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Everything (we think) you'll want to know before joining a passage with 59º North Sailing. Did we miss anything? Ask us!

Sign-up Process

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).

Do you ever offer discounts or special pricing?

In short, no. We are philosophically against the idea of discounting mainly because it creates inequality amongst the crew and has the potential to lead to conflict onboard. Instead, in the rare cases where we have last-minute unsold bunks, we use them to give opportunities to sail for free to our apprentice candidates and others who can’t afford to sail offshore but whom would greatly benefit from it. Occasionally we’ll bring along a journalist for publicity.

Our passages are priced in order to meet the world-class standards we strive for in our boats, our routes and our staff. We pay our Skippers, Mates & Bosun an actual living wage, and we keep our boats in top condition in order to spend our time and energy on sailing and seamanship and not on last-minute repairs.

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!

Can I join multiple passages, back-to-back?

Yes! In fact it’s not uncommon for crew to do just that—currently the record stands at 4 legs back-to-back-to-back-to-back! Benefits include getting to sail with different crew, and sometimes a different skipper/mate. You get time between passages to reflect on what you’ve learned on the first leg, and re-focus what you want to learn on the second.

A few things to note if you decide to join multiple legs:

We ask crew to stay ashore during the break, to give the skipper/mate space & time to turn the boat around, and relax before the next passage. This give you an opportunity to explore ashore, or study up for the next leg. And grab a hot shower :)
You’re welcome to borrow books from the boat library during the break, just bring them back!
We do not offer discounts for multiple leg crew.

Can I buy a passage as a gift for my partner or a friend?

Yes, and great idea! Fill out the Crew Sign-Up form in the recipient’s name, but with your email, and put in the notes that this is a gift. Mia will contact you with instructions and will help keep the secret :)

How does it work to be on a waitlist for a passage?

There is no commitment to be on the waiting list for a passage, and no fee. Basically I add you to the waiting list, and if a space opens up, I go down the waitlist first before opening it up to the public.

If the space becomes available and I send out an email to you about the space, I would need an answer within a few days to secure the space. Once you confirm by email, I'll send out the 'Welcome email' and the deposit invoice of 50% (if the passage is closer than 60 days away, we need the full payment to secure the space).

Another option is to be on the waiting list, but also book passage with open space, if a space becomes available on your waitlisted passage, you can simply swap your crew space and deposit over. That way you have a guaranteed spot in case there are no cancellations on the waitlisted passage. You can see the open bunks at 59-north.com/bunks. You can be waitlisted on more than one passage, but please only on the ones you realistically want to / can join.

Preparing to sail

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.

How do we make travel plans given the uncertain nature of ocean sailing?

Our passages are scheduled based on the average speed of each boat. For example, we use 5.5 kts VMG (that’s ‘velocity made good.’) when planning ISBJØRN’s trips. This is a very conservative estimate for ISBJØRN, as we are usually averaging over 6.5 knots VMG (it's faster for FALKEN, as she's much bigger. In fact, on the About pages for each boat, you can see the historic passage states, including Miles per Day and VMG!) The conservative estimate ensures that we’ll get to our destination with time to spare before the last day of the trip. We still encourage crew not to book return air travel until we know for sure when we’re departing (some passages are easier to predict weather-wise than others, in the Trades in the Caribbean for example). Normally, if you book ahead, booking a ticket out on the final scheduled day of the passage will ensure you make your flight. Crew normally book a few days later and spend some time ashore before they depart.

Any recommendations for seasickness?

Being jet-lagged and sleep deprived are triggers to getting seasick, we recommend crew to arrive a day or two before the passage starts to get the body adjusted. Staying off alcohol a few days before the trip doesn’t hurt, but we suggest you don’t change your diet before the passage, that can mess up your belly and systems. Using seasick medication onboard is optional, we require that crew test at least one seasick medication at home before joining the boat, and bring it along. Always consult with a doctor before trying new medication.

Managing menstrual periods during an offshore passage.

As for having your period onboard, it is quite similar to having it at home except that we have fewer opportunities to shower. We have trash bins in the bathroom for easy disposal of hygiene products. We do not stock the boats with pads and tampons for everyone, you need to bring your own. We recommend disposable period products on our trips, as it is harder to wash reusable products onboard. We do recommend that all people bring baby wipes with them to help with hygiene, as we do not shower much on these trips.

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!

What clothes and gear should I bring?

Our passage-specific Packing Lists are sent out to all crew along with Newsletter #2 (about 4 months prior to the passage). You can see sample packing lists on each passage, tailored to the expected weather conditions - we include them as downloadable PDFs and they are free to use, even if you don't join the passage with us! If you have any questions, send us an email.

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 is the accommodation on WOODWIND different from the other boats?

As on FALKEN & ISBJØRN, there isn't much privacy onboard our boats when on passage. WOODWIND has two separate compartments -- forward crew cabins with heads; and an aft compartment where the main salon, galley, nav station and staff quarters are. We'll eat meals onboard together in the main salon, and once you join the boat all food & drink is covered onboard.

There are 4 crew cabins in the forward compartment on WOODWIND, with two shared heads. Each cabin is a "double" cabin, but we are restricted by USCG regulations, to max 6 people on our overnight trips.

The forward two cabins have a leeboard separating the bunk into two sea berths, so two crew will share each of these cabins.

The aft two cabins will be single cabins, as the bunk arrangement does not allow for a leeboard to separate the bunks.

Regardless of which bunk you're in, everyone will have their own dedicated space and dedicated storage area, just like all of our boats.

You will not have a choice of cabin when you sign up; you'll be assigned your bunk just like our normal 59º North trips. For more info on how WOODWIND is laid out, check out the ABOUT section of the website.

Preparing to sail

How do you plan passage routes to ensure safe weather patterns?

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.

How do we make travel plans given the uncertain nature of ocean sailing?

Any recommendations for seasickness?

Managing menstrual periods during an offshore passage.

How long are the watches?

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.

What clothes and gear should I bring?

What amenities are there aboard the boat?

How is the accommodation on WOODWIND different from the other boats?

The forward two cabins have a leeboard separating the bunk into two sea berths, so two crew will share each of these cabins.

The aft two cabins will be single cabins, as the bunk arrangement does not allow for a leeboard to separate the bunks.

Regardless of which bunk you're in, everyone will have their own dedicated space and dedicated storage area, just like all of our boats.

Crew Dynamics

Are there any traits consistent among the crew who do the best on the boat?

Yes! Go to 59-north.com/testimonials to get an idea of who sails with us and to read some personal testimonials from our crew past and present. In short, the common traits among crew are a lack of ego, a willingness to learn, eagerness to be part of a team, patience & unbounded enthusiasm.

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.

What type of person makes for good crew offshore?

Quite simply, the folks who get along with others in confined spaces will do best onboard. There is no privacy on the boat except for in the head (and trust me, you don’t want to be there long!). Sailing skills are far down the list of things we look for. More importantly, potential crew should be open-minded, willing to work as a team, content with limited resources, know their limits (and when to wake the captain) and happy living simply.

Crew also need to have a minimum level of fitness and a clean bill of health. If you’re active in your daily life and have a solid exercise routine, you’ll do great offshore. If you don’t, we should discuss the realities of ocean sailing, which are far more rigorous physically than any other kind. If you’re unsure about this, please don’t hesitate to email us on holdfast@59-north.com.

How do couples fit in with the crew?

We often have couples join us, who might have plans of their own to sail over the horizon together. Onboard, we usually give couples the choice of whether they want to stand watch together or separately. Some people like to be split up in the watch schedule, to get independent experience sailing the boat. If you will sail double-handed in the future, you won’t be on watch together then either, so might as well get used to it! Other times, couples want to stand watch together, depending on their goals.

Will I be the only woman on the boat?

59º North Reserves TWO BUNKS FOR WOMEN ON ALL OF OUR OFFSHORE PASSAGES!

59° North passages are simply more fun and more inspiring the more diverse the crew - we’ve had men and women of all ages and lots of nationalities sail with us, and inevitably the diverse trips are the most memorable. By taking this small step we believe that while it’ll definitely attract more women to our sport, more importantly, it’ll attract more people, of all backgrounds, who share our values and want to sail with us.

We're proud that our core team of professional skippers and mates is comprised of a mix of men & women. We hope that this action will trend our paying crew’s gender ratio closer to our 50/50 ideal.

We have learned that the risk of there being no women, or just one woman, on the crew can be a barrier for some when considering whether to sail with us. Past crew Laura Ladenheim said, “I was the only woman on my trip with you all, and it was still wonderful, but I do think it would have been great to have another female present.”

We strive to create opportunities to include more people in offshore sailing, and are confident that this change will break down that barrier.

It is not possible for us to guarantee there will be two women on every trip. There is always a risk of a last minute cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances. However, we guarantee the following:

We will continue to actively encourage and empower women into offshore sailing.
We will actively seek out women to fill these spaces, and encourage our crew to do so.
We will aim to fill at least one of the skipper/mate roles with a professional sailor who is a woman.

When do I find out who the rest of the crew will be?

Once you signup to sail with us, you'll receive a series of 4 newsletters - in the second newsletter, which you'll receive about 4-5 months before the passage start date, we'll introduce you to the rest of your shipmates and the sailing staff for your passage.

Information & bios about all of our sailing staff can be found on 59-north.com/team, and to get a sense of who has sailed with us in the past, you can browse the testimonials on 59-north.com/testimonials.

Should I tip the sailing staff or apprentices? What's the general tipping culture?

Generally, tipping for excellent service is a part of the culture in the sailing industry. 59º North skippers & mates are well-paid to start with, and your crew fee reflects this, so tipping is optional. If you think your sailing staff have done an exceptional job, tips are much appreciated. Skipper, Mate & Apprentices do not share tips unless specifically requested by the crew member giving the tip!

education

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.

What’s the best way to prepare myself for going offshore?

Everybody who’s not been offshore, even the experienced coastal or inshore sailors, underestimates how physical it is just living on the boat at sea.. Everybody. The boat is constantly in motion, even on the nice days. Things like brushing teeth, going to the bathroom, just putting on socks take time and physical effort. To make it more difficult, you’ll be sleep-deprived during most of it, especially before you fully adjust to the rhythm. Offshore sailing is closer to living like an astronaut than coastal sailing where you get to stop and anchor for the night! Bottom line, the fitter you are to begin with, the easier time you’ll have at sea. Eat right and exercise!

Where can I get further information on ocean sailing, in the style that 59º North promotes?

The best way is to join us on The QUARTERDECK!

Celestial Nav: Do you have the tools and books so I can practice offshore?

Both boats are set up with all the books, tools, worksheets and sextants you need to do REAL celestial navigation offshore, and our skippers and mates are trained in the lost art.

On ISBJØRN we have a Tamaya sextant that Andy & Mia bought used at the famous Sailorman chandlery in Ft. Lauderdale for ARCTURUS back in the day and had onboard for their first trans-Atlantic in 2011. It's sailed everywhere that ISBJØRN has for over 70,000 miles, and Andy even has a tattoo of it on his left forearm!

FALKEN also carries a newer Tamaya sextant, given to us by Weems & Plath in Annapolis.

On most passages, we bring out the sextant for a quick celestial primer and if you are extra keen, you are welcome to use the sentant and run sights on your own.

comms

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 :)

Will I be able to communicate with friends or family during the passage?

Not by default. We have emergency comms onboard and the ability for your family to contact the boat via Mission Control, but if you'd like to be able to connect directly to send/receive text messages, you'd need to bring along your own Garmin InReach or similar device. If you would need to make an emergency call home, we can arrange use of the ship's satellite phone.

Note that we do not, and will not, provide Starlink access to crew for broadband Internet offshore. While FALKEN now has Starlink installed, it's for weather, emails and emergency comms only and not for crew or staff use otherwise. We believe that the limited connectivity during an ocean passage is a feature not a bug. This allows us and the crew to stay in the moment in a way that is impossible ashore, and the experience is that much richer for it.

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