No, Meritage has a 3 Ton, 6′ keel.  She is a fully capable ocean going vessel and can’t tip over in any of the conditions we could possibly get in the Puget Sound.

No. While heeling is very safe, it also can take a little getting use to. You may have experienced smaller boats or older boats that heel a lot. Meritage, however, is in a new class of boat that sails optimally at a very low heel angle, making the ride very comfortable.

 Whenever you can.  This area is blessed with great weather all year for sailing. The South Puget Sound is more protected than the waters in the Northern Salish Sea, allowing Winter, Spring and Fall to be wonderful and safe sailing seasons.

While we can’t control the weather, our dry season in the Pacific NW is summer.  However, Meritage has a full cockpit enclosure that keeps you warm and dry even when its 40 degrees, raining and blowing outside.  We are the only sailing company in the NW that can promise a full enclosure on every trip.

While sailing is fun in the winter, the days are very very short up here at the 47th parallel. Our sailing school season runs from late March to October during daylight savings time to ensure you get lots of time to practice sailing.

For all trips a 30% deposit is required at the time of booking.  The balance is due 45 days prior to departure.   There is a $150 change or cancelation fee up to 45 days prior to the trip.   Less than 45 days there is no refund.   We highly recommend travel insurance to cover your cancelation risk.   

We offer 10% off ASA Basic Keelboat 101 or $100 off Beginning Sailing.  In addition, $39 of course certification fees are waived.  This applies to US Military Veterans and active duty personnel.

Day 1: 4PM We meet at Swantown marina for social and boat orientation (optional)

Day 2: 9AM Ready for departure.

Day 5: 3PM   Returned to Swantown and ready to depart the boat. Let us know if you have travel that is tight.

Included:

4 nights accommodation
Meals and non-alcoholic beverages (3B, 4L, 2D)

Not Included:
Alcohol
Special Snacks
Day 1 dinner (in Olympia)
Day 3 dinner (destination marina, usually Gig Harbor)
ASA course books
ASA fees (bring your ASA log book for 104)
 ASA 101 – $61: ASA 103 – $12: ASA 104 – $12  

Yes.   We can handle most dietary requests.  We will send out a food profile preference several weeks in advance so that we can plan the trip menu appropriately.  If you have severe allergies or potentially difficult food requirements, please discuss it with us at booking.   

We have a large collection of boat friendly recipes that we choose from based on seasonality and the guests’ food preference form.

Our default menus are delicious, healthy, organic, and with products sourced as locally as possible.

While gratuities are not required, they are always greatly appreciated.   All gratuities given to the captain will be shared amongst the support staff that work behind the scenes to make your trip wonderful.   Suggested gratuity 10%-15%.  You do not need cash, you can pay for gratuity, buy swag, or donate to the oyster rehabilitation of Budd Bay electronically on the boat.

Absolutely.   If you are booking as an intact group we can adjust both dates and content of the course.   Completing ASA certifications are not necessary to learn to sail and have a wonderful time.

Yes, of course.  Couples are welcome together in all courses.   However the couples only courses have a second instructor and will have two couples maximum.  You do not have to be a romantic couple, it can be any sailing couple.  The restriction on couples classes is that you must share a stateroom, as the second instructor (Beth) refuses to sleep on a sofa or purchase a private class.

You do.  A significant aspect of learning to cruise is learning all aspects of boat operation and trip planning.   While there is the strongest focus on this in the intermediate class.  All students will have boat duties every day.

We HIGHLY encourage you to completely clear your schedule prior to the trip.  However, we do understand their may be times when emergencies need to be dealt with.   We used to have those kinds of jobs too, before we quit and bought a sailboat.  There is excellent cell coverage in all of our sailing area.
We ask that all calls/texting/email etc be carried out below deck.   

 Some years we take a 4-12 week trip in the spring. We will charter out one or two cabins (to a single small group of 1-3 people).  These are typically  new places for us, so you get to be part of the real experience of cruising and exploring. We will break the trip into smaller segments so you can join for as little as 1 week.

We had planned to circumnavigate Vancouver Island in 2020 (then again in 2021) with plans to follow that with Alaska.  However, with the Canadian border closed for two summers we are staying in US waters for now.