baysail school & yacht charter - day tours

Wanting to learn how to sail for some time and researching sailing schools on the Chesapeake I decided on Baysail. I could not have made a better choice! My instructor was excellent, Capt. Russ a Coast Guard reserve Captain and twenty five plus year sailor had our group passing our ASA 101 test and feeling confident to charter boats and practicing our new sailing skills. I look forward to more sailing time and taking more advanced ASA Sailing courses at Baysail.

Baysail is a class act! We recently completed ASA 101 and 103 with another sailing company and recognized we needed some practice on the water. We knew we did not want to stay with this "other" company because the boats were 35 years old, dirty, and smelly and the instructors were not patient or personable. We learned about Baysail and from the first call to Tammy, we knew we had stumbled upon something good. Today we chartered a boat with Baysail to practice our skills. Larry was our captain. Larry helped us hone our skills and build confidence in our abilities in a supportive and relaxed learning environment. Baysail's boats are new and spotless. We left the docks and Larry excited about our future sailing adventures with renewed enthusiasm. Thank you Baysail and Larry-- we look forward to ASA 104 and future charters with Baysail.

We have been chartering here for over 25 years, and have always found the boats and facilities in pristine condition. The staff is most helpful; everything is ready when we arrive and they are there to assist us upon return. Most recently we chartered a 35 foot Catalina for a wonderful eight-day cruise on the northern Chesapeake Bay. In this one-of-a kind vacation we experienced swimming and grilling in secluded coves while bald eagles and ospreys caught fish in clear view. We took a mooring in Annapolis to be right in the middle of the Wednesday night sailboat races, then took the water taxi in to town to enjoy a delicious meal and stroll the waterfront. We sailed to Cantler's Riverside Inn and docked right at the restaurant while feasting on fantastic (large) crabs. From there it was on to St. Michaels for wonderful hospitality at St. Michael's marina and more crabs at the Crab Claw. This has always been our dream vacation and we can't wait to come back. Doug, New Jersey

My husband and I recently took the ASA 101 3 day course in August 2014. It was a great experience, as not only did we pass the certification so we could rent a sloop later on but we got a real chance to practice sailing and motoring in the bay. We made a vacation out of the trip and stayed locally at the Spencer Silver B&B, which was great. The class ran Mon-Wed. We spent Thursday exploring Havre de Grace and then went back for rental on Friday to practice what we recently learned. Jack our instructor was very patient in explaining the nautical terms and in demonstrating the skills with the outboard motors as well as the key sailing techniques. He allowed us to make our own mistakes, but advised us on how to correct them for the future. I felt very confidant at the end of the 3 days that I could competently sail. In addition we got to see the bigger 3- and 40 foot boats, just in case we want to move up and stay overnights on the bay.Todd and Tammy from Baysail were very friendly and helpful in arranging our trip and answering all our early questions. I would definitely recommend their school, rentals and charters.

Thi was excellent! I never sailed before and after this class I found a love for sailing. Our instructor captain Bill was amazing! Not only was he an incredible teacher but just a great person all around. Myself and my friends learned how to sail and really enjoyed the process. We all scored over 95 on the asa test. I would highly recommend this adventure to anyone!

My husband & I have talked about sailing for years. I saw that Baysail had a one day introduction course so we decided to sign up, it was wonderful. Not intimidating at all everyone there made you feel welcome and comfortable. When you are on the boat with the instructor you are doing everything so you really get a true feeling for your capabilities and enjoyment of sailing. Did I mention that I knew absolutely nothing about boats and I was at the helm tacking and jibing. If you are thinking about learning to sail Baysail is the place to go. We will be returning to take the courses for certification so we can sail on our own.

Bay Sail was a terrific experience. I have completed 2 sailing courses in as many months. The experience from both these courses, Basic and Coastal Cruising, resulted in confidence, as I prepare to take a Charter and act as Captain of my own vessel. The ASA sailing courses are not an easy push over. But the patient Bay Sail Captains, who taught each of the courses, made each step of the ASA sailing courses logical and easy to learn.

After 20+ years of powerboating we made a decision to try sailing. We took our first class with Baysail just over a years ago and have now completed 4 certifications with them over the last year. Staff is awesome (Todd, Tammy & Grace). Instructors (Bill, Mike & Amy) are great. The location for anyone looking for classes on the Upper Chesapeake cant be beat. Located in Havre De Grace, lots of nice places around to lunch or dinner in a quiet little town.

My cousins and I just got done taking the ASA101 class through Baysail. Mike was our instructor this weekend and got all four of us guys passed with little sailing experience. He did a great job at explaining and showing us the ropes before test time. With that said I definitely recommend Mike to request as your instructor. We can't wait to get sailing again! Thanks Mike & Baysail for a great time!