We went on a 3 hour friday night lights cruise with 3rd coast cruising, it was amazing! The perfect way to kick off labor day weekend. Caption Jim and crew made sure we were having fun and couldn't have been nicer! All and all it was a 5 Star night! read more

I was invited to go on a 3 hour sailing trip by my sister, there were 3 couples total. This was Labor Day Weekend 2016 and it was just a lovely experience! The weather was amazing, Capt. Jim and crew were friendly and helpful the whole time. We brought our own beverages and snacks but they also supplied water, sparkling water and that kind of thing. They also had blankets in case anybody was cold. They had music and plenty of room on the Catamoran for everybody to be comfortable. After the sail, once we docked, Capt. Jim and crew had a beer with us and we just really had a memorable time, can't wait to do it again! read more

if you are looking to sail 30 foot plus sized boats 3rd Coat is an excellent option. It's really up to you as to how much you want to get out of them - either a social sail or instruction for any level from beginner to advanced - 3 hours won't necessarily make you a sailor but it will get you hooked. They offer lessons, private charters and group outings etc. the prices are ok but you definitely can't beat the location. read more

I have sailed small boats (16ft) for over 15 years but wanted to get experience on bigger boats and big water. 3rd Coast was exactly what I needed. This is my 3rd season with 3rd coast, and while I am by no means a novice to the theories of sailing, I love going out on 30 foot plus boats on Lake Michigan because there isn't any way to learn larger boat handling, or sailing in all conditions without actually getting out there and doing it. I learn something new every time I go out with these people. Many sailing schools claim that you can be "certified" in 5 days, but what does that really mean. There isn't anything that can substitute for experience, and the only way you can get that is to sail in different conditions. If you don't get 30 knot winds, or 10 foot seas in your 5 day course, then you very likely may get caught in conditions in which you have no experience. When you experience challenging conditions in a controlled environment, you handle them successfully with the help of a seasoned instructor, and you have the confidence to sail, knowing that you have met the challenge and you can handle it. 3rd Coast is much more than a sailing school, it is also a very social organization. The instructors are very knowledgeable and fun. If you sail with them frequently you will very likely sail with people that you have already been out with and friendships are easy to form. I especially like evening sails during the week. There isn't much that is prettier than the skyline of Chicago on a summer evening as you sailing toward the entrance to Monroe Harbor. Once tied up, there is no hurry to leave, and a friendly beer or two with the night skyline of Chicago in the background is about as good as it gets. My only problem is that damn work gets in the way otherwise I'd be out there with these guys everyday. (Summer is only so long, you have to make the best of what we have). If you want to learn how to sail or sharpen your skill and have a great time while you are doing it, go out with the guys and girls from 3rd Coast. read more

do you really want to learn sailing? hands on? This is the school for you. The knowledgeable Instructors paired with a variety of boats only enhances your experience. For over a year I've been sailing with 3rd Coast Cruising, it's not just another sailing school, but it's family. Give it a try, you wont be disappointed, Chel read more

I bought a couple of lessons from a Living Social deal, hoping to take an overdue sailing trip. Though I had learned how to sail on small lakes and rivers, I had never handled a larger boat before, and the 3rd Coast fleet includes beautiful 30+ foot sloops. Both Captain Jim and Tony tailored their tutorial to the needs of their students, and encouraged those with more experience to impart their knowledge and wisdom onto their peers via the Socratic method. Unlike other sailing programs (e.g. the old Red Cross program), instruction started out in the boat, not in a classroom. Though this may have made it a bit more difficult for those with no experience sailing to (literally) learn the ropes, instruction was more pragmatic and less theoretical than a classroom-based program. As such, we were out sailing after the first 30 minutes of the 3-hour lesson and were able to test our newly minted skills in a race in the second half of the session. I appreciated Jim and Tony's sense of humor, patience with their students and desire to push each and every student to a new level in his or her skills and knowledge base. I would disagree with a prior review of incompetency in the people skills/ knowledge base of the instructors, as my experience was nothing but positive. Just a couple words of advice. If this is your first time sailing, take advantage of the links that 3rd Coast sends on prior to your lesson. These links include instruction on basic nautical terminology, understanding the points of sail and tying knots. Though you will have exposure to these in your lesson, you'll get much more out of the lesson if you have a basic knowledge base in sailing. read more

Simply one of the greatest nights of my entire life. The weather was phenomenal. Ulysses was our captain and he did a great job. It was so easy to park at DuSable Harbor and meet the captain for our sail. We brought a cooler with drinks and snacks and enjoyed the sunset followed by the Navy Pier fireworks display. We felt safe and well cared for at every single step of the process of chartering this cruise. Thank you for a truly spectacular experience. read more

Best experience ever! Totally worth every penny! I was short notice ordering the cruise but they were able to accommodate everything! Will be a return client! read more

I've been sailing with 3rd Coast for a little over a year now, and think it is a fantastic way to get out on Lake Michigan. The team at 3rd Coast offers a wide range of options... from relaxing social cruises and concert cruises, to beginner sailing lessons and more technical/advanced sailing instruction, they have it all. I did a package of sailing lessons for 2015 (a better deal than single purchases if you're planning to go out more than just a few times). Sailing lessons last 3 hrs and are very easy to schedule via their online portal. Weekend morning & afternoon and weeknights are the typical time slots, and aside from a few super busy weeks in mid-August, I was able to get out whenever I wanted. Most days they have multiple sailboats out on the lake, which allows Captain Jim to match different skill levels and personalities on each boat. He and the other captains do a great job of making sure everyone is participating and learning -- whether it's your first sail or you've been out on the lake a dozen times. The folks who lead the lessons have a range of experience, and I pretty quickly figured out who my favorite captains were and scheduled with them. I think the team is particularly good at helping folks who are new to sailing understand the fundamentals and build confidence on the water. The boats are older and by the end of the summer can get pretty beat up (hundreds of hours of beginner sailors will do that...). If you're looking for a luxury cruise, you may be disappointed. The upside here is that there are lots of opportunities to learn how to fix components that get broken during lessons -- which is particularly useful if you're interested in eventually owning a boat. Overall, a really fun way to learn how to both sail and own/maintain a boat. If you're living in Chicago, this should definitely be on your summer bucket list. read more

We chartered a 4-hour private cruise for our family of four. Our captain, Michael, called the morning of our excursion to find out what we wanted to do so he could customize our day. He did a fantastic job of combining a information filled and fun sailing lesson for my sons with time to stop and swim in the lake. It was by far our favorite day in the city. read more

My friend is an unlimited member and brought a few of us out with a day pass to learn from Captain Jim. He is awesome! It was a gorgeous day, and we were able to take in the views and learn so much at the same time. Definitely something everyone should try. read more

A fantastic sailing school! This is my second year with 3rd coast. They have several different boats you can sail on, flexible scheduling, professional and patient instructors and you'll meet some of the nicest people! I have learned a lot in every class and would highly recommend them to anyone who wants to learn to sail. read more

3rd Coast offers several different ways to pay for sailing, from a single 3 hour ticket to multi day packages to an "Unlimited" package that lets you sail 7 days a week for the entire sailing season (May through October). Last year I went for the Unlimited package since one of my goals was to to a LOT of sailing. I ended up sailing about 50 times, evenings and weekends. I had a blast !! This program involves instruction, but not the scheduled format most sailing schools use. With most schools, there is a concentrated schedule: Day 1 you study this, day 2 you study that, and so on. If you miss a day, or if you got confused, you are behind. Due dates ! With 3rd Coast, there is no schedule. On any day, you tell the instructor what your goals are and work from there. Since there are no instructional deadlines, everyone gets to take their time. Or, if you are good, you can learn VERY rapidly. This means learning to sail may take more days than with the typical sailing school but you will end up learning these skills more completely. I do have a few problems with 3rd Coast. They use a variety of different boats (good experience for me) but some of them are borrowed from private owners and are older. They are not always in tip top shape. Note: I never felt unsafe. I did however, feel inconvenienced by this or that well worn part. One of the goals of the group is dealing with maintenance issues. For example: I stripped, cleaned, and reassembled a winch in the boatyard. Again, I never felt unsafe but these are NOT luxury boats. I am told we are getting some newer boats this year. Also, experienced students need a chance to deal with more advanced topics and you won't get enough time for that if most of the students on your boat are beginners. 3rd Coast is planning special classes ( Extreme Sailing classes ) this year aimed at experienced sailors and future boat owners. This should help. Finally, when I first joined, I was disappointed they didn't offer ASA certification. I looked into it and found out that ASA is a private company that sells permission to certify to sailing schools. What 3rd Coast offers is an internal certification system and a log of your sailing experiences. If you want to charter a bareboat, say, in the Caribbean, you need to convince the charter company that you are qualified to handle their boat. An ASA certification would help, but the real proof is showing the company you know what you are doing, which should be easy with what you have learned and practiced multiple times. In addition, 3rd Coast provides a list of sailing hours and boat types you have experience with. I am told this will do the trick, although I have not personally tried it yet. Talk to Jim (3rd Coast owner) about this but if you really want ASA, you will need to get it elsewhere. In my opinion, none of these issues is serious and the "older boat" issue may be a plus, but you need to decide this on your own. Back to the good stuff. I have learned sail trimming for very light winds, on water as smooth as glass. I have also been out in strong winds (30 knots or more) and have learned about heavy weather sailing. Most sailing schools avoid strong winds or never get a chance to encounter them during their schedule. I have worked with spinnakers on light days and with double reefed sails on heavy days, in big waves, in strong winds, at night. What a rush !!! And, I have been at the helm or on the sheets in both of these situations multiple times. I have been out often enough so that all kinds of unusual situations have come up and I got a chance to learn what to do and to practice it. I can't imagine getting these experiences in the typical sailing school. I think most students are in their 30s and 40s with some in their 20s and some older, with maybe half women. I've seen a few teenagers. I don't have good statistics on this, just my impression. I am over 60 (it's never too late, grin). As for "learning with a beer in hand", in 50 some sails with 3rd Coast, I never saw courses conducted with any alcohol. We do get together after sails and drink a beer or three while talking about what happened and sailing in general. I recently got back from a 3rd Coast bareboat sail in the Grenadines which was an absolutely awesome trip. I am a retired Physics teacher from the western suburbs and in my career I have seen a number of good teachers and a few great ones. Most of 3rd Coast's instructors are good; patient, clear, and knowledgeable. A few, Jim for example, are among the best teachers I have ever encountered. And Jim gets to pick the other instructors which weeds out the poor ones. I like the group well enough that I have purchased another Unlimited package for this year. I expect to learn more about all aspects of sailing and improve the skills I already have: No pressure, no deadlines. I also expect to REALLY enjoy being out on the water a LOT. read more

I recently had the pleasure of sailing with Captain Jim as well as a few members of 3rd Coast Cruising and some other first timers. I had not sailed in several years and have been looking to get back into the sport for quite some time. I had two excellent afternoons over the weekend sailing and relearning many things I had forgotten with time. The rates are very reasonable and the website is easy to navigate and schedule sails. In my opinion, there is much more availability and flexibility at 3rd Coast in comparison to the other sailing organizations I looked into in Chicago. I will certainly be back for additional sails in the months to come. read more

We took a group out on the big catamaran for the LV cup and it was AWESOME!!! 3rd coast worked with us on scheduling and coordination, and made the entire experience really easy and fun! The boat was beautiful, plenty of space, bar space, cooler space, ice already on board and the crew made the whole trip so fun! These are great people, awesome boats, and we will be back for sure! read more

I have sailed a couple of times with 3rd Coast now. Every time has been a great experience. Capt. Jim is easy to communicate with. I was with Capt. Steven this past time. He was very knowledgable and easy to understand. He made me feel very comfortable on the boat. If you are wanting to learn from scratch or have some experience, either way, I highly recommend sailing with 3rd coast, you won't be disappointed. read more

What a perfect evening! Great weather, beautiful catamaran and PHENOMENAL service! Captain Russel and Brian made the entire experience so wonderful that everyone is still gushing over how great it was. They made us feel like they were welcoming us into their (very luxe) home and they took care of literally everything. They waited for guests to arrive, escorted everyone to the boat, setup and packed up the food/drink spread we brought, brought everyone refills and took pictures. They didn't hover or get overly involved either, which was great. My guests were comfortable, well fed/watered and happy. And as the hostess, I didn't have to lift a finger - that never happens! They went above and beyond in every capacity and, in addition, were very fairly priced. I will absolutely be booking through them again! 3rd Coast Cruising, 1st Class Service. read more

Captain Jim and the crew spoiled us rotten! They served us our wine and our food on fish platters throughout the night. Captain Jim was so friendly and fun loving and told great sailing stories. We saw a beautiful sunset and the fireworks. The only problem was that we didn't want to get off the boat at the end. read more

Back in my college days, I used to sail little dinghy size sail boats and fell out of sailing once I graduated. Two years ago, a friend mentioned she had been sailing with this school and they sailed bigger boats. I gave it a try and am loving sailing on Lake Michigan! I go after work a couple of times a week and the best part (besides the wind flying through my hair) is watching the sun set behind the city skyline. Not many people get to see this view. I've also met tons of other sailing students and I'm always learning something from them and the instructors. I can say that after two summers, I'm not just a confident sailor, but also a competent sailor. read more

Last night I proposed to my girlfriend on one of their sailboats. They took excellent care of us. Beautifull boats, very friendly and professional staff (even after I asked them to act like they were college friends with one of my buddies so the girl wouldn't suspect) I would recommend them to anyone who is interested! read more

Had a terrible experience with 3rd Coast Cruising, so would highly recommend looking into other sailing schools for your sailing lessons. We signed up for a five lesson package simply to see if sailing is for us. We did learn we enjoyed sailing, but not with 3rd Coast Cruising. We were scheduled for a lesson on a recent Sunday afternoon; however, there were small craft advisories issued for the entire day. We couldn't see a single boat on the lake as we looked out over the lake from Lake Shore Drive, so we made the decision it probably wasn't a good idea to sail with one instructor and four or five other novices like ourselves. If the weather conditions were safe, I can't imagine there would not have been several boats on the water on a Sunday afternoon in August. The owner of the school decided to sail anyway. We knew the schools policy that if we were a 'no show' for the lesson we couldn't make up the lesson; however, given the small craft warnings, we thought there would be some flexibility in this policy. We did try to call the school, but no one answered the phone. We were wrong about our assumption, as we later received a nasty email from the owner of the school saying it was our decision not to show up so tough luck and we would not be allowed to make up the lesson. If this had been the only disappointment with 3rd Coast Cruising, we might have overlooked this, but it was not the first issue with them. The first lesson ended with our boat being towed to the boat slip, as there was no wind and we needed the use of the engine to get to the slip. Unfortunately, there was water in the gas tank due to a bad seal, so the engine wouldn't start. Near the start of our third lesson the main sail ripped in two, so we had to spend most of the lesson using only one sail. The boat was in bad shape. In addition, the owner of this school enjoys packing eight or nine adults on his 30' boat so he can watch everyone climb over each other. Not a good learning environment. At the conclusion of our lessons, we had planned to sign up for the schools unlimited sailing program at a cost of $2,500 each. It became obvious the owner of 3rd Coast Cruising has no concern for customer satisfaction. Not only will we never sail with them again, nor recommend them to anyone, the school lost a total of $5,000 in revenue - revenue that will now go to another sailing school. read more

Had a great experience on Captain Jim's Friday night lights cruise! Captain Jim and his crew at 3rd Coast Charters are knowledgeable, friendly and made it a fantastic night! Went with friends but would definitely recommend it for a fun family outing whether your group members are novices or experienced. A great way to see Chicago's spectacular skyline and architecture. Thanks Captain Jim and crew, it was a fantastic end of summer party! read more

Maybe it's just me, or the recent Chicago 'deals' gone bad. My friend and I recently bought a 3 hour saling class from Living Social with this company 3rd coast cruising. We were so excited after we bought it and thinking we're ready to take on the first journey of sailing. Well, think twice! First of all, we had to pre-register online. Eventhough we purchased the voucher from Living Social already, still have to put down our credit card information online to pre-register; and wait for a response. Okay, so we did fill out all the spaces in the form, hit submit. But no response, we dont 'know if it went through or not; so we did it again...still same thing. Called the office, hoping to find someone to answer all these unresolved questions, only to get answers that "we have to pre-register online, there is no other way"! what are we suppose to do, the form did not go through. so we emailed their scheduling department like it said on the answering machine...still no answer. Of course, after a week of calling and submitting forms, i'm getting a bit tired of the whole thing. Maybe it is not 3rd coast cruising , maybe it's LivingSocial where we bought the voucher; but seriously, is it that hard to get an appointment for sailing class? read more

Not a good sailing school unless you are interested in signing up for their unlimited sailing program. The hole focus of the first few classes is getting you to join their unlimited sailing program at a cost of $2,500. The owner of the school is more interested in you learning the terminology of sailing than in how to actually sail. He also seems more interested in drinking beer at the end of the class than actually teaching the class. An overall bad experience. read more

Most of the instructors are inexperienced. The teaching is almost non-existent and what they do teach is often bad information. The lack of professional skill is dangerous. There are much better places to learn to sail in Chicago. read more

Intense, hands-on experience. The classroom is the boat. For anyone who wants to plunge right into sailing, this is the way to do it. Do some reading in advance - it will help with the terminology, but Captain Jim was amazingly patient and encouraged questions and constantly probed people to think about what they were doing, especially in terms of boat speed, sail appearance, wind direction, and so on. We were racing against the other boat in the class, adding a whole new dimension to learning because you can watch what the other boat is doing (or not doing) right. I only wish I had taken some dramamine or something before the lesson - and I would recommend the same for anyone that even remotely gets motion sickness. Even though I got sick really unexpectedly on my first time out, the whole crew was really supportive. Couldn't have asked for better people. Definitely going back (with something for motion sickness beforehand). read more

If you want to learn how to sail or just want to go sailing, look no further. After years of procrastinating about refining my sailing skills, I finally decided to take my passion to a new level. Through a referral, I was introduced to Captain Jim and 3rd Coast. After signing up for their unlimited sailing program, my only disappointment was that I did not join earlier. As the company is ran more like a club, it is also a great place to meet new people. 3rd Coast will teach you everything you need to know about sailing. I feel fortunate to have found 3rd Coast and I encourage others to give it a try and see if sailing is for you. I know people that never sailed before joining the club and 3 months later are advanced sailors. The unique training method employed by the club allows people of all sailing backgrounds to learn. Their all day social sails are great way to enjoy the summer and all Lake Michigan has to offer. If you want to have a good time this summer, give Jim a call and start sailing with 3rd Coast. When the weather gets warm, there is nothing better the being on the lake. read more

I loved every second of my time with 3rd Coast. I only wish I was in the city longer to be with them on an unlimited basis. Getting out on the water with captain Jim and his mates was so much fun. I am more geared to outdoor experiences so therefore was never once worried if I would enjoy sailing. I was more worried about not knowing enough about the ABC's of sailing and if the people and staff on the boat were going to be friendly. Well I know now that there is absolutely nothing to worry about with 3rd Coast. Everyone involved is so great. There are people of all ages and experience levels. Not only do you get to have some fun out on the Lake as a crew but most everyone likes to enjoy a beer together from time to time. I was hooked after my first sail and there was hardly any wind. Then each time I went the wind got stronger and learning the fundamentals of sailing became more and more rewarding. If you are interested in becoming a self sufficient sailor look no further. Captain Jim and his instructors are great teachers who really understand how to get the concepts across to all different learning styles and help you feel confidant in what can sometimes be vulnerable sailing conditions. Even if you don't care about learning all the ins and outs of sailing and you just enjoy being on the water or think you might, don't miss out on the chance to sail with 3rd Coast Cruising. read more

We joined 3rd Coast for a bachelorette party this past weekend and I can't say enough good things! They were so accommodating from the moment we stepped on the boat through docking at the end of the night. A friend of mine organized it, and when we got there, the boat was AMAZING! We took the catamaran out for a sunset and firework cruise, and I loved every second of it! They were very focused on safety and made sure everyone knew how to move about the boat while it was moving and where everything was. They let us decorate the boat with some fun bachelorette signs and balloons, helped us get everything food and drink-wise set up, and even came around and served us at different points of the night with ice cream, drinks, whatever we wanted! They were great sports, super professional and really fun the whole time. Watching the fireworks from the water with a fun group of people was the perfect way to celebrate a great friend's impending nuptials. I will definitely be a repeat customer, and would recommend them to anyone. Great value and great service combined! read more