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Youth Groups

Program Details

a group of people on a rock next to water

All Hands Sailing and its predecessors have been running sailing programs for summer camps and other youth-focused groups for well over 40 years. We are committed to high quality outdoor education that informs and inspires young people to love and cherish the natural world. We see our trips as a critical part of your camp’s offerings: a renowned, storied experience for students to work for and strive to be a part of.

Groups of up to six kids, ages 11 to 16, sail with us on a captained charter for anywhere between 3 and 10 days in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the greater Lake Superior region. They are accompanied by a chaperone, who is an agent of the youth group organization.

On this trip, the teens learn how to sail the boat. They work in pairs in a watch system, under constant supervision by the captain, to sail the boat from place to place in the Islands. After a day or two, the “crew” is often able to run the boat all on their own!

There are frequent stops for swimming, cave exploring by zodiac or inflatable kayak and hiking. Water temps in the low 70s are the norm in mid-season.

Nights are spent at anchor or on a dock, with everyone sleeping on board. A boat of this size has two or three separate cabins with single, double and triple berths. The captain has private sleeping quarters which are separate from the groups. Coed groups are welcome and work well.

Groups have lots of time for relaxing, both on deck and down below, while underway and at anchor. There is no TV, only a radio. Laptops, electronic games, etc. are not allowed. Books, cards, games, and camaraderie entertain very well on a boat and after a little while, no one misses their electronics.

Our groups range from YMCA camps and private summer camps to Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and church youth groups. Other groups are welcome and the ages can vary. Please call with your groups needs.

The boats–yachts, really–have a galley with stove, sink, ice box, dry storage, tables, lounging, running water and a head. There is not a lot of privacy on a boat, but there are separate cabins for dressing. There is room for 6 adult-sized teens plus the captain and chaperone or 6 adults plus the captain.

We will suggest meals, but groups are expected to bring food for themselves and the captain. With full galley facilities, meals can be whatever you want. There is even a grill!

Our captains are all very experienced leading these groups, many with 20 or more years of captaining youth trips in the Apostle Islands.

Pictures from previous trips

a boat on a body of water
a man riding on the back of a boat
a man riding a horse in a forest
a person sitting at a table eating food
a small boat in a body of water
a boat on a body of water
a group of people standing in front of a building
a man and a woman standing on a boat
a man standing in front of a boat next to a body of water
a tree next to a body of water
water next to the rock
a close up of a rock next to a body of water
a person sitting on a boat in the water
a woman holding a sign posing for the camera
a person standing next to a body of water
a group of people swimming in a body of water
a group of people standing next to a body of water
a man standing on a boat
a group of people sitting at a table
a person sitting at a table
a young boy standing in front of a window
a man riding a wave on top of a body of water
a group of people posing for the camera
a group of people sitting at a table
a man standing next to a tree
a large brick building with grass in front of a house
Daniel Carter et al. standing in front of a boat
a person brushing the teeth
a group of people sitting next to a body of water