ASA Courses

ASA Certified Instructors

Learn on Lake Michigan

Train On Our Sailboats

GT Sailing

Lake Michigan Sailing School

GT Sailing began in 2001 as an ASA (American Sailing Association) Sailing School in Holland, Michigan. Since then, our family of experienced sailors has continued to serve Southwest Michigan as the go-to source for high-quality sailing lessons and sailboat charters. Thanks to our local roots, our crew has a close relationship with the deep blue waters of Lake Michigan, one of the most beautiful sailing destinations on Earth. Now, we’re excited to share those waters with you.

Whether you’re a brand new sailor or an experienced sailboat captain, there’s always a new voyage ahead at GT Sailing.

Our Availability

GT Sailing

Learn To Sail

We exclusively offer accredited ASA sailing classes, meaning that all of your sailing lessons with us contribute to your ASA certifications. Our classes cover both fundamental and advanced topics, ranging from piloting essentials to chart reading and overnight sailing trips. In each class, our hands-on instructors will give you all the tools you need to pass your tests and attain your ASA certificates. Whether you’re completely new or just a little rusty, we’ll give you the tools you need to sail with confidence!

Sailing Classes

Private Sailing Charters

Sailing is our passion, and we’re always excited to share that passion with you. That’s why our expert guides will take you and your guests on a voyage out onto Lake Michigan. Join us on our flagship, Paradigm, along with up to 6 guests of your choosing for a scenic sail on Michigan’s clear waters. For more information on our sailing charters, please click the button below.

Sailing Charters

GT Sailing

Testimonials

We love sharing the joy of sailing with our passengers—and our passengers love it, too. To see what they have to say, check out some testimonials from previous students and guests below.

View Testimonials

Dugan and Marie K.

My experience with GT Sailing, led by Captain Jason Briggs, exceeded my expectations and left me feeling much more confident on the water. The course was based on the American Sailing Association (ASA) structure, and the quality of the ASA training materials and textbooks stood out immediately. The books were full-color, well-organized, and made complex concepts approachable. They’ve earned a permanent place in our ship’s library for future reference. The hands-on instruction was where the course really shined. With a small class size of just four students, we received personalized attention and had plenty of time rotating through key roles on the boat including helming, sail trimming, and navigating.

Sailing through the scenic and sometimes challenging waters of Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan gave us real-world experience that tied the theory directly to practice. By the end of the course, tricky concepts like the rules for who has right of way and when had clicked into place, and we left with a strong sense of accomplishment.

Captain Jason was a great instructor. He brings a calm, confident demeanor, even when conditions got fresh with 25 knot winds! His knowledge, clear instruction, and approachable teaching style made the course both informative and fun. Whether you’re new to sailing or looking to sharpen your skills, GT Sailing with Captain Jason is a fun and valuable way to build confidence and competence on the water.

Dave

I’ve personally sailed for over 35 years, having taught myself everything I know about sailing – good and bad. Fortunately I’m smart enough to know that there is much I don’t know about sailing.

Rick R.

Captain Kim kept in touch via emails and let us know what to expect. Staying on the boat saved some bucks and also gave us a better insight into owning our own. All areas of the course were covered thoroughly with a hands-on approach. Our experience was good enough for us to sign-up for the bareboat charter course in the fall.

John W.

As a long time sailor and ASA certified instructor, I do not own a sailboat, but prefer to charter sailboats. My family and I love the GT school sailboats for many reasons, including: they are well maintained, they have new hardware, and everything feels solid.

Phyllis T.

When my husband and I were searching for a sailing school in the Holland, MI area, we were fortunate enough to choose GT Sailing School. I had not sailed for over 30 years and had never had any experience.

 

Javid S.

Contact us today to embark on your next voyage!

Contact Us