Our Programs

Take a week-long sailing-cruise vacation to unforgettable locations in Canada, including Georgian Bay or the North Channel on Lake Huron. Activities include boating, anchoring, maneuvering, going out on shore, preparing meals, and more!

Please note that the sail-cruises vacation rates are based on an estimate of sailboat rental fees and may vary slightly. Costs for food, transportation, and marina fees are borne by crew members.

Sail on Lake Deschênes in the daytime, in the evening or on weekends and enjoy our many outings (subject to availability). Take our introductory session Borealis 101 which includes fundamentals of sailing, security and directives to abide by on the Centre's sailboats. The Borealis 101 session is mandatory for all new members. Then, you may book your outing with our experienced and friendly volunteer skippers. It's easy! The reservation calendar is available online on our website.

Practice your maneuvers throughout the summer or participate in regattas to improve your technique. You must however possess a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) before taking the helm. You may obtain your PCOC by visiting https://aceboater.com/canada. Experience life on board for a night or two out on Deschênes Lake.

Register at the latest on December 31st and you can take advantage of an early registration rate reduction of $100 off the regular adult rate of the Sail all Summer program. A rate reduction of $50 on the regular adult rate is offered for registrations made from January 1 to April 30 inclusive. And, finally, a rate reduction of $30 is offered on the regular adult rate for registrations made between May 1 and 31 inclusive. 

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The "Trial Sailing" program offers new members only the opportunity to discover sailing and how the Centre operates before enrolling in the "Sail All Summer" program. It includes an introductory session called Borealis 101 and unlimited access to outings (subject to availability) on the Ottawa River for 30 days from the beginning of the season.

Do you enjoy your experience? Switch to the "Sail All Summer" program at any time during the season and deduct the amount paid for the Trial Sailing program from the rate of the Sail All Summer program applicable at the time of switching.

You must however possess a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) before taking the helm. You may obtain your PCOC by visiting https://aceboater.com/canada

Again, the "Trial Sailing" program is intended for new members exclusively.

REGISTER NOW

The Centre promotes the learning and development of safe keelboat sailing. Our program takes place on Lake Deschênes out of the Aylmer Marina. We also offer week-long sailing-cruise vacations in Canada, for example, in Georgian Bay.

As a member, you can discover different facets of sailing by learning at your own pace during each of your outings. You can participate in the maintenance, launching and wintering of the boats as well as the management of the Centre.

Should you wish to learn in a structured and formal manner and become an active teammate or skipper, you can register for Sail Canada’s accredited "Basic Cruising skills" course. This is a four‑day theoretical and practical training course offered by volunteer instructors.

You may obtain your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) by visiting https://aceboater.com/canada.

We offer:

  • Borealis 101 (mandatory for all new members and included in our sailing programs rates);
  • Sail Canada’s Basic Cruising Standard.

You must be registered in the Sail All Summer program to register in these two courses with the Borealis Sailing Centre.

Please note that we do not offer all sailing courses ourselves but can direct you to the appropriate resources.