Fairwind Sail Charters

Specialties

Serving today’s active sailor, Fairwind Sail Charters is Chicago’s oldest American Sailing Association sailing school and premier Sailing Yacht Lease Share Program where you can sail your own yacht all season long for a fraction of what it costs to rent or own. Beautiful yachts, unparalleled personal service, and the best rates anywhere have made Fairwind Sail Charters the choice of Chicagoland sailors for sailing instruction, sailing lease share, and private sailing charters since 1978.

History

Established in 1978.

Fairwind Sail Charters, Inc. is one of Chicago’s oldest and most respected sailing businesses, founded in 1978. Fairwind began as a sailing school, soon gaining a reputation for top quality education geared especially toward sailors wanting to sail larger cruising yachts. In the early 1980s, Fairwind pioneered the idea of time sharing sailing yachts. Under Fairwind’s unique Sailing Yacht Lease Share program, sailors were able to share the use of a sailing yacht with other sailors for a fraction of the cost of short-​term rental or ownership.

Fairwind’s idea of making sailing yachts accessible to sailors who lack the time or resources to own their own boat has been copied by many imitators in ensuing years, but Fairwind has maintained its leadership role in the Chicago marine community by offering great boats, professionally maintained and cared for by a hands-​on owner/​operator, in an excellent location and at a remarkable value. Capt. Ben Sells took over the helm at Fairwind in 1998.

Meet the Business Owner

Capt. Ben Sells.

Business Owner

Capt. Sells holds a 100 Ton Master’s License from the U.S.C.G. with Sailing and Towing Endorsements, and is an American Sailing Association certified sailing instructor through Advanced Coastal Navigation. As the owner/​operator of Fairwind, he personally oversees all aspects of its operation, from the daily maintenance of the Dragon Fleet to his duties as Senior Instructor in Fairwind’s sailing school. Under Capt. Sells’s leadership, Fairwind became a certified training facility with American Sailing Association, the only such school in Illinois, and in 2002 Capt. Sells was awarded ASA’s Outstanding Instructor of the Year Award, an award based on evaluations provided to ASA by Fairwind’s students. A popular and highly experienced teacher, Capt. Sells is known for his good humor, easy manner, and meticulous seamanship.