59º north

SIGN-UP & SAIL OFFSHORE

Join an offshore sailing passage as paying crew on our Farr 65 FALKEN, our Swan 48 ISBJØRN or as Offshore Racing crew for the experience of a lifetime on the high seas. We offer bucket-list ocean crossings of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; coastal exploration in some of the world’s most exotic environments warm & cold including Arctic Norway, Svalbard, Greenland, the Caribbean, French Polynesia, Caribbean, Europe & beyond; all-female passages led by women Skippers & Mates; and high-level offshore racing on several of the world’s iconic yacht races.

59º North’s mission is to provide truly unique adventure sailing passages in all oceans of the world on world-class boats and with world-class skippers & mates —  most importantly, for everyone, regardless of age, gender or experience level. We’re passionate about inclusivity and strive to set the example in the sailing industry. To that end, we guarantee a minimum of two women on every 59º North passage, ultimately aiming for a 50/50 gender mix amongst both staff and guest crew.

Each boat has a distinct sailing schedule depending on your taste — sail in safety & learn seam’nship under the watchful eyes of our international team of professional skippers & mates. We’re not a formal sailing school and we don’t teach to a curriculum — instead, we teach seam’nship through real-world experience that is impossible to duplicate in the classroom.

Join us for the sailing experience of a lifetime.

“59º NORTH was founded on a simple vision — to explore the world’s oceans & landfalls in safety & style on cool boats with cool people. We are passionate about traditions of the sea, and share our love for the philosophical aspect of ocean sailing with our eclectic crew. ”
— Andy Schell & Mia Karlsson | Co-Founders

  • S&S Swan 48 'ISBJØRN'

    ISBJØRN covers the High Latitudes outside her home port in Bergen, exploring the Norwegian fjords, High Arctic Spitsbergen, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden and the North Sea.

    1972. S&S Design. Built by Nautor in Finland as a classic IOR-era racer-cruiser. Sails with skipper plus 5 crew. The boat that started it all for Andy & Mia when 59º North was founded in 2015.

  • FARR 65 'FALKEN'

    FALKEN sails far and wide, covering 15,000+ offshore miles per year crossing oceans and the Equator and calling at bucket-list ports along the way. Sail across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans, cross the Equator, cruise the Caribbean and sail northern waters in Alaska, Greenland, Norway & Sweden.

    Built in 1999 by Colvic Craft in the UK to go round-the-world. Modified interior by Bob Perry, electrical systems by Nigel Calder. Sails with skipper & mate plus 8 crew.

  • Offshore Racing

    Designed & led by Nikki Henderson, the Offshore Racing program offers a week of pre-race training followed by the race itself and a comprehensive debrief.

    For 2025, professional racing sailors & Clipper round-the-world alumni Nikki Henderson & Alex Laline will lead crews on two of the classic offshore races — The RORC Caribbean 600 in February; and the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October.

CREW Say…

“59º North runs the most professional offshore training program you can find, and it shows in their leadership, skill, and service.”
— Alex Rowson | FALKEN crew

  • Kerri Bostwick

    “Describing my experience on the all-women's passage in Iceland is a challenge because it was truly extraordinary. When i first embarked on this journey, my anxiety was soaring; I questioned my readiness, having never ventured beyond the familiar waters of the Chesapeake bay. However, from the moment i met Nikki and Emma, my worries dissipated. Their guidance and instruction were nothing short of incredible, and iIabsorbed a wealth of knowledge from them.

    Collaborating with an all-female crew was not only inspiring but also exceptionally enjoyable. The on-board food (and tea time) was amazing, and our shared mealtimes and nightly debriefings with the crew added an extra layer of camaraderie and significance to the trip.

    Looking ahead, I'm already eagerly anticipating my next voyage with 59 North. I deeply appreciate your organization's commitment to encouraging more women to embrace sailing. This experience has been truly amazing and life-changing. Thank you for making it all possible.”

  • Christian McLaughlin (USA)

    “Before 59 North I didn't know my bowsprit from my binnacle. I suffered from low sailing esteem and a general lack of tide driven energy. After two weeks of 59 North, what a difference! I now know my sheepshank from my scuttlebutt, I'm more attractive to mermaids, and I have whiter teeth and a full head of hair.

    But seriously, I wouldn't consider sailing with anyone but 59 North. As a longtime podcast listener I arrived for my Bermuda to Horta transatlantic with high expectations. They were all not just met but exceeded. I could not imagine a skipper and mate more professional and enthusiastic than Andy and Emma. I would need a lot more space to list all of the things I learned but suffice it to say, I'll be back!”

  • Denise Whatley (USA)

    “As this was my first major passage i wasn't sure what to expect. You have to have a lot of respect for people who choose offshore sailing for their profession. Life-changing and eye-opening to say the least. I feel I completed this adventure with the best of the best. Erik and Ben were top notch professionals and the my experience with 59 north was a great!”

  • Susan Wareing (CAN)

    “ I can’t say enough good things about the camp, August, and Isbjorn. It was fabulous from start to finish (and the hot tub out in the middle of no where didn’t hurt 😁)The format is perfect for someone like me. I have done some sailing, but not enough to feel comfortable on a passage. Stopping each night in a different place and having dinner together and a full night’s sleep was great and much needed. The days were packed with so much learning. August is an amazing teacher and so patient! I learned an incredible amount and feel ready to take on a passage with 59 North. Highly recommend this camp to anyone considering an offshore passage.”

  • Matt Landry (Quebec)

    “59 North made my dream come true to cross an ocean via sailboat, but it didn’t end there. Andy and Vilma taught me little lessons and big lessons of the sea, and they pushed me out of my comfort zone which is exactly what I was hoping for.

    Thank you Andy and Mia for letting me, a rookie ocean sailor, live the experience of a lifetime and fueling future dreams. I hope to be crew on FALKEN once again and I hope to keep learning.

    PS. thanks to all the crew mates of this grand adventure and to James the Sailor for having made the trip so memorable…”

  • Katy Freye (USA)

    “Sailing with 59 North on their all-women's Iceland trip was an incredibly enriching experience. Nikki, Emma and the entire crew of strong and knowledgeable women empowered and inspired me. we, In fact, drew a crowd (of surprised men) at every dock. I could not be more grateful and proud to have had such a powerful experience!”

Where We Sail

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.”
— T.E. Lawrence

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The Quarterdeck

Deep dives on the art of seam’nship

SEA·M’N·SHIP /ˈsēmənˌSHip/: “The skill in, and knowledge of the work of navigating, maintaining, and operating a vessel.”

True seam’nship must be both learned and earned. And preferably in that order. The armchair sailors out there can become excellent prognosticators on preparation, decision making and leadership with their feet propped up in front of the fireplace, but they’ll never know what it takes on the high seas unless they cast off the lines. Likewise, even the greenest landlubber can have a successful voyage by dumb luck. 

True seam’nship, then, is the art of combining both knowledge and practice. Only then can a sailor expect to have the kind of repeatable success on the ocean that elevates sailing to — in our view — the philosophical, even spiritual realm.

Where 59º North’s offshore passages fulfill the earned half of this equation, we aim to fulfill the learned part here on The Quarterdeck.

Founded by Andy Schell & August Sandberg, The Quarterdeck's mission is to go deep into the art of seam’nship by sharing knowledge we've earned over tens of thousands of miles on the high seas, critically examining our own experiences & decision-making, & using the collective wisdom of the group of passionate sailors who join us in The Quarterdeck community to become better sailors ourselves.