating onboard the Mighty Oak with Captain Gary. The entire experience from start to finish was outstanding. Working with Captain Dave to organize our trip was great. Captain Gary is an incredible instructor, who provided an environment where we could learn everything we needed to know. If you are looking for a great experience at a great price, this is the place! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Mark 50 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Peachtree City, Georgia |
| Date Submitted: | November 17, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 8 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Catamaran Class I took the catamaran class with Capt Gaza as the instructor. He was very good and made me feel comfortable handling a catamaran. It was my first time sailing and sailing this type of vessel was a lot to take in. By the end of the course I felt good about my abilities and was planning my next class with Fair Winds. I would recommend Capt Gaza and I would take additional classes with him. I didn’t receive the books for the class and didn’t know there were any until I arrived at the boat. I barrowed books from another student and Capt. Dave sent me a set when I got home. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Jerry 51 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Ohio |
| Date Submitted: | June 23, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 3 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 2 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 2 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | No |
| Review: | Will not book again with this company Boat was poorly maintained. Dave, the operator of the business, was very unresponsive and curt when he did respond to questions and requests for clarification of logistics. Captain was OK, but will not book with them again. Raggy organization. Comments [ 1 ] |
| Submitted by: | Bob 45 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: US |
| Date Submitted: | May 15, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 6 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 2 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 4 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 5 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | No |
| Review: | goat rodeo boat was extremely disappointing. full of stuff that should have been in storage on shore. instructor very querky. good knowledge but not organized in any way.planning was awful at end of course to take a test. no time allocated. lost test books, never followed up with me after i returned home. owner seems to not know how to run a business. extremely unprofessional in many aspects. find another school is my advice. captain dave is idiot Comments [ 1 ] |
| Submitted by: | buckeye brutus 58 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: columbus oh |
| Date Submitted: | May 4, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | BEST OVERALL VALUE My 26 Y/O son and I took this class. We had a blast and Capt Ethan was simply put "THE BEST". He is an incredible teacher, lots of patience, and he has the ability to simplify complex issues so that anyone can understand them. He has a lot of experience and understands how to get the finer points of sail across for even the inexperienced sailor. Our expectations were exceeded, the training was life like. I can't tell you how many time "BOB" went overboard when we least expected him to. Capt Ethan tried to make it real with lots of screaming and yelling. If any one of our crew couldn't rescue a MOB even in a high wind, I would be very surprised. I feel confident I can do Med mooring now. We had lot's and lots of hands on the helm and lines time. Outstanding customer service. Very attentive to the needs of the students The boat was clean and well maintained Meals were excellent. Captain did a lot of meal preparation. We helped but he did an incredible job of keeping us fed. This trip really couldn't have been any better. Lots of varying conditions and the boat turned over to us after a few days of learning. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who wanted to learn more about sailing or to just learn your way around the Virgin Islands Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Phil 68 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Columbus, Ohio |
| Date Submitted: | April 4, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Great Experience! Excellent Captain/Instructor with lots of patience with inexperienced sailors. He made sure we learned how to sail, along with leaving time for fun!! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Jesse Farthing 59 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Chatham, NJ |
| Date Submitted: | April 1, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 8 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Great Week My husband and I took the course on the 45ft cat with Capt. Ethan in March. Yes the boat is well-used, but we students have been known to use and abuse it a bit. The boat was as clean as they could make it and everything was in working order - but guess what? Boats break, and if you own one you know that. Yes, they asked us to put TP in the garbage - but you are dumping your tanks... why on earth would you want to dump toliet paper in the ocean??? Our instruction was great, the captains were patient and kind with us. We were encouraged to try anything we wanted to attempt. Our provisioning was great as we picked the menu ourselves and we all took turns cooking and cleaning up. Dave and everyone associated with Fairwind were terrific - friendly and professional. We were pleased with our experience and enjoyed getting to know everyone! It's like life - if you approach it with the right attitude you will absolutely enjoy the ride :) Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Canuks 50 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Ontario Canada |
| Date Submitted: | March 30, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 8 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 3 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 3 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 7 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | No |
| Review: | Good Instruction, Poor Cust Serv, Filthy Boat Captain Ethan was knowledgeable and covered the material needed to pass the exam. Capt Dave was pleasant until after I commited and paid the deposit and then turned quite rude, and offered little in the way of acceptable customer service. He sent me a notice of second half payment due which I paid the following day but he charged me an additional $100 because I did not pay it on the day I received the notice. When I questioned him about it he became quite unfriendly. I recouped the charge by removing it from the Captain's tip...sorry Ethan. I placed several calls, per the website instructions, to the Fairwind "Caribbean Office" which were not returned. Finally I contacted Captn Dave and he emailed me to say that he would pass my message on the the Caribbean office. I asked Capt Ethan about this while we were on the boat and he just laughed to say there is no Caribbean office. All calls get routed to Captn Dave in Michigan. The boat was disgusting. and obviously was in poor repair with very little evidence of ongoing maintenance. Several lights did not work. Bare wires hanging from the light in the V berth. Drink stains on the cockpit table, crumbs on the floor in the cabin. Forward head was all but inoperable. The fresh water tanks were not full so we ran out on the second day. We were instructed to not place any toilet paper in the heads but rather place "used" paper in plastic bags and throw it in the trash can in the galley....totally gross. While docked on Jost Van Dyke my wife and I had the opportunity to check out a sailing school boat from Blue Water Sailing. It was immaculate. Their captain insisted on a clean boat....we could only wish. In my opinion,you would best look elsewhere for your sailing certification. Very dissatisfied. Comments [ 1 ] |
| Submitted by: | Capt Greg 54 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Brighton MI |
| Date Submitted: | March 6, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | A Passion for Sailing A complete sailing experience led by a captain with a life long passion for sailing. Learn all the basics and more. Gain personal confidence to sail on your own. But more than that, if you sail with Capt. Ethan you can't help but catch the sailing fever. His enthusiasm is contagious and his willingness to share his sailing knowledge is priceless. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Capt. Stan 57 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Hallandale Beach, FL |
| Date Submitted: | February 22, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Captain Francis rules the waves Sailing boot camp. Flexible schedule, we were able to watch the Packer game. Lots of practice. Good boat, 45 foot Robertson and Caine. Be prepared for impromtu overboard tests to try your skills. Strong emphasis on safety. Came away with confidence and skills for our own bareboat charter the following week. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Al Fish and Steve Hartley 60 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Madison, Wisconsin |
| Date Submitted: | January 29, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 5 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 5 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Excellent Teacher Old Catamaran We hade an Excellent teacher Capt. Ethan. He was very informative and knowledgeable and relayed the information so you as a student would retain it. You felt comfortable asking any question and he not only answer it but show you and then let you work on it. As for the boat, Bad sewage smells, broken parts, dirty. Capt. Ethan went out of his way to make it barerable. Great School!!! Crappy Boats!!!!! Comments [ 1 ] |
| Submitted by: | Mike 39 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Virginia |
| Date Submitted: | January 28, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Ocean SPirit in the BVI For almost 2 years my wife and I planned our event, and landed upon Fair Wind largely through reviews by others. Also a friend in the yacht brokerage business in Nanny Cay recommended Capt. Gary as our coach and ultimately we got berthed and took the course in November 2010 and it was great!(We met Capt Dave on Lucy's II & Capt Tim on a Cat and enjoyed a couple of evenings ashore with them and their students.)The BVI is an excellent destination as well, being quite safe and well ordered. Capt. Dave (the owner) was helpful via e-mail communications as well. The Bavaria 44 sailed very well. Our only sadness was that the weather was rainy most of the time. But then again I am the guy who chose November for our course. I was too anxious to get going! If you go to BVI school and on a budget, you could stay in Trellis Bay at the Guest House, only 4 rooms, common area kitchen and living room. I did hear Nanny Cay hotel had rooms for 85.00 a night (which would be excellent as well) but I didn't check it out. Anyway, Fair Wind is now in our sights to qualify for Cat cert. and advanced mono. It was all in all quite an excellent holiday as well! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Darin 64 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: New Brunswick, Canada |
| Date Submitted: | January 6, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 7 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Excellent Course - Don't miss this! I took the Instant Bareboater course as a refresher with my new wife. I had previous sailed quite a bit and completed my ASA training through bareboat chartering. Captain Ethan was new to the school, but was an old hand for sailing. He appropriately evaluated my level of experience versus my wife and concentrated his efforts on the areas in which both of us needed to learn. I came away from the course with a new appreciation for some of the lesser known dynamics of sailing, and my wife came away with a good understanding of the principles of sailing as well as the love of it. Captain Ethan's love of sailing was truly contagious and I'm happy to say that that was passed on to both of us. I expect our next summer on the Chesapeake will be delightful. Comments [ 3 ] |
| Submitted by: | SeanSatori 37 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Bethesda, MD |
| Date Submitted: | January 3, 2011 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Superb instruction and nice people My wife, another couple, and I completed the bareboater/catamaran course in November, 2010. We got exactly what we paid for with this adventure. Learned how to sail the 45' cat and had a great time doing it. Excellent instructor, (Capt. Tim) nice boat, and beautiful scenery, the BVI. I would highly recommend this school. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Tom Saxon 56 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Leesburg, Va |
| Date Submitted: | December 27, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | As Good Advertised My wife and I enjoyed everything about the course. It would be hard to find much wrong with their class or their equipment. We had Captain Lorie and I would highly recommend her. She was incredibly knowledgeable and very patient. She was more than an instructor she was a great coach. We have already recommended Fair Winds to others and we will be back for more advanced instruction soon. Thank you Fair Winds. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Bryan & Kolle 48 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Grand Junction, CO |
| Date Submitted: | December 17, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 8 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 5 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Top of the line, if a bit pricey, but worth it Our captain, Francis, was absolutely amazing. I highly suggest asking for him by name. He has amazing knowledge of the USVI and BVI islands. Francis' knowledge of the area and sailing in general is just astounding. We were really, really impressed. The boat was missing an iPod dock, but Cap'n Dave promised those would be installed by mid January 2011, otherwise the cat was in great shape. Comments [ 1 ] |
| Submitted by: | DROdio 35 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: San Francisco, CA |
| Date Submitted: | December 8, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | More Than I expected I attended the Bareboat Cruising one week course in the US Virgin Islands. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and learned a tremendous amount. Our Captain was very knowledgeable and a joy to learn from. I definitely recommend Fairwinds and especially the 1 week course in the Virgin Islands. I would like to take advanced classes from them in the future. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Mark 39 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Michigan |
| Date Submitted: | November 2, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 4 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 5 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 7 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | No |
| Review: | Staff Problems and wigged out owner It was a combination of several things (all negitive) that came together and sunk what could have been an 8-9 experience. Started with a great teacher, who was replaced shortly by the overstressed, always on a cell phone, disinterested (in teaching) owner. Fair Wind said they were an ASA school, but didn't find out until I was there that they were "now something better". Would have been great we had kept the first instructor and the boat was 1/2 way clean. Yuk! Comments [ 4 ] |
| Submitted by: | Lisa 43 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Houston, TX (originally Aukland, NZ) |
| Date Submitted: | October 15, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | An amazing experience I had never sailed before. Tim was an outstanding instructor; extremely knowledgeable, patient and calm. The equipment and facilities well maintained. The course activities were well planned with great opportunities to practice in a variety of conditions. I would highly recommend Fair wind sailing school. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Tanya 41 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Cleveland |
| Date Submitted: | September 28, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | ICSO certification Several things pushed me towards Fairwinds Sailing School. The first was that I was able to call and speak to the owner, Dave, or one of his captains to get questions answered. This was vastly different from other schools where I only spoke to a sales person. The second was the opportunity to get certified through the ICSO. I went to the ICSO website and looked at the checklist of standards that have to be covered in the week long class. They go so far as to break out the number of tacks, jibes, anchorings, mooring ball pick ups, etc. that are expected for the week! I liked the hands-on aspect of this certification. For my needs, I felt that I would come out with a much stronger sailing skill set using the ICSO standards than by going the US Sailing route. I did the Instant Bareboater + Cat class and worked hard every day. I was challenged mentally and physically to internalize the skills and develop the muscle memory for performing the correct tasks. Having both a captain and a mate onboard provided two people to learn from. I always felt comfortable asking questions and they seemed to know when I was ready to "solo" on a particular skill. I also now feel competent to safely captain a boat on my own. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Chris Bleuher 49 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Salisbury, CT USA |
| Date Submitted: | August 7, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | A GREAT Balance of Teaching and Fun Picture this…I’m a 50 something wife of an experienced Hobie Cat 16 sailor and I want to learn to sail BUT not from my husband. We’ve only been married 4.5 yrs and I’d like it to last until the death do we part thing so I begin looking on line for a sailing class. I check out the reviews from this site and start investigating some of the schools. I finally decide on Fair Wind Sailing School because they have the classes I want (ASA 101, 103, 104 and 114), some good reviews, a reasonable price, and to top it off… a fabulous location (Virgin Islands). The class also includes hands on experience clearing customs into the BVI which I really like. I invited my husband to join me and also take the class and he surprisingly accepted. I sign up, get our plane tickets, and impatiently wait several months for our July class to get here. Fair Wind sends us the course materials so we can begin studying….I look through the books and begin to feel overwhelmed by all that I’m going to have to learn so I decide to start getting some experience locally. I sign up for a learn to sail classroom course (8 hrs classroom, 2 hrs sailing) from our local Red Cross and a 2 day ladies sailing course using Sunfish from a local lake sailing club. These 2 classes really helped me begin to understand the concepts of sailing, get some experience tying knots, get some lake sailing under my belt at low wind, and to prepare myself for the ASA July class. For anyone without sailing experience, I would highly recommend learning as much as you can before you go so that you can maximize your learning and not have to spend too much time on the boat learning all there is to learn…it is a lot!!! Class time came and we showed up at the marina on St. Thomas all ready to go. We were greeted by Dan, the Fair Wind Caribbean Operations Manager, and he was very nice and assured us we’d have a great week aboard La Bella Vita. The class had 3 students (me, my husband, and Nate - a 20 something nice man from Roanoke). The first thing we did the day of arrival was pick what we wanted to eat for the week (provisions for the boat)and go get them. We ate breakfast and lunch and 2 dinners on the boat. Students share galley responsibilities. We had an instructor/captain change and were lucky enough to end up with the cream of the crop, Captain Dave Bello. Dave has a great sense of humor and kept things light even thought the learning was at times intense (students pulling the wrong way on the jib sheet, mooring balls going under the boat, etc). We were also lucky to have Dan, the operations manager, aboard our boat during the week so he also gave us tips here and there that helped us continue to learn. There was docking, mooring, anchoring, man-over-board drills, tacking , jibing, sail raising and lowering , furling, and the dreaded navigation instruction. There were 4 written tests. It wasn’t all work…we had time to snorkel in the morning and late afternoons and in the evening we usually went ashore for dinner and drinks......the days reward (Latitude 18, Quitos and Sidney’s Peace and Love Bar were favorites). In closing, my husband and I passed all the courses and we had fun doing it but it wasn’t without effort. If you’re looking for a rubber stamp ASA certification…don’t look here….you are going to have to work for this one!! But it will be worth it…you will really have the skills to bareboat your own sailboat when you are done. Exactly what I was aiming for. Wishing you Fair Winds ya’all! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Linda McKean 54 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Dayton, OH USA |
| Date Submitted: | June 17, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Great Experience Just completed ASA 104 and it was a great class. The instructor had a lot of experience and realy made you feel at ease. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Bob 52 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Bethlehem, PA |
| Date Submitted: | June 16, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Highly Recommend! Took the 3 day Instant Cruiser course. Learned a lot, was a great intro to sailing. Captains Tim & Tim were very knowledgeable and were very patient and kind to us as beginners. Helped us build confidence and made sure we had fun! Course is a little pricey, but well worth it. Will definitely look into future courses with this school! The BVI week long bareboater course is our dream for next winter! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Lori 48 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Dearborn, MI |
| Date Submitted: | June 11, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Awesome! My husband and I took 101 and 103 together and were joined by two others. I was a complete novice and can hardly believe how much I learned in 3 days. I think it's crucial to know how to sail correctly. I learned safe (and fun) sailing from this class. I'm ready to practice on my own to refine my skills now. The curriculum was well-designed. The sequence of skills had a natural progression. I appreciated the balance between learning the principles and putting them into practice. The sequence works, and Captains Dave and his assistant, Tim, provided clear instruction. They handled students' varying skill levels effectively (which raged from complete novice to experienced). Great fun! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Carol Himelhoch 51 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Ann Arbor, MI |
| Date Submitted: | June 8, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | School can be fun! I wanted to know enough to sail a 46 foot cat around the Virgin Islands and I decided on this school. So I went there to learn how to do it and learned enough to feel confident on handling the big cat in the islands. It was like a practice vacation! Now that is a great concept. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | K McClard 56 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Houston |
| Date Submitted: | June 4, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Fairwinds Sailing School in Virgin Islands is AOK 44' Gibsea was great for 2 couples and Instructor for week long Instant Bareboater Course. I can't imagine doing this any other way than to have this intense 6 day hands on opportunity. Highly recommended. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Jersey Rich 49 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Millburn, NJ USA |
| Date Submitted: | June 3, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | The Best!!! The entire week was fantastic. Combined the training necessary to charter boats with an unbelievable vacation!!! Plan to return to Fair Winds for other classes! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | DJ 44 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Ava, NY |
| Date Submitted: | May 24, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | be all that you can be okay, I may have poached the title, but for me, this was a little like sailing boot camp, and I can't imagine a better way of learning! I came aboard a stone cold beginner and by the end of the week, I could even sail in my sleep (no, really. I was even practicing the daily drills in my dreams!) Capt Tim was wonderful. Can't say enough good things about him. His knowledge base, teaching style, patience, and genuine interest in us as students made the whole experience unforgettable. Hey, if he can get this landlubber to confidently spout sailing lingo, he can certainly help you to be a better sailor! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Linda 48 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: New Jersey |
| Date Submitted: | May 13, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | long haul I crewed with Cap't Dave from Marsh harbor to Annapolis. Hadn't sailed in 30 years. First open ocean. Yes, just a small step. I must say the trip, experience and the knowledge that i picked up from Cap't Dave and Cap't Bob was very overwhelming. THanks Guys. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Canadian Dave 45 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Kingston On |
| Date Submitted: | April 27, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 8 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Wonderful Experience I would recommend Fair Wind Sailing School (Virgin Islands) for anyone wishing to learn to sail or to expand their sailing skills. I had never sailed before stepping aboard the Fair Winds boat, Lucy's II, but now I have the confidence and experience to sail on my own. Captain Nancy did a great job of making sailing accessible and fun. In addition, we just had a great time together! I didn't want it to end! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Chris Nunley 47 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Hebron, IN USA |
| Date Submitted: | March 21, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 8 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 8 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 7 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Well worth it! Fair Winds was great! Capt. Tim was polite, informative, and just an all around great guy to spend a week with. All course material was well covered, and what could beat a week sailing the BVI's. Looking forward to taking more classes. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | ETMullz 23 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Mattituck, NY |
| Date Submitted: | March 20, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Fair Wind ( A Unforgetable Experience) I love sailing and have been to the Virgin Islands many times and chartered a boat with captain twice.I had great times but wondered if I could captain a boat some day so I looked for some sailing schools and decided on Fairwind because of their wonderful presentation online and their quick responses to all my questions. When Captain Dave answered all my questions I was certain I could learn everything needed to become my own captain. Thanks to a wonderful instructor Francsis who was knowledgeable, friendly, tolerant, and fair I had an unforgetable experience that I will treasure the rest of my life. Thanks to Fairwind I now want to buy a sailboat and sail with my family to all parts of the Carribean. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Rex Rhodes 61 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Russellville, Arkansas |
| Date Submitted: | March 2, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 9 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Great experience in Bahamas I did a one week Bareboat course in the Bahamas. Not only was it a good time, it was a great learning experience, as the weather in February is not always co-operative, and the shallow water in that region keeps you on your toes constantly. Fairwinds runs a safe operation, lots was learned, and we managed to have a little fun in between. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Pajock 34 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Canada |
| Date Submitted: | February 15, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | The Complete Package I have had the opportunity to take many classes with Fair Winds Sailing, from the basic keel boat, to catamaran, to ocean passage, and have nothing but high marks for Captain Dave Bello and his crew of instructors, and fleet of boats. I even rented a boat for a one week charter with my 5 kids, and we had a blast. You'll get top notch instruction, well maintained equipment, and loads of fun on a trip with Fair Winds Sailing School. Book a course today, you'll be glad you did. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | J M 49 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Chicago, IL |
| Date Submitted: | January 26, 2010 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 9 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Great experience Had a great experience with Fair Wind. Learned what I wanted, had a wonderful instructor that was very patient and informative. Would highly recommend Fair Wind. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Dick Martin 52 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Russellville, Arkansas |
| Date Submitted: | November 24, 2009 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Advanced 106 class excels beyond expectation! I had the privilege of completing my advanced coastal sailing certification,#106, with Capt. Dave Bello. His blue water experience and expertise provided a very sound basis for my learning. He was, as is the entire Fairwind Sailing School program, constantly teaching about the safety aspect in this advanced training. Preparing for the unexpected before you need to use it was a constant teaching point. The vessel we sailed was in tip top condition, and the organization of material provided a complete review of the material required for this open water experience. I would strongly recommend this training for anyone thinking of cruising, whether in the islands or the Great Lakes I am a confident sailor because of Capt. Dave's instruction and attention to details of safety and sailing in blue water. Gary H. Ohio Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Gary H 64 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Ohio |
| Date Submitted: | November 24, 2009 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 9 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Learn sailing and vacation too! My dream for my 59th birthday was to go sailing in the Caribbean. My wife has been very nervous sailing on our small boat and could benefit from sailing school. We had an absolutely wonderful trip with Fair Wind Sailing School on the La Bella Vita catamaran with Captain TC. I had planned to sail on a monuhull, but scheduling left us with the cat, which was very nice, and my wife much preferred it. Fair Wind Sailing provided the biggest bang for the buck, with a full week of liveaboard sailing and 4 ASA certifications. Yes, it was a lot of work, we spent 3-4 hrs a day doing book work, then sailed for the afternoon, but we still managed to have a very enjoyable trip, snorkeling, dining out a few times and having a great evening at Willie T's! We both learned huge amounts during this time and with TC's patient insistence, my wife learned how to do a man over board pickup successfully, so now she can save me if I go over, rather than sailing on without me! I can't wait to fulfill my next dream of chartering a boat and cruising the islands, thanks to Fair Wind Sailing School. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | MrBillSails 51 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: NY |
| Date Submitted: | November 19, 2009 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Fair Winds - 101 through 114 We just returned from an intensive, one week course out of St Thomas and through the BVI. This course exceeded our expectations! The instruction was comprehensive, yet achievable. Capt. Larry was extremely competent and patient, and he knew of the best snorkel spots, the best bar stools and the finest food in the Virgin Islands! It was am amazing combination of work and study, and the best vacation ever! The Mighty Oak was stable, forgiving, with plenty of room for seven of us. I can't wait to go out again! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Cynthia 48 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: New Mexico |
| Date Submitted: | May 6, 2009 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Virgin Islands Charter I highly recommend this school's Virgin Island charter. My husband and I took 3 courses over 1 week and came back feeling very confident in what we learned. It is quite a bit of work so I recommend taking a babysitter (which we did) if you you have small children. We have 3 and there were lots of fun places to drop them off for the day. Captain Dave was great, very professional and competent. The boat was great, plenty of room even with 8 of us on board. The Islands were beautiful, the winds reliable and the water was perfect. We had such a good time we are going back in July for 2 more courses. This was our first time sailing on a catamaran and also sailing offshore - we are hooked for life! Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Nicola 38 year-old :: Female Reviewer :: Hot Springs AR USA |
| Date Submitted: | January 19, 2009 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Fantastic Experience on Lake Erie As an older sailor primarily interested in cruising, "laid back" but thorough instruction was my priority. Capt Gary left no doubt that, if I'd been interested in winning the next MAC, he could've taught me how, but he adjusted his style to hammer home the path to safe, fun, and relaxed cruising. Especially effective were the mnemonics that will forever keep the basics of navigation, boat handling, and safety in the front of my brain. The time on the water was use effectively to drill the material home, but one of the most important lessons - how to relax and enjoy sailing - was clearly up there on the course priorities. Between the two courses I took out of Sandusky, Lake Erie offered a broad range of conditions, from light air to gusts to steady 15 knot winds, but all under sunny late summer skies and in warm water. Staying overnight at Put-in-Bay in the Lake Erie Islands offers good food and as much partying as you desire. I couldn't have asked for a better way to get my certification through ASA 104. Probably the best indication of a good education was from the first company I chartered from, who enthusiastically invited me back with "We like knowledgeable, cautious sailors!" I highly recommend splitting the ASA courses - I took the 101/103 course first, and took the 104 course a month later. Practice in between gave me time to develop questions for the 104 course, as well as an appreciation for things I needed to practice more on. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Don Palac 53 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Strongsville (Cleveland suburb), Ohio |
| Date Submitted: | January 11, 2009 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 10 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | Caribbean Breeze I completed my early ASA courses on the Chesapeake and decided on Fair Wind out of St. Thomas for my advanced courses. The yachts, instructors and itineraries are excellent. Hands on all the way with clear explanation of technical and tactical points and Caribbean fun in between. Recommended highly. Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Ensign Robert 25 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: VA |
| Date Submitted: | November 16, 2008 |
| Sailing School: | Fair Wind Sailing School |
| Location: | MI - Bingham Farms, United States |
| Classes & Instruction: | 10 out of 10 |
| School Facilities: | 10 out of 10 |
| Boats & Courses: | 9 out of 10 |
| Cost: | 10 out of 10 |
| Recommend: | Yes |
| Review: | best time ever I took the 7 day bareboater course on lake Erie, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Captian Gary was great and answered all of my questions. This was a working vacation that I needed that left my working life behind. I'm hooked and will pursue sailing the rest of my life. Skipper Jeff jcsora@yahoo.com Comments [ 0 ] |
| Submitted by: | Jeffery Csora 44 year-old :: Male Reviewer :: Nashville TN |
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