detroit yacht club sailing lessons

2024 Instruction Registration Now Open

Learn to sail at the Detroit Yacht Club!

Click here to learn about DYC adult sailing instruction

Click here to sign up for the 202 4 adult sailing class

Click here for information about the Detroit Yacht Club

Students, see the "Adult Sailing Class" to your left for the course materials.

The complete DYC Flying Scot Program Handbook is linked on the left-hand navigation pane. It contains rules and guidelines for using the boats as well as the schedule of current rates and policies. Please review and follow it whenever you use the DYC boats and participate in DYC Flying Scots events. 

Please carefully review the Pleasure Sailing Guidelines in the Handbook.  Remember to sign the boat out and back in, use the oldest boat unless you have a seasonal assignment, and BE VERY AWARE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AND FORECASTS.  Just because you can doesn't mean you should go out.

Are you on our e-mail list? Click the link to the left to sign up 

Stay up-to-date on the latest DYC Flying Scots 

information and announcements

Check out the links on the left for photos and awards. If you have photos of DYC Flying Scot events that you would like to share, send an email to us at  flyingscots@ dyc .com . 

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The Crescent Sailing Association offers sailing lessons on beautiful Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Farms, the heart of the Great Lakes and the premier sailing location in the Detroit, Michigan area. The founding program director is a recipient of the US Sailing's Annual award.

More than just an introduction to sailing, ALtS provides a direct path to active participation in dinghy and keel boat racing. The curriculum emphasizes small boat safety, seamanship, and sailing skills in addition to the teamwork required for successful cruising and competitive sailing. Our instructors are highly experienced sailors, with decades of sailing and racing experience.

2024 Schedule and Registration info coming soon!

2023 class begins on Monday, June 12th. The course is eleven weeks. Classes will be held during Mackinac week.

To keep up to date on information please click Join in the upper right and create an account in our system. After entering your name, email address, and password go to Mailing Lists and select Adult Learn to Sail. You will then be added to our mailing list and receive information as it is available.

We have a great guide on how to get ready for sailing each time you come to Crescent. It can be found in the Downloads below.

Applicants to the program out number available spaces every year. Registration information has been sent to people on the waiting list from 2022.

Registration will be by invitation. Along with registering you will need to fill out a Health Form provided below.

The cost of the class is $595. If you are a spouse, parent, or child of a member of Crescent; the cost of the class is $495.

Questions? If you have questions email [email protected] .

Refund Policy

$50 non refundable enrollment fee - no exceptions $350 refund under the following circumstances:

• Sailing the first week and requesting a refund before the next class is scheduled to meet - no questions asked. The refund request must be sent via email to [email protected] , so that we have a record.

Week 2 of sailing and thereafter - no refunds under any circumstances.

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Fleet Rates

Sailing school, your boat is ready when you are.

• Guaranteed Sailing
• Flexible Scheduling
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• Sail Your Boat 14 Times/Month
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EASY, HASSLE-FREE SAILING

We’re offering Memberships for the 2024 sailing season.  Sign up now!

Membership Sailing.  Just you and your family and friends.  We’ll take care of the maintenance.  All you have to do is show up and sail. A perfect way to spend time on the water. 

More than ever, now is the best time to start sailing.  What better way to spend the day than skimming along the waters in a fresh breeze on your own sailboat?  Just you and your crew, sailing on the lake, anchoring and taking a swim, maybe spending the night aboard.  Now is the time to discover sailing!

We’re adding a new Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380 to the fleet for 2024!

Plan Ahead for 2024!  Now is the time to sign up for a membership.  We’ve been sold out the last few seasons so act quick and reserve your spot!  [email protected]   586.888.9744

SailTime is an ASA Awarded Sailing School

As an  American Sailing Association (ASA) affiliate, SailTime Detroit’s Sailing School offers the very best in quality on-water sailing education.  Increase your knowledge and improve your skills with one of our highly qualified US Coast Guard licensed instructor/captains.

We offer a full range of  ASA certifications  from basic keelboat to advanced coastal cruising and more. We specialize in teaching safe and effective  docking techniques  to ease stress when going in and out of the slip.

• 24400 Jefferson Ave St Clair Shores, MI 48080

Weekdays: 9am - 5pm Weekends: 9am - 5pm

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Get in on the Boat Club Boom

SailTime & PowerTime Fractional Boat Club is Expanding to 50 Markets DID YOU KNOW that over the past five years, more

SailTime Southwest Florida

Ready About! Let’s Tack. If there is one word, one idea, one life-altering action, that we can chock up to

Boat Clubs Get You On The Water Faster

Ready to go Sailing this season?  It is estimated that a whopping 100 million Americans go boating every year according

Sail It Like You Own It!

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• Meet Our Sailing Instructors
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ASA Certified Sailing Courses

All of our sailing instructors are American Sailing Association certified, ensuring the hands-on training and expertise you deserve.

Sailing Classes

Learn To Sail

We have a variety of beginner and advanced level sailing classes taught by ASA-certified sailing Instructors. American Sailing Association. ASA Certification.

Certified Sailing Classes

Lake St. Clair Sailing School meets rigorous ASA standards which are internationally recognized.

Sailing Refresher Course

This Course is for those who already took a sailing class but they need a refresher course with a sailing captain to go over what they learned.

Sailing charters

Sunset Sailing

Set sail aboard one of our Catalina Sailboats for an experience you are sure to never forget. Sail into Lake St. Clair. This is the perfect date idea and one of the most romantic activities to do in Metro Detroit Area.

Day Sailing

Practice sailing or enjoy sailing with friends and family morning, noon, or sunset weekdays and weekends. Sailing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and spend time with friends and family.

Moon rise Sailing

We specialize in providing a unique and unforgettable experience for our guests. Our experienced and knowledgeable crew will take you on Lake St. Clair during moon rise.

Captain's License

Start your uscg captain's license training today.

Our USCG approved captain’s license courses provide you with the education and know how to start your adventure. Our Deluxe Edition provide you with both digital and hardcopies of the materials along with navigational tools to help you master the material.

Coast Guard Approved | Boat Captain Courses

OUPV/SIX-PACK CAPTAIN'S LICENSE

The OUPV/Six-Pack is the most popular of the boat captain's license courses and is required for those who wish to operate fishing and sailing charters, run a dive boat, or offer sightseeing tours.

BECOME A LICENSED MASTER

The Master License allows you to operate Inspected Passenger Vessels. Ferry boats, harbor tour boats, sailing schooners, and whale watching boats are all examples of inspected vessels.

GET ENDORSED FOR TOWING OR SAILING

With an OUPV/Six-Pack or Master Captain's License, you can be endorsed for commercially assisting other vessels or to carry seven or more passengers on a sailing vessel.

Gift Cards Are available! Buy Mother's Day Gift Card, Father's Day Card, or Birthday Gift Card.

Online Sailing Classes

Asa-approved online courses available to all.

In this time when you cannot get to the ocean or classes are not being held, the online alternative is ideal. Learn a few skills and get some certifications during this time while you are being asked to stay home.

Coastal Navigation

Celestial Navigation

Basic Celestial Endorsement

Marine Weather Endorsement

Radar Endorsement

American Sailing Association affiliated sailing schools now graduate and certify thousands of new sailors annually – sailors who learn faster, learn more and have more fun sailing in more new places.

The American Sailing Association is a group of sailors, sailing schools, and charter fleets. Our purpose is to bring organization and professional standards to the sailing industry. The association is dedicated to boating safety through education, to ensure that every sailor learns to sail properly and is able to prove the ability to sail. The heart of the ASA program is a comprehensive set of sailing standards, which are detailed in the ASA Sailing Log Book. 

These performance objectives allows sailors to be evaluated on their sailing knowledge and seamanship skills. But more importantly, through certification to these standards, the ASA provides the individual with a way to prove these abilities to rental and charter fleets throughout the country and around the world.

We Have Lots to Offer

Lake St. Clair Sailing School gives sailors of all experience levels an opportunity to become more competent and confident in their abilities. If you choose to venture beyond the sailing basics, we’ll expand your horizons by teaching you to navigate with electronics and with the stars. 

Become certified at advanced or offshore levels, and the world’s oceans will become your highways and by-ways. You can learn it all or select the things that interest you the most.

Have you ever dreamed of sailing? Maybe you would like to charter sailboats in the Caribbean? Or you hope to purchase your own boat and set sail? If that’s your dream, we can help you achieve it.

Lake St. Clair Sailing School, is an affiliate with the American Sailing Association. Our ASA Certified experienced instructors are sure to provide you with instructions and training necessary to succeed in your sailing lessons. 

Comprehensive, personalized and fun sailing instruction!

If you want to learn to sail or you just want to improve your sailing skills or even if you want to experience exhilarating sailing adventures, you have come to the right place!

Let's sail together!

Lake St. Clair Sailing School is Michigan’s leading sailing school for beginner through advanced sailing lessons and ASA Certification.

Get Certified by ASA. Learn Sailing Now!

Wedding anniversary sailing.

Wedding anniversary Sailing celebrate wedding anniversary on a sailboat Celebrating your wedding anniversary on a sailboat is a romantic and unique way to mark the special day. Start by booking

Sunset sailing Nothing is more relaxing that being on a sailing boat. Watch the sunset on a sailing boat on Lake St. Clair.   We offer private sailing cruises in Lake

Graduation Party Sailing

Graduation Party Sailing Click Here to Reserve Celebrate your graduation with your family and friends on a sailing boat.  Party of six with an ASA Certified Experienced Captain for your

Marriage Proposal on a Boat

Marriage Proposal Gorgeous proposal on a sailboat at sunset How to romantically propose on a sailboat?  Choose a romantic spot on the boat. Pick a spot that has a beautiful view

Birthday Party Sailing

Celebrate Your Birthday on a Sailboat Celebrate your birthday with your friends on a sailing boat. Surprise your special friend with a birthday party. Plan a memorable Birthday party for

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Bayview Yacht Club Junior sailors, inc

Established 1957

MAKING MEMORIES THAT LAST A

2024 Program Dates: June 17-Aug 9

Registration is open  , supporting partners.

Welcome to Bayview Yacht Club Junior Sailors, Inc!

Since its inception in 1957, the BYC Junior Sailing program has been teaching safe boat handling, motivating young people ages 8-18 toward gaining confidence and competence in all phases of sailing as well as promoting good fellowship.

The Bayview Junior Sailing Program welcomes you to the 2024 season with a roster of instructors all experienced in teaching youngsters the skill and joy of small boat sailing. The Program Director and all instructors are certified by the US Sailing Association.

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Founded shortly after the Civil War, the Detroit Yacht Club (DYC), housed in the beautifully restored 1920s Mediterranean style villa, continues to be one of the largest yacht clubs in the United States.

The 1920s were golden days for the DYC. Gar Wood brought the club world class attention with his world speed records in a hydroplane and his Gold Cup victories. During the Great Depression, membership at the club severely dropped and some services were discontinued.

By 1946 the Club became debt free and the women of the club formed the first women’s sailing organization in the country and raced the Club’s catboats. During the 1950’s the Grill and River Vista were enlarged, movie equipment was installed in the ballroom so that theater quality films could be shown every Sunday evening and a little later, an outdoor Olympic size pool was added along with Front and West Docks to increase the number of boat wells to over 350.

Today the DYC offers a wide range of activities to ensure there is something for everyone.

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Detroit Model Yacht Club

Radio controlled model sailboats

A Little History About DMYC

As the local boat builder and long time member of the Detroit Model Yacht Club, I have a unique view of the classes we sail. Over the years many classes have been sailed here with varying degrees of success. The DMYC was founded in 1979 on two classes, the Marblehead and the EC-12. These two classes sailed here for many years. In 1984 we held the EC-12 National Championship. It was a great regatta with 18 boats participating. In 1985 the club was introduced to the One Meter. Within two years, more O-M’s were built and sailing then the other two classes combined. O-M’s were easy to build and hit a price point that people were willing to pay. Their popularity continued strong and in 1987 the DMYC held the O-M Nationals. The One Meter was the introductory boat for most new members at that time. It was easier to transport then the Marblehead or the EC-12 and less expensive.

The underlying problem with increasing the membership in those years was the ability of the club to build new boats for people that either did not have the ability or the desire to build one for themselves. Most of the time we needed to find a used boat to fit their needs. Another problem, and a bigger one, were those new members that thought they could build their own boat and could not. These new members got frustrated fast and would soon drop out of the club. The people who purchased used boats put a strain on the few members that were willing to build boats every year. All this added up to a bottleneck in increasing the membership. In the first 12 years of this organization we were only able to keep up with attrition.

They say change is good. I say correct change is good. The club as a whole had more changes in the 90’s then ever before. It also had good people running the club. We recognized the need for an introductory boat for new members. A kit that required little or no input from the membership was needed.

In 1990 we built two Soling One Meters and presented them to the club as a solution to the problem. The Soling was rejected for several reasons, mostly the need for member input to make sure the boats were built correctly. In 1991 the club was given four CR-914’s as a promotion for the new class. We were to sail these boats in a race-off and send the winner to San Diego for the Mini America’s Cup. That winter it was proposed to the membership that we adopt the CR-914 as an entry-level kit boat. It required no member input to build and met the One-Design requirements. We felt we needed 6 to 8 current members to buy boats to give it a start. The proposal failed. None of the current members were willing to buy a kit. They thought it was to close to a One Meter in size and the cost was too high.

Just after this the America’s Cup class was introduced in 1993. About that same time the EC-12 class was abandoned due to lack of interest. The club now supported three classes once again. This put more pressure on the few members that in the past were building 1 to 2 boats a year in the Marblehead or the One Meter classes. Because of this, both the M and O-M lost boats in the early 90’s. Mostly because we were not replacing boats owned by members that decided to keep their boats in the basement and not sail. I do not fault the members that decided to sail in the AC class. All of them were sailing boats in other fleets. They did not reduce the number of boats sailing directly, they did affect the other classes indirectly because they were the people building new boats and selling their old ones to new members.

Nothing further was done until the winter of 1995/6. That year the club organized the largest construction project ever for the DMYC. We decided to build 10 to 15 One Meters all at once. The project was a great success in the beginning. We started building the boats and increased the membership to the highest level ever. When it came down to spring and it was time to finish the boats and start sailing only four of the initial 14 ever hit the water. We had failed once more. Frustration was now setting in. We needed to grow the club if we were going to survive. New members were coming in but existing members were leaving just as fast. Most of the new members from the past One Meter project were now gone. On top of all that, the club was aging very rapidly and younger people were not joining. In 1997 the youngest member was in his upper 30’s. We had missed an entire generation of sailors. In the winter of 1998/99 the core group of members got together once more to discuss a starter kit for the club. The proposal was to revisit the Soling One Meter. This was brought on by two factors. First, it was a large class in the AMYA. Second, there was a large fleet right across the river in Windsor. We had one of the Windsor members bring a kit over for our review and we discussed how we were going to build the boats. At the same time, the Victoria was starting to gain popularity in the AMYA. We purchased a Victoria kit. At the next meeting we adopted the Victoria and sold 15 boats to existing members. It was easy to build with no member input and hit the price point that we needed.

Since the adoption of the Victoria, the membership has grown to new levels never seen in the DMYC. Shortly after the Victoria class was incorporated the club added the International One Meter with great success. At this point we had Marblehead, Victoria, US1M, IOM, 1.7M which turned out to be too may options so after a few years the club has settled down to racing on a weekly basis one or all of the following classes: IOM, Soling, Marblehead, and the new Dragon Force class. The Victoria class had lost interest in our club and has been replaced by the strict one design Dragon Force class, which is the fastest growing class in the world.

We believe with our current classes mix we have boats that can be purchased for $250.00 ready to race (the Dragon Force) all the way the rather expensive IOM boats that cost as much as $3500.00. The Soling class is the largest in the USA and can be built for or purchased ready to sail for about $500.00, the Marblehead is the biggest boat in our club at 50 inches long and can be had for anywhere from $500.00 to several thousand dollars. With that group of boats we feel there is a class for virtually every level of skill, pocket book and commitment. Information for each class is available on this site.

Our members are all willing to help with new sailors either picking a boat, learning how to build, sail, or assemble kits and we welcome visitors to all our events.

DMYC was formed in 1979 and is a Member of the AMYA. Racing is held at Delia Park in Sterling Heights Monday through Thursday depending on class. The season is May through September. There are over 30 Sanctioned classes of boats in the AMYA.

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DMYC Images

Individual Fleet and specific Regatta pictures are posted by on their respective pages. A complete gallery of images can be found clicking the Image Gallery button or by clicking Gallery in the Footer navigation. Vintage images and Videos can also be found on the Gallery page.

Image Gallery

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What we sail, Regatta information, Fleet Captain Reports and DMYC Race Reports can all be found on the Regattas page. Membership options, DMYC By-Laws/Policies & Procedures, DMYC T-shirts, and Dues Payment options can all be found on the Members page.

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Hello & Welcome to Bayview Yacht Club,

This private lesson form askes a few questions that will allow your instructor to design the best class give your sailing abilities and what you want to learn.