
59º North Sailing
All Passages, all Boats
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2026-1 | SPICA | Stockholm-Mariehamn, Åland
Mia & Andy will start their family vacation in Åland, so here’s a chance to do an island-hopping cruise up the archipelago with Andy onboard SPICA in order to position the boat in historic Mariehamn! You’ll join the boat in Stockholm, at the archipelago base of KSSS in beautiful Saltsjöbaden, a short train ride from the city center and right on the doorstep of the archipelago. We’ll set sail soon after you join, most likely finding a waterfront sauna for our first night onboard! Once into the archipelago, we’ll island-hop our way north-northeast towards the Finnish archipelago, stopping off at islands and anchorages that strike our fancy. It’ll be a mix of pristine natural harbors and island-village outposts along the route. We’ll almost certainly include Sandhamn in our itinerary, the start/finish port of the famous Gotland Runt race and a beautiful island with a nice marina guest harbor and some shops and restaurants ashore. The further north we get, the more off-the-beaten path we’ll be as we explore the outer archipelago. Then it’s a 30-mile sail across the Baltic and into Mariehamn, the capital of historic Åland. If we have time, we’ll stop off in Rödhamn before our final destination, a small former radio outpost from WW2, now with a tiny guest harbor, fresh bread from the cafe and, of course, another sauna! When you disembark SPICA in Mariehamn, it’s a beautiful, short (and cheap) ferry ride back to Stockholm city center, so if you’re traveling from abroad to join the trip, you can fly in/out of Stockholm. It’s worth spending a few extra days ashore in Åland as well, if nothing else for the history!




2026-8 | FALKEN | Hawaii-Alaska Border
Another big ocean passage, over 2,000 miles, as we continue north and around the North Pacific High to British Columbia. We’ll aim for Prince Rupert Sound, right on the Canadian border with Alaska. Temperatures will steadily drop as we leave the Trades and Tropics behind, but with luck we’ll be able to follow the High and have good sailing angles throughout.



2026-4 | ISBJORN | Bergen - Fair Isle - Faroe Islands
Join ISBJØRN in her home port of Bergen, Norway, for a spring crossing of the North Sea! We’ll start the journey in the heart of the city, and set sail westward for the gorgeous islands of the Norwegian Sea, just like the Vikings did a thousand years ago. With a fast boat and plenty of time, we’ll have some great cruising options for our passage. Depending on weather strategy, we’ll add a stop in the Orkney’s, the Shetland Islands, or even the Hebrides. And if conditions allow, we’ll go for the connoisseur’s choice: Fair Isle. We’ll continue on north and westwards until enormous cliffs rise out of the ocean, swaddled by waterfalls and puffins. Welcome to the mystical Faroe Islands.




2026-5 | ISBJORN | Faroe Islands - Reykjavik
If you are into seabirds, Vikings, epic offshore sailing and massive cliffs with waterfalls and lighthouses on top of them, this is the right trip for you! We’ll start the adventure in Torshavn and sail west through the dramatic Faroe Islands before making the leap across the ocean to Iceland. The Arctic summer is in full swing, and the sunset will last for hours and gradually turn into sunrise after just a short pause below the horizon. We’ll likely make our first landfall at Vestmannaeyjar, a gorgeous volcanic fishing island south of Reykjavik. You’ll arrive in Reykjavik just a week before the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse! We recommend you spend a week exploring the island and catch the total eclipse from the west coast near Reykjavik on the 12th of August before heading home! Get your tickets early, there will likely be many eclipse chasers coming to Iceland at that time!



2026-9 | FALKEN | Ketchikan-Victoria
Meet FALKEN in Ketchikan, Alaska and sail south down the stunning coast of British Columbia. Lush temperate rainforest, marine wildlife and a rugged, coastal mountain range make for an unforgettable backdrop before heading around the outside of Vancouver Island then making landfall in Victoria. With a mix of offshore and inshore navigating we will effectively complete the Race to Alaska course in reverse.



2026-6 | ISBJORN | Reykjavik - Solar Eclipse - Stornoway
This trip, and indeed this whole sailing season, was conceived during a conversation with Dan Stinebring in the Lofoten Islands. Dan is a bona fide astronomer, and a professor of Physics & Astronomy. As we were discussing the total eclipse over the US that year, we learned about an upcoming total solar eclipse over Europe, that sadly would be tough to see, as the best part would occur out in the ocean. It then dawned on us both that there existed a machine that could take us there—the very machine that was ghosting us along the cliffs of Lofoten as we spoke. ISBJØRN is going to sail to the point of greatest eclipse for the Total Solar Eclipse of August 12, 2026! This is the point which will have the longest duration of totality. Experience this unique once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon in the coolest possible location! As lunar perigee will occur on August 10, 2026, two days before the solar eclipse, the Moon's apparent diameter will be larger, and totality will last for 2 minutes and 18 seconds! ISBJØRN will start in Reykjavik, then sail for 65°10.3' N 25°12.3' W to experience the eclipse, and then head to Stornoway in Scotland. Book your flights early! The eclipse will be visible from the mainland of Iceland as well (although much reduced) and there will probably be tons of people coming to see it.



2026-2 | SPICA | Stockholm Archipelago Adventure
Join Andy in his backyard in Sweden for a week of sailing in the spectacular Stockholm Archipelago, aboard his and Mia’s personal Olle Enderlein 36 SPICA. There are literally thousands of islands to explore with spectacular nature and interesting, technical sailing. Crew is limited to 3 individuals, or 4 if a couple or group of friends join and can share the vee-berth, and spaces will be prioritized to former 59º North crew. We’ll be sailing every day, for most of the day, and indeed be doing an overnight or two depending on the weather. The sailing in the archipelago itself is very technical, with narrow channels and lots of windshifts, but it’s exceptionally beautiful and unique. There won’t be an itinerary for this passage — instead we’ll let the weather dictate our plans. In any case it’ll be a mix of sailing and exploring, with some overnight sailing in the Baltic mixed in. We’ll finish back in Sandhamn or Stockholm.



2026-10 | FALKEN | All-Women's Passage | Victoria-San Francisco
ALL WOMEN’S PASSAGE | Meet FALKEN in Victoria, British Columbia and set sail for San Francisco. Experience the wonders of nature, encounter diverse marine life, and witness the transition from the serene tranquility of the Pacific Northwest to the vibrant energy of California's iconic San Francisco Bay. A solid 750-mile offshore passage awaits!



2026-7 | ISBJORN | Stornoway - GGR START
Stornoway is just as epic as it sounds, and the perfect place to start any sailing adventure. And, it is right in the middle of the gorgeous Scottish Hebrides! A cockpit game of I-Spy might feature words like “castle”, “whale”, “distillery” and “puffin”, as we make our way south through the islands. Then, we'll have a tough weather decision—either to tackle the Irish Sea or make a right turn around the west coast of Ireland. The end port is Les Sables-d’Olonne, France, where the start of the Golden Globe Race is just a few days away! Sail in through the famous harbor entrance, and enjoy the spectacle of the GGR race village before giving the fleet a proper send off as they leave to circumnavigate the globe.



2026-11 | FALKEN | San Francisco-Ensenada
After a brief stop in San Francisco, FALKEN is headed south to Mexico, and will make landfall just across the border in Ensenada. Sea lions rule the roost here, and in 2025 we actually had to switch pontoons in the marina because of the noisy sea lions! After briefly considering sailing back north to British Columbia, we thought better of it and decided to follow the weather south and return to one of our favorite stops from 2025.



2026-8 | ISBJORN | GGR START - Bergen
Welcome to Les Sables-d’Olonne, France, and the spectacle of the Golden Globe Race! The race starts on September 6th, and the Race village will be bustling with sailing excitement in the weeks leading up to the start. No better way to get pumped for a sailing trip! Check out the boats, listen to seminars, and line the famous breakwater to give the fleet a proper send-off as they leave to circumnavigate the globe! When the last competitor has left, most spectators will no doubt feel a bit empty and numb inside, as they return home to their everyday lives, wishing they could follow the adventurers over the horizon. But not you. You will be joining ISBJØRN, and sail out through that same harbor entrance just a few days later! Our trip will take us north and east, en route for Bergen, ISBJØRN's homeport and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We may choose to run through the English Channel, or go north through the Irish Sea and around the north of Scotland before crossing the North Sea and making landfall in Bergen.



2026-12 | FALKEN | Ensenada-Monterey Bay
Join FALKEN just across the border in Ensenada, Mexico, for the passage back north to Monterey Bay, California. You'll set sail after a day or two of briefings to learn the boat and meet the crew, then it's several hundred miles of ocean sailing in the Pacific! As with all 59º North trips, you're part of the crew - helm, navigate, manage systems, change sails and more as you and your shipmates steer FALKEN north.



2026-1 | WOODWIND | Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race
The first-ever 59º North passage onboard the 74-ft. schooner WOODWIND! In reality, this passage is a long-time coming, and has a lot to do with the origins of 59º North. Andy sailed in the Schooner Race twice when working as a deckhand on WOODWIND in 2006 & 2007, and to this day it's one of his favorite experiences.



2026-2 | WOODWIND | Chesapeake Adventure Cruise
Join the WOODWIND for the passage back to Annapolis after the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race! This had been an annual event for many years (and Andy has done it twice while working as a deckhand in 2006 & 2007), but it's been on hiatus for a few years, and now that 59º North has taken ownership of WOODWIND, we're bringing it back! You'll join the boat in Norfolk the day after the race crew depart, and we'll plan an adventure cruise back up the Bay. As the route is only 130 miles, we'll have time to sail and explore, gunkholing up secluded creeks on the Eastern Shore and visiting some quaint Chesapeake towns in the less-crowded fall season. The weather this time of year usually allows for good sailing conditions and crisp mornings and evenings on anchor. This is a wonderfully unique passage on a fabulous, classic schooner, join us!



2026-13 | FALKEN | Monterey Bay-Ensenada
FALKEN heads further south down the west coast with a 500-mile hop to Ensenada, across the southern USA border and into Mexico's Baja Peninsula! As we head south the air temps will heat up while the water temps remain California-cool. This is a great passage for those needing a shorter time away from home and easy travel logistics, but want to get offshore.



2026-14 | FALKEN | Ensenada-San Diego | Sail Training
Our last passage of 2026 is one of our popular Sail Training passages on FALKEN. While all of our trips involve extensive seam'nship & sail training aspects, this one focuses primarily on just that. As it's a pretty short distance between the start port and end port, it gives us the flexibility to sail further offshore and set the boat up for all points of sailing, practicing upwind/downwind, spinnaker flying, some celestial sights and more.



2027-1 | FALKEN | San Diego-San Jose del Cabo
FALKEN starts her journey back to the home waters of the Atlantic as we head south from our off-season quarters in San Diego towards Mexico and the Baja Peninsula. Escape the northern winter with some warm Pacific breezes. This passage might have the highest chance of seeing wildlife as any of ours, so get your whalewatching binoculars out!



2027-2 | FALKEN | San Jose del Cabo-Costa Rica
It's a looooong way down the coast of Mexico and Central America, and we've got our sights set on a new landfall in Costa Rica after almost 2,000 miles at sea from San Jose del Cabo on the Baja Peninsula. The typical weather conditions this time of year will make for an easy downwind run in tropical temperatures and with ample opportunity for wildlife sightings.



2027-3 | FALKEN | Costa Rica-Panama (Canal Transit)
The return to the Atlantic! Join FALKEN after she's had a maintenance period in Costa Rica and get in 650-miles of ocean sailing followed by a bucket-list transit of the famed Panama Canal! Be the first crew to welcome FALKEN back into familiar waters in the Atlantic!



2027-4 | FALKEN | Panama-Providencia-Cayman Islands
FALKEN starts her Atlantic season in earnest and gets some new landfalls in on this first passage. If you zoom in on Google Earth, you'll find a small group of islands that sit more or less on the rhumb line between Panama and Grand Cayman. "What's that?!" we thought, when planning the passage. Providencia, a small Colombia outpost in the middle of the Caribbean Sea and an irresistible stopover en route to Grand Cayman!



2027-5 | FALKEN | Cayman Islands-Key West
Join FALKEN in Grand Cayman for the run around the west end of Cuba and on up to Jimmy Buffett's spiritual home in Key West, Florida. It's been almost ten years since we last sailed into Key West and it's one of the more memorable landfalls as you sail past Mallory Square and into Key West's historic seaport.



2027-6 | FALKEN | Key West-Bermuda
It's 1,200 miles from Key West to Bermuda, with a little hitch in the route to get around the Bahamas. This is a longer, more challenging passage out into the Atlantic proper, where we'll have to plan the weather just right while we're in the Gulf Stream for the first portion of the voyage until we can turn east past the Abacos. You'll get all kinds of weather on this trip as we transition through the Horse Latitudes — cold fronts coming off the continent, easterly Tradewinds at the start, and deep ocean swells once clear of the Bahamian islands.



2027-7 | FALKEN | Bermuda-Annapolis
One of our all-time favorite routes, sailing from beautiful Bermuda back to 59º North's spiritual Home Port in Annapolis. April is a little early in the season to be making this passage — meaning it'll be a particularly challenging one. We've got to find the right weather window to get across the Gulf Stream, with cold fronts moving offshore on average of every 3-5 days. It'll be warm in Bermuda and offshore, but will get noticeably colder once we cross the Stream and head up the Bay. A great passage for weather nerds who really want to learn about offshore weather forecasting & routing.



2027-1 | ISBJORN | Sail Training Camp
Join ISBJØRN in Bergen, Norway for an intensive week of sail training! We will sail the fjords, archipelagos and the open ocean around Bergen, practicing sail trim, helmsmanship, heavy-weather sailing, piloting & navigation, instruments, downwind sailing, and more, depending on what opportunities the weather prepares for us. We'll end most days at a new and gorgeous harbour or anchorage, of which we will have an inexhaustible supply. The difference between a dedicated "Sail Training Camp”, and any of our more standard 'Point A to Point B' passages is the breadth of teaching we can accomplish. When sailing from A to B, we have to work within the bounds of the weather - if it's an upwind passage, you won't get to learn any spinnaker sailing, for example. On a dedicated sail training trip, we can guarantee you'll get education on all points of sail. Plus more docking, more sail changes, etc. In short, these trips are more specifically about learning than our more adventure-focused passages. But fear not, you will have plenty of adventure as well!



2027-2 | ISBJORN | Bergen - Faroe
This voyage begins in Bergen, Norway - the gateway to the fjords - and sets a course west across the North Sea towards the Faroe Islands. The Faroes are one of the North Atlantic’s last truly wild archipelagos, a place where sea cliffs tower over 800 meters, seabirds darken the sky, and remote villages cling to green valleys carved by glaciers. A proper offshore challenge with a most rewarding landfall.



2027-8 | FALKEN | ARC Europe: Annapolis-Bermuda
We first sailed with ARC Europe back in 2017 on ISBJØRN, so it's high time we re-join the cruising rally on FALKEN! Andy & Mia used to be the event managers on the rally back in the day and we know the route well. You can signup for the full rally, or each individual leg. We'll start on the Chesapeake Bay and meet the northbound rally fleet in St. George's, Bermuda. This is one of 59º North's "classic" offshore routes from hometown Annapolis, across the Gulf Stream to the 'Onion Patch!'




2027-3 | ISBJORN | Faroe - Lofoten
From the remote and windswept Faroes, we head northeast into the Norwegian Sea, bound for one of the most stunning archipelagos in the world: the Lofoten Islands. This passage is a serious offshore undertaking, and a journey that takes us into the cold waters above the Arctic Circle. The passage can be both demanding and deeply rewarding. You will learn a lot about weather forecasting and -routing as you time your departure and set your course through the weather systems of the Norwegian Sea. Landfall in Lofoten is unforgettable. Jagged granite peaks rise straight from the sea, snow still lingering on their summits even in late May. High-latitude sailing at its very best. This voyage combines the raw thrill of offshore passage-making with the reward of arriving in one of the most spectacular sailing destinations on Earth. If you are looking to challenge yourself and earn serious sea miles while also experiencing the beauty of Arctic Norway, this is it.




2027-9 | FALKEN | ARC Europe: Bermuda-Horta
Our only Trans-Atlantic voyage of 2027, we'll sail with the ARC Europe fleet out of Bermuda, making landfall in legendary Horta, where the first stop ashore is always Peter Cafe Sport for the best-tasting beer in the Atlantic! We have a good chance of being the fastest boat in the rally fleet (in 2017 ISBJØRN won Class B!), but in any case, sailing in company in the rally is awesome fun and a great way to meet other cruisers.




2027-4 | ISBJORN | Lofoten - Seydisfjordur
Join ISBJØRN in one of the most beautiful harbours in the world, north of the Arctic Circle. This is a proper expedition. 700 miles of ocean separate Norway’s dramatic fjords from Seyðisfjörður, a hidden gem on Iceland’s remote east coast. This is not a milk run - it is a hardcore crossing into one of the most storied and elemental parts of the North Atlantic. The arrival into Seyðisfjörður will be very exciting. Tucked into a narrow fjord, the town is surrounded by towering mountains and cascading waterfalls. Few sailors ever make landfall here, and you’ll count yourself among an adventurous handful who have. This voyage is ideal for those seeking both challenge and discovery. It demands endurance, teamwork, and a spirit of adventure, and it delivers the unmatched thrill of exploring places rarely seen by sea. It is high-latitude sailing in its purest form.



2027-10 | FALKEN | ARC Europe: Azores Cruise
The Azores are one of our all-time favorite destinations in the Atlantic, and the islands offer unparalleled scenery and culture. Here's a chance to do something different with 59º North, island-hopping our way from Horta to Sao Miguel and exploring these wonderful islands. Climb to the summit of the 7,700' high Pico, watch the running of the bulls in Terceira and explore the big city in Sao Miguel. Special pricing for crews who want to add-on this passage either after arrival in Horta, or before joining the next leg to Scotland.



2027-11 | FALKEN | ARC Europe: Sao Miguel-Oban
Our last leg with ARC Europe, as we split with the main fleet and head north, while the majority sail east for Portugal. With a rhumb-line distance of 1,800 miles, nearly as long as the Trans-At itself, this is an awesome and challenging passage towards Northern Europe and the British Isles. We'll stay west to skirt the Azores high, and should have favorable winds for the majority of the sail north, but will have to contend with passing depressions as we sail up the west coast of Ireland, aiming for landfall in Oban, Scotland, single-malt heaven for you Scotch lovers!



2027-5 | ISBJORN | Seydisfjordur - Oban
From a brand new 59 North port to one of our go-to favorites! East Iceland looks absolutely stunning, and having sailed past many times, we're very excited to start a trip from here. Our course for Oban takes us very close to the Faroe Islands, where we might stop by en route. In Oban, we'll be docking next to FALKEN, as both boats will be staying here for some mid-season TLC!



2027-12 | FALKEN | Oban-Marstrand
FALKEN gets a break in Oban for some needed maintenance after a long trans-Atlantic, then we're bound towards 59º North headquarters in Sweden! We've done this passage many times before, and it offers a wonderful mix of inshore cruising up Scotland's magnificent Outer Hebrides, then a sprint across the North Sea and into Scandinavia. There will be stops on this route in Scotland and potentially Norway, entirely dependent on timing and weather.



2027-6 | ISBJORN | Oban - Bergen
FALKEN and ISBJØRN is departing Oban together! A great opportunity to see both boats and meet many 59 North faces. Both boats will be sailing North through the Hebrides and then due East. After crossing the North Sea, FALKEN sails towards Marstrand, ISBJØRN towards Bergen. You'll get to see the beautiful North of Scotland and the Islands of the Norwegian Sea before crossing the infamous North Sea and make landfall in ISBJØRN's home port of Bergen.



2027-13 | FALKEN | Marstrand-Visby-Åland
Our first foray into the Baltic in many years, FALKEN will head south around the tip of Sweden and past Copenhagen before running north up the Baltic and making a pit-stop at medieval Visby on the historic island of Gotland. Visby is a walled city, right out of a movie set, and a fantastic place to explore on foot. Then it's one final overnight to historic Mariehamn, where one of the last Cape Horn clipper ships greets us in the harbor on arrival!



2027-7 | ISBJORN | Bergen - Stornoway
Bergen is probably the coolest harbour in the world. Stornoway is probably the one with the coolest name. Join this trip to experience them both, and have the adventure of a lifetime in between! A classic Viking passage across the badass North Sea, followed by the gorgeous Islands north of Scotland, and then through the Hebrides. If time and weather allows, we might stop over on some of these.



2027-14 | FALKEN | ALL-WOMEN'S PASSAGE: Stockholm-Marstrand/Vindö
After a short delivery sail over to Stockholm, Andy & Mia's home city, we'll sail FALKEN back around to Sweden's west coast and to the famed boatyard at Vindö Marin where we'll stay for a 6-week mini-refit. Vindö is on the island of Orust, renowned for boatbuilding and just down the road from Hallberg-Rassy, Najad and other well-known Swedish boat builders. Of course we'll have a pit-stop in Marstrand, THE sailing center on Sweden's west coast.



2027-8 | ISBJORN | Stornoway - Kinsale
Stornoway is just as epic as it sounds, and the perfect place to start any sailing adventure. And, it is right in the middle of the gorgeous Scottish Hebrides! A cockpit game of I-Spy might feature words like “castle”, “whale”, “distillery” and “puffin”, as we make our way south through the islands. Then, we’ll have a tough weather decision on our hands - either to tackle the Irish Sea or make a starboard turn around the west coast of Ireland.



2027-9 | ISBJORN | Kinsale - Amsterdam
This leg carries us East from Ireland across the Celtic Sea, English Channel, and North Sea. It is a varied and challenging stretch. Busy shipping lanes, shifting weather, and strong tides make this an ideal voyage for sailors eager to hone their skills. Amsterdam is one of Europe's classic historic ports, and will make for a great landfall.



2027-14A | FALKEN | Vindön-Marstrand Shakedown
FALKEN will do a short shakedown down the Swedish west coast following her refit in Vindö Marin, and you can join the crew! This is one of the shorter and less expensive trips we offer, and we'll be prioritizing local Swedish crew for this leg. The Swedish west coast is fantastic cruising, and we'll take it easy down the coast, anchoring as we go and working our way through all the systems. Expect lots of sail-handling, anchoring, dinghy-rides, drone flying and a much more laid-back atmosphere than our more serious ocean crossings. But as this is in our backyard in Sweden, we're super excited for it!



2027-15 | FALKEN | Marstrand-Plymouth | Heavy Weather
After FALKEN's refit at Vindö we'll sail back across the North Sea for Plymouth, England, where we'll stage for the jump south and across the Bay of Biscay. This passage is especially variable and is entirely dependent on challenging fall weather in the North Sea. There are many routing options, including going north around Scotland, south through the Kiel Canal, or direct through the English Channel, all with their own challenges. In 2024 FALKEN even made a short call into central London to wait out some bad weather, sailing up the Thames River! A great passage for those really interested in weather routing and forecasting.



2027-16 | FALKEN | Plymouth-Lagos
Where North Americans pay utmost respect to the Gulf Stream when heading south to the Caribbean, Europeans are equally cautious about the legendary Bay of Biscay and its notorious weather. This is the big one—perhaps the highest chance of heavy weather on our entire sailing season and a great chance to learn more about weather-routing and forecasting. We deliberately leave from Plymouth, which is about as far west on England as we can get to position ourselves for the prevailing SW'ly winds as we head south. Once across Biscay, the weather warms and the sailing gets easier as we sail down the coast to our winter quarters in Lagos, Portugal.
FAQS
What’s included in the crew fee?
The crew fee for the passage includes everything you need on the boat, plus use of the following:
- Helly Hansen 'Inflatable' PFD with integrated harness to use while aboard.
- Spinlock Double-tether for moving around on deck to use while aboard.
- All meals, snacks and drinks while on the boat.
- Sheets, quick-dry towel & a pillow.
- Large collection of books onboard, including novels, sailing classics and sailing reference books, in hard copy.
What the price DOESN'T include:
- Transportation to and from the boat.
- Meals and drinks ashore.
- Personal toiletries & clothing.
- Foul-weather gear (see packing list for details).
What happens after I signup to sail with 59º North?
After you submit your initial signup form, we'll send you a link to a longer application that will ask all sorts of questions about your history and why you want to go ocean sailing. The more detail you can provide, the better.
Once your application is approved, and provided we have space available on your chosen passage, you'll receive an invoice for 50% of the total crew fee. Once this invoice is paid, your crew space will be fully confirmed. We'll hold the space in the interim between application approval and invoice payment.
Next, you'll get a series of newsletters from us with increasingly specific details about your chosen passage as we lead up to departure date. Three newsletters in total will be sent prior to you joining the boat, and will include things like packing list advice, travel insurance recommendations, introductions to your shipmates and sailing staff and more. You'll also receive another link to fill-out even more information we need from you like medical forms, food preferences and visa information.
Once you've completed the passage, we'll send a 4th and final newsletter wrapping up your trip, which will include links to submit photos to share with the crew, a PDF scan of the handwritten logbook we kept during the trip and a request for a testimonial from the crew!
How do you plan passage routes to ensure safe weather patterns?
Our passage calendars are created by Andy Schell & August Sandberg to specifically take advantage of seasonal weather patterns. We optimize our routes & sailing dates to ensure that we are sailing in the "right place at the right time." This means no summer passages to/from the Caribbean, for example, during the height of hurricane season, or doing an east-west trans-Atlantic in February, the best month for reliable Trade Winds.
We often commission "climatology studies" from our friends and partners at Weather Routing Inc. (WRI). The professional forecasters and weather routers at WRI analyze long-term trends for us, detailing the proposed routes at the proposed times of year. As we get more comfortable with the weather patterns in a given region, we're able to sail further into the shoulder seasons with confidence. When we venture to new parts of the world, we tend to plan more conservatively.
This planning takes place usually 2 years before passages will take place. When the time comes to set sail, we consult with WRI to find the optimal weather window for departure and always allow +/- 1-2 days leeway in the length of our trips (more for high-uncertainty routes, like the fall passage between the Chesapeake Bay and Caribbean, for example, when weather is quite volatile between summer hurricane season and winter gale season).
At-sea, we use a combination of automated GRIB forecasts and human-created updates from the forecasters at WRI to keep ahead of the weather and plan our routing strategy.
What amenities are there aboard the boat?
Not too many! Our boats offer a very simple but cozy & comfortable offshore sailing platform. All the boats have hot water, but the only showers are in the cockpit, so it's bikini and board shorts for showering time. Beds are proper sea bunks, everyone gets their own dedicated bunk and storage locker (no hot-bunking on our trips!) and we provide sheets, 'Turkish cotton towels' and pillows. You'll need a sleeping bag on colder trips. ISBJØRN and FALKEN have heat, making colder passages a lot more enjoyable (but no A/C and little shade in the cockpits, so when it's hot, it's HOT). Read more about each boats specific layout, bunk arrangement and amenities on the specific boat pages by clicking on the 'About the Boat' button above.
How long are the watches?
Our watch schedule is flexible and ultimately up to the skipper. Traditionally, watches were divided into periods of 4 hours, with two different watches standing a 4-on / 4-off schedule, often with a small adjustment at dinnertime, and onboard ISBJØRN we normally follow this type of schedule. On FALKEN, we typically run a two-watch system, standing 6 hours on in the daytime, then 4 hours on at night. On tropical routes, when it’s hot in the daytime, we sometimes flip this to limit sun exposure. Regardless of which watch system we use, crew are always gathered together for dinnertime, allowing us to eat together and reflect on the day.
The skipper and mate stand a different watch schedule than the crew, so that one of them is always awake and supporting the crew. Their schedule allows them to spend time sailing with all the crew.
On an ocean race, where all crew is given specific roles, a ‘watch captain’ would ultimately be in charge of decisions on their watch. However, given the range of experience of the crew, we do not assign watch captains — rather, if there is discussion among the crew as to what to do, then the captain is woken up to settle the debate!
How much experience is required to sign on for a passage?
The short answer? NONE! We have had several crew who have never even set foot on a sailboat before, but they have the dream, and that’s what’s important. Our crew, John M., always dreamed of seeing the ‘stars down to the horizon,’ yet he’d never been sailing. He changed that with us, and has since been as far as South Africa to complete a coastal nav. course and sails regularly on Lake Ontario in his free time. You’ll of course understand more of what’s going on the more experience you have, but it’s not in fact required.
That said, we DO require a certain level of physical fitness to join us offshore. Regardless of how much we emphasize it, most people still underestimate how difficult it is simply to LIVE on the boat offshore, even on a nice day.
Do you have Starlink?
We've installed Starlink for the 2026 season aboard FALKEN, but not for the reasons you might think. Mainly it's to allow staff to have broadband internet while in port in between passages. We realized we were spending a fortune on eSIM cards and phone data, so opted for Starlink to use in port.
Offshore, we use it to send blogs from the boat, the occasional social media post and for downloading high-resolution weather forecasts. And of course for emergency comms, particularly for medical emergencies where a Facetime call with a doctor ashore could save someone's life.
Crew & staff do NOT have access to Starlink offshore. It's a feature of our passages to be disconnected when at-sea, and we expect that the crew who sign up to sail with us will enjoy that aspect of the trips.
If you'd like to communicate to friends and family while on the boat, most people in the past have brought along Garmin InReach devices, which allow for two-way text messaging on the Iridium satellite network. These have global coverage and work well, it's "just enough" comms to stay in touch but avoid the doom-scrolling on your phone :)
What can I expect to learn on a 59º North trip? Do I get a certificate?
59º North is not a sailing school, and we don’t issue any official certificates (but will gladly sign your logbook), but crew often say they have learned more in one day with us than a full week of formal class. That’s because we teach the real thing, with real stakes, having to get the boat from one port to another in varied weather and on a timeline.
Focusing on fundamental seamanship, we’ll teach you how to anticipate the weather & make routing decisions, how to optimize the sail plan for different points of sail in different conditions, how to helm, how to use the radar and on and on. You will become a better sailor — and a better thinker — sailing with 59º North.
We’ve created an environment onboard that fosters hands-on learning and teamwork. Our skippers and mates are almost always co-ed, and we sail with a diverse crew of mixed genders, nationalities, ages, sailing & life experiences. Everyone gets an equal opportunity to participate in running all aspects of the boat, from navigation, helming, sail trim etc., and yet nothing onboard happens by accident. Skippers & mates manage the crew’s varied fitness and skill levels to make sure everyone stays safe while being able to fully participate.















