How to Book
Browse our fleet and available charter dates on the Fleet page. Select your preferred yacht and dates.
Call us at +1 231 941 0535 to confirm availability and pricing before completing your reservation.
All bareboat charterers must complete a Charter Application covering your sailing experience, crew, and skill assessment. This helps us schedule the right briefing and ensure you're matched with the right boat.
We'll send you a link to e-sign your charter contract. This is a required step in the booking process — please complete it at your earliest convenience.
We'll share check-in details and preparation information prior to your charter. Your remaining balance is due 60 days before your charter start date.
Charter Durations
Our yachts are outfitted for extended bareboat cruising, which is why we require a 4-day minimum during peak season. We do accommodate shorter charters as follows:
| Duration | Booking Window | Confirmation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Day Day Sail | Call within 1 week of your sail date | Confirmed and charged 48 hours before departure |
| 2 Days | Reserve anytime within the season | Confirmed and charged 2 weeks prior to charter |
| 3 Days | Reserve anytime within the season | Confirmed and charged 3 weeks prior to charter |
| 4+ Days Peak Season | Reserve anytime — book early for best selection | Confirmed when deposit is received |
For 2- and 3-day charters, we hold your dates tentatively with your contact information and credit card. If a longer charter requests your dates before the confirmation window, we'll give you the option to change dates or switch to a different boat. If no longer charter appears, we confirm your booking at the start of your window and collect payment at that time.
We are currently booking 2-day and 3-day charters for early season (May) and late season (September). Peak season short-term charters may become available closer to departure dates.
Payment
We accept the following forms of payment:
At this time, all charter payments are handled directly by our office — not through the online booking system. After submitting your reservation request, our team will contact you to collect payment. Please do not consider your booking confirmed until you have spoken with us and your deposit has been received.
Credit/Debit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover — a payment processing fee applies to all card transactions.
ACH / Bank Transfer: Available — contact the office to arrange. No processing fee.
Personal Check: Accepted for charter payments (not damage deposits). Mail checks to our office at your earliest convenience after booking.
Note on damage deposits: Personal checks are not accepted for the refundable damage deposit. See below for accepted damage deposit payment methods.
Deposits & Fees
Confirmation Deposit
A 50% deposit is required to confirm your yacht reservation. The deposit amount is applied toward your charter balance. For charters over 10 days in duration, a 30% confirmation deposit is required.
Damage Deposit (Refundable)
Upon arrival, a refundable damage deposit is required against any damage or loss that may occur during your charter. We accept a credit card hold, money order, or cashier's check — personal checks are not accepted for the damage deposit.
The damage deposit will be refunded within 14 days of your charter end date, pending any damages incurred.
An additional $1,000 damage deposit is required for charters that cruise the waters of the North Channel or Door County, Wisconsin.
If you plan to enter Canadian waters, please review the Canada Border Services Reporting Requirements to ensure you are in compliance before departure.
Damage Waiver Insurance
A required $30/day damage waiver protects the charterer against losses and/or damages that exceed the damage deposit amount. A yacht's hull insurance deductible is typically much greater than the damage deposit held — the damage waiver covers this gap in liability.
Cancellation Policy
We strongly recommend purchasing trip insurance before your charter. Great Lakes Sailing Co. cannot make exceptions to the cancellation policy for any reason. Trip insurance is relatively inexpensive and provides important protection when life doesn't go as planned. We recommend Travel Guard, Allianz, or any other reputable trip insurance provider.
When we confirm your charter, we are telling other prospective customers that your boat is unavailable. These yachts are owned by individuals who have placed them in our charter management program — much like how Airbnb manages rental properties. We owe the charter income to our boat owners within the cancellation period, and we have declined other bookings on your behalf. We must adhere to our cancellation policy without exception.
| Timing | Policy |
|---|---|
| 60+ days before charter | Deposit may be applied to another charter date within the same season on the same boat. A $250 change fee applies. |
| Less than 60 days | All payments (deposit and balance) are forfeited. If we successfully rebook your exact dates, we will refund accordingly minus a 25% processing fee. |
| Second reschedule / cancellation | All deposits and payments are forfeited, regardless of timing. |
Deposits are non-refundable and cannot be carried to a future season.
Weather
We do not consider inclement weather a reason to cancel or reschedule a charter of more than one day. Weather conditions that some sailors consider challenging, others may view as perfectly acceptable sailing. During early or late season when more yachts and dates are available, we can be somewhat flexible and will do our best to accommodate you.
Briefings & Debriefings
Check-In Briefing
Charters and briefings begin at 9:00 AM on your contract start date (unless otherwise arranged with our office). You will not depart the dock at 9:00 AM — briefings typically take 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how organized the skipper and crew are and whether the inventory sheet has been completed in advance.
We do not rush briefings and will take as much time as needed to completely familiarize you with your yacht. When multiple boats are departing the same morning, crews with completed inventory sheets receive priority briefing times.
Complete your inventory sheet before arriving. Organized crews with gear stowed and inventories finished receive earlier briefings and get on the water sooner.
Check-Out Debriefing
Charters end at 4:00 PM on your contract end date. Please be off the boat by this time. We conduct a post-charter debrief upon return to document any issues and count yacht inventory. Allow 30–45 minutes for this process.
We strongly encourage all charterers to be back at the marina by 2:30 PM on your final day. This allows ample time for fuel dock lines and ensures a relaxed, unhurried departure from the boat.
Sailing with a Captain or Instructor
Accommodations
When a captain or instructor joins your charter, it is important to plan for their accommodations aboard. It is customary for the captain to have their own stateroom so they can have privacy at the end of each evening, giving your group time together. The captain may sleep on the converting salon table/berth in the main salon only if the captain has agreed to this arrangement prior to the charter.
Meals
When provisioning your yacht, factor the captain or instructor into your meal planning. If your charter group dines ashore, it is customary for the charterer to cover the captain's meal. If your group prefers to dine independently ashore, please ensure the captain has food aboard to prepare their own meals.
Tipping
Tipping your captain or instructor is customary but not required. If you feel they delivered an exceptional experience, a gratuity is always greatly appreciated. Like many service industry professionals, captains and instructors go the extra mile to make your time on the water memorable.
Sleep Aboard & Late Departure
Sleep Aboard allows you to board your yacht the evening before your charter start date after 8:00 PM. In many cases the yacht is available earlier — check with our office during the afternoon of your arrival day to see if early boarding is possible. Sleep Aboard does not include a briefing; that takes place the following morning.
Late Departure allows you to remain aboard on the evening of your charter return date. You must depart the yacht by 10:00 AM the morning following your return. This is a great way to extend your vacation and avoid an evening drive after a full day of sailing.
Engine Hours
Sailing with the wind is always the goal, but we understand that conditions don't always cooperate — and sometimes itineraries need to be kept. On average, sailors motor between 1–4 hours per day. We allow up to 5 engine hours per day. Additional hours are charged at $200 per hour.
Your total engine hour allowance is calculated as 5 hours × number of charter days. You may use more hours some days and fewer on others — what matters is the total at the end of the charter. For example, a 5-day charter has a 25-hour allowance. Using 8 hours one day and 2 hours on other days is fine as long as the total stays under 25.
If you want to reach destinations farther away without spending time under sail to get there, contact us and we can arrange a yacht delivery to your starting point.
Fueling & Pump Out
Charterers are responsible for returning the yacht with a full fuel tank and empty holding tanks (black water). Please plan to stop at the pump and fuel dock before returning to your slip at the end of your charter. Our staff will assist you at the dock.
Yachts must be returned full of diesel fuel and with holding tanks pumped out. Failure to stop at the fuel and pump-out dock will result in a $400 fee charged against your damage deposit.
Factor in time at the fuel and pump-out dock when planning your final day. We strongly recommend returning to the marina by 2:30 PM to allow time for the dock, debriefing, and unloading before your 4:00 PM checkout.
The Island Clause
Modern yachts are equipped with more amenities than ever — autopilot, bow thrusters, electric winches, flat-screen TVs, and more. While we maintain our fleet meticulously, it is impossible to predict when non-essential components may fail. A malfunctioning non-essential item does not automatically constitute grounds for immediate service, a refund, or a boat change. Equipment failures happen, and experienced skippers understand this and continue enjoying the sailing experience.
In the event of a breakdown or equipment failure on Beaver Island, Mackinac Island, or any location not accessible by road, we cannot guarantee expedited repair service. It is very important that you thoroughly check all vessel systems — battery charging, rigging, sails, heads, navigation equipment — before departing for a remote location.
If you suspect an issue while still at a mainland port, contact us immediately and we will do everything possible to address it before you depart. Once you are on an island, response times may be measured in days, not hours. Compensation may not always be an option in these circumstances.
This is rare and unlikely — but it has happened. If you are not comfortable with the possibility of an extended stay on a remote island while awaiting service, plan your itinerary to stay within reach of the mainland.
Additional Policies
Cleaning Fee
We expect yachts to be returned in a similar condition to when you departed. Please be respectful and clean up after yourselves. A dirty boat will result in an additional cleaning fee. Our standard cleaning fee is $250. Damage to headliners, upholstery, blinds, or other soft goods from smashed insects may result in forfeiture of your entire deposit if fabric replacement is required.
Yacht Availability
If your booked yacht becomes unavailable due to events beyond our control, every effort will be made to move your charter to a similar-size boat with comparable amenities. Week-long charters take precedence over shorter-duration charters in the event of a conflict.
Excessive Engine Hours
See the Engine Hours section above for our policy on engine usage and overage charges.
Lost & Found
At the end of your charter, carefully inspect the entire yacht to ensure you have not left any personal belongings behind. We cannot be responsible for locating or mailing items left on board. It is your responsibility to leave with everything you brought.
Rates
Rates are subject to change without notice. Our general policy is to honor published prices for the calendar year in which they are quoted.
No Pets & No Smoking
Pets of any kind are not permitted on any vessel in the Great Lakes Sailing Co. fleet.
Smoking is prohibited aboard all charter yachts.
Privacy Policy
When making a reservation, we collect certain personal information. Please review our Privacy Policy for details on data collection and retention.
Standard Yacht Inventory
View the Standard Yacht Inventory for a complete list of equipment included on all charter yachts. Individual boats may include additional items — ask our team during your briefing.