Winds Aloft Sailing is …

…a club with a limited number of sailors who have unlimited access to Francis B, a pristine 1994 Catalina 270 LE offering conveniences such as wheel steering with auto-helm, two berths, enclosed head, hot/cold water, and an 18hp diesel engine. Members of Winds Aloft Sailing can use Francis B until their heart’s content on the “big water” of Lake Pepin without having to dig into “big pockets” to enjoy the experience. The club is headquartered in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota with Francis B’s home port at Lake City Marina, Lake City, Minnesota.

What We Are

After paying annual dues of only $1,500, club members are free to schedule the Francis B for an unlimited number of bare-boat sailing sessions. What’s a sailing session? It’s a block of time that allows each member to get in a whole lot of sailing. Sailing sessions are scheduled from sunrise to 1pm or 2pm until a half hour before sunset.

Reserving a Session

Each club member may reserve the Francis B for bare-boat sailing sessions using an unrestricted advanced reservation window. These advanced-booking sessions are limited to two open sessions booked at any one time. You can book these sessions back-to-back so you have a full day chocker-blocked full of sailing or can split your sailing into separate sessions on two days to spread out the fun. Want to try anchoring out? Simply book Session 2 on the first day and Session 1 on the second day!

No worries if you have used your two “unrestricted advanced booking” sailing sessions. In addition, Members may schedule an unlimited number of bare-boat sailing sessions within a three-day window of the desired date. Winds Aloft Sailing’s goal is to get you out on the water and take advantage of good weather or some unexpected free time.

Did we say NO LIMIT? Yep, unlike other clubs that restrict the number of times you can use their boat, the only restrictions to your sailing is Francis B’s availability and your desire. And booking is a snap with our automatic reservation system. Simply look at the calendar on our web site, choose a free session and book it. Your reservation will show up instantly!

Bring Friends

So get this: If unlimited availability and self-booking is not enough, Winds Aloft Sailing only requires the Skipper to be a club member. Once you join, you can bring family, friends and fellow sailors with you! How about that? For only $1,500 you and whomever you choose to bring along have a virtually unlimited opportunity to sail Lake Pepin. Almost like owning your own boat but without the expenses!

Club Responsibility

Keep in mind that we are not a charter company so we do not have staff available to cleanup after each use. As a club vessel, members are responsible for leaving the Francis B for the next crew in a clean, ready to sail condition while Winds Aloft Sailing manages all other expenses including fuel, insurance, slip fees at Lake City Marina, and any repair that becomes necessary. The good news is Winds Aloft Sailing holds an insurance policy that protects members, exposing them to a predictable deductible  in case something unexpected happens on the lake.

Sailing Lessons Available

Want to brush up on your boating skills or expand your nautical knowledge? Winds Aloft Sailing maintains a staff of expert sailing instructors who are only too happy to find an excuse to be on the water. For $50 for the first person per hour and $25/hr for each person after that, we will ensure you receive personalized attention to reach your goals. Winds Aloft Sailing challenges you to try  and find a better value in instruction! But it only gets better…. We save you money because we do not teach “package deals” like most local schools. Our instructors listen to your wants and continually assess your needs, teaching only what is most important to your level of competency. To top it off, ALL our instructors have met or exceeded the stringent requirements of certification and hold Coast Guard credentials.