This place is a scam! Run far far away! Set up sailing lessons and certifications with these folks months ago. Came to Hawaii specifically to do these sailing certifications. Spent the last few months studying the books to pass the tests. When the week came for me to go sailing with Honolulu Sailing Company, I kept getting the emails about my upcoming reservation but no details about when to meet the captain at the marina. I tried calling, leaving voicemails, and emailing. No reply. On the day of my first lesson, I went down to the marina, no one around. No one else with boats around their slip knew anything. Tried going over to their office listed on their website and the suite number doesn't exist. Have filed a fraud claim with the credit card company. Time will tell if I get my several thousand dollars back for the lessons. Won't get my time back. Learn from my mistake and avoid this place at all costs. read more

We booked a charter through a third party for a private sail boat charter and snorkling for my family -7 of us in total. Ty was our captain and he had Johnny as his deck hand/snorkel guide. The sailing was the best experience, they took us out towards diamond head and we had full sails, Ty was a great captain and sailed like a pro. We stopped to snorkel at spot where Johnny was able to guide us over to a area where numerous turtles were hanging out. I'd say about 10 turtles at the floor of the ocean and they came up about every 15 min. Johnny was extremely educated on the sea and told us not only a lot about the sea creatures but about the island and it's history. Great experience! read more

Honolulu Sailing - Sailing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ty and Kylie made the sail perfect. The boat was clean, crew knowledgeable, and the sail comfortable. I would recommend them any day. At the end of our sail, Ty recommended a restaurant (Fete in china town) for lunch. Stay tuned for the review. read more

Family of 5 (2x Adult, 6, 5, 3) chartered Tefiti the 50' Beneteau for a quick 2 hour cruise our last day on the island. What a great experience. Top tier. The boat was extremely clean and well maintained. The crew was very accommodating and helpful with the kiddos. We were a bit worried how sailing would go with three little ones but felt so at ease as soon as we saw how child aware the crew was. They wanted to make sure our babies were safe just as much as we did. The waters were choppy with 20kn winds for the first hour or so but when you are on a sailboat this size with an experienced captain the sail was still very enjoyable! They had a Bluetooth speaker that would could play our own music but we just let them DJ the cruise so we could enjoy and soak it all in. Bring any food or drinks you want. The fridge is spacious and there is plenty of counter space for a spread. I would highly recommend chartering Tefiti if you want a great sailing experience. read more

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The boat was clean and ready. The two Captains were professional and capable, with knowledge of the area and spots to see what we wanted to see. They also were very helpful with one of our party that was VERY nervous getting into the ocean snorkeling for the first time. Overall a great experience! read more

Ty and Matt took us out for a great sailing cruise... we enjoyed learning a bit more about the basics of sailing and when winds were low we got to snorkel with turtles. Enjoyed this trip given it was a little more private for our family. Mahalo for the good memories Honolulu Sailing crew! read more

We had a 12 person group and we chartered a private monohull for four hours. The price was very fair and the views were breathtaking. Captain Perry and first mate Ty were fantastic. They took us snorkeling where we saw tons of turtles and they even took us sailing. They were amazing and we brought food and drinks with us on the boat. AMAZING experience and our group would definitely do it again!!! read more

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We enjoyed our time w Capt Polu and his assistant! They are super cool and made our boat experience fun and unforgettable! I would definitely book w them again! Thank you guys so much!! read more

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I did not have the opportunity to officially sail with the company. Everything happens for a reason and I have received my refund. There was booking confusion on their side. I submitted an inquiry and received a response a hour later that the boat was as available and to submit payment to confirm. I submitted payment within 15 mins and then shortly asked for details on the departure. I did not hear from the company for hours and they were also unresponsive to GetMyBoat the third party company we used to communicate and facilitate the booking. After about 10 calls someone from the boat answered (had to call from another number for them to answer) and they let us know that they were out at sea with no cell service and I should have not been able to confirm booking. I am disappointed that we were unable to charter; however, everything happens for a reason. read more

Spencer and Ty were great captains and Lara was super flexible on working through our charter in response to inclement weather. Highly recommend if you want a nice day out on the water in Honolulu read more

Good vibes all around would definitely recommend them! Ship was super clean and the captain and crew mate were very helpful. Whole group had a great time, we posted up in the ocean, caught the sunset, it was tight read more

Honolulu Sailing - Sailing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We had an incredible evening sailing out to Diamond Head for sunset. The views were breathtaking. The staff was friendly and accommodating. The sail yacht was stunning. We can't wait to go out again! Mahalo Nui to the Honolulu Sailing team for making our experience unforgettable! read more

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Holy Smokes!!! This boat is beautiful! If you're looking for a luxury private charter and a kind crew. Step aboard!!!!!! Worth every penny!!! read more

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Amazing experience highly recommend this company. The boat was beautiful and very clean, Perry & Ty were great company and very accommodating. They provided speakers on the boat to play your own music, a fridge for your food and drinks as well as snorkel gear! We saw a few turtles and a tiger shark from above unfortunately didn't see much while snorkelling but can't beat seeing a tiger shark! And a bonus for the privacy and price on this excursion is hard to beat! read more

Michelle & Captain J took great care of us during our 3hr morning sail on the 50ft Te Fiti. Wind & whales didn't cooperate but we enjoyed a fantastic tow snorkle, beautiful vista's, and peaceful relaxing on the huge deck. It was nice to get away from the masses and simply enjoy the ocean. Michelle was a knowledgeable, responsive, helpful hostess. Plus her kid sitting skills are on par (youngest didn't want to snorkel). Captain J was wonderfully accommodating and took great care of us. I would definitely recommend Honolulu Sailing Company. read more

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Every time we set sail with Captain Jeremy, we have an amazing time! We've been out for the Friday night fireworks and a Saturday sunset sail. The sail boat is really clean, beautiful, and has all the bells and whistles. Captain Jeremy did a great job at ensuring a smooth ride, even though the waves were pretty high the last time we went out. read more

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Captain Mike & Michele were outstanding nautical hosts for our family outing. The booking and cruise around Waikiki were very professional and personalized to suit our family. We booked a four tour with Captain Mike. We are able to see whales, dolphins and enjoyed a beautiful sunset to cap off our boating adventure! This team made a great outing into a magical memory that our family will always cherish! Thanks again Captain Mike & Michele you are the best sailing company in Oahu! read more

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Birthday sail around Honolulu, and what a great choice. We had Captain Perry and his chill crew mate, they were both skilled, easy-going and knowledgable. The Gaugin is a beautiful boat and really comfortable for sailing. We booked through our hotel, and follow-up came from the company, which was efficient and responsive. It's a bit of cash but well-worth it for such a unique experience. read more

We are a family of 10 celebrating a high school graduation. Everything about our sailing excursion was perfect. Captain's Perry and Ty are highly skilled and attentive to our requests. read more

Honolulu Sailing Company Honsail was a great option. Our instructor for ASA 101 was Rick, he was a very patient instructor, the man overboard drill took us a few passes but he just kept letting us try until we got it right. He was able to answer all of our sailing questions, and he made us feel comfortable sailing the boat read more

Honolulu Sailing - Happy Sailors. - Sailing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Absolutely wonderful experience with our family. Ty and TJ were great, took good care of us. We had a day with plenty of wind to sail but without hindering snorkeling. We moored away from other boats, saw sea turtles and plenty of other marine life including a moray eel and some puffer fish - from a distance. read more

An unforgettable experience, quite possibly the best way to see Hawaii. Four of us including Captain Paul spent a the week on No Hurry, a Beneteau 390. One of the crew had some flight issues and after two separate canceled flights arrived early afternoon on day 1. Without enough time to make the crossing to Molokai we decided to spend the rest of the day learning about the boat and taking a beautiful afternoon/sunset sail to start working on our sea legs (which were badly needed for day 2.) My primary intent of this trip was to complete my ASA 104 certification and to get some experience in what I read would be 'not for the timid.' One read of this article http://www.examiner.com/article/bareboat-chartering-hawaii-perhaps-the-best-the-world-part-one and I was hooked. Day 2 started with an intense crossing of the Kaiwi channel between Oahu and Molokai. The channel delivered on its reputation of high winds and big swells (25 knots steady with higher gusts, 6 foot swells). I took a dramamine as soon as we got near the channel; it wasn't worth the risk of getting sick on a 7 hour sail! No Hurry was double reefed with only a fraction of the jib rolled out and we were moving! Captain Paul repeated his two top commonsense rules of sailing (we were safe and sailing in control) and it ended up being one of my favorite sails of the trip. We anchored in a small, secluded harbor for the night and set sail for Lanai on day 3. The weather was much lighter and we motor-sailed part of the way to Lanai and anchored at on of Captain Paul's hidden snorkeling spots. It was beautiful with a huge underwater arch. We sailed the rest of the way to Manele Bay and tied up for the night. Day 4 took us across the Auau channel between Lanai and Maui with a minor delay for a whale siting! It was smooth sailing and time to do some man-overboard drills. We continued on to Kaanapali beach and anchored off of Black Rock. I've had the Kaanapali experience many times but only from land...it was much more exciting to swim back to your boat and relax without the crowds. Another exciting sail (again double-reefed) brought us some spinner dolphins riding the bow and took us toward Honolua Bay, our anchorage for the night, and snorkeling spot in the morning. After snorkeling we crossed back to Molokai and cruised the north shore of the island on a run. This has got to be one of the most amazing places on the islands - it definitely rivals the Napali coast in sheer beauty. We anchored for the night and after another spirited sail to Papohaku beach, we anchored early and enjoyed the afternoon. Mike (the owner) and his crew caught up to us here and anchored on the other side of a rock outcropping, coming by to say hi for long enough to mention they caught a big Mahi... Day 7 took us back across the Kaiwi channel to Oahu under much calmer conditions but still a great sailing day. We passed Diamond Head and Waikiki beach before heading back to the harbor to part ways. Overall, I couldn't have imagined a better experience. The boat was great, the Captain was a great teacher *and* fun to hang out with, and we all had a great time. I got my ASA 104 and plan to be back on a boat in Hawaii sometime soon! read more

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Today we sailed a 43 footer with Perry as our captain. We had the best time. We motored out and swam in the ocean, we saw at least 12 whales - mommas with babes and enjoyed being on the water. We brought our own beverages and snacks and hung out in the sunshine. We sailed for a bit but the wind wasn't cooperating (there was no wind) Perry is a very capable captain. We felt safe and had lots of fun. I highly recommend and ask for Perry read more

Honolulu Sailing - Boat view - Sailing Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Our merry crew had the best time aboard this beautiful boat. Our Captain Jeremy and host Michelle were the best. They spotted whales and dolphins for us to see and told us island history. I dove into the ocean, snorkeled, and had a champagne toast at sunset. I felt safe and pampered. This was a highlight of our trip. I recommend this adventure. Thank you for a great time! read more

We had a great time for my friends birthday with Captain Jearmy. Hire him for a guaranteed good time, boat is in pristine condition and handles very well on the water, bonus fireworks if you go out on Friday. read more

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As a Travel Agent I wanted to make sure my clients had an amazing charter...THEY DID!! The boat AND crew could not have been more outgoing accommodating every nuance that makes for a great outing. Selfishly it is good business for my agency to book quality services. Honolulu Sailing did not only NOT disappoint but went above and beyond the call. THANKS HONOLULU SAILING CO. for making me look good and giving my clients a trip memory to treasure! Carolyn Johns Arcadia Travel Connection read more

Captain J and Michelle were absolutely 5 stars. Great chat, preparations, explanations and all around service. We chartered the 50 ft sail boat. So beautiful. Will definitely be chartering w them again. We had a 4 hour charter on a sunny day. They will take you snorkeling as well! Thanks J and Michelle!! read more

Amazing experience!! Was able to book a rental last minute. The captain and the crew were amazing by making us feel comfortable and were extremely nice. They provided a very personable experience and definitely took care of us from serving drinks and letting us use their big portable speaker. The sail boat Te Fiti was perfect for our group. We definitely recommend booking!! read more

Such a great time!! Ty and Perry were Awesome!! They made sure we had a fun and safe sailing experience.

Update: 6/25/2012 Charlie Nobles, the Executive Director of the American Sailing Association stated in an email that Honolulu Sailing would be "permanently suspended" from ASA. Mike Micklewait signed my logbook for a course that he did not teach which is in direct violation of ASA rules. It is obvious that they are now soliciting positive reviews on yelp. All I can say is that your time and money are too valuable to be risked with this company. Don't do it! Stay away from this outfit. ASA is considering revoking their membership! 1) My signed contract stated that the cruise would start on 12/26/11. When I wrote to confirm this less than two weeks before the trip, Mr. Micklewait wrote this: Hi Noah, I didn't count this out right. The sail should officially start on the 27th. Then we find out that not only were we not leaving on the 26, but we didn't leave on the 27th either. He took us on a "day sail" to fill up the boat with gas. 2) Once we get on the boat, he told us that the waste water holding tank does not function. That means that when we were on shore we had to use the shore facilities and when we are not at the dock, we have to hold our bowel movements until we are at least three miles offshore or break the law and flush our waste overboard. I believe it is illegal to charter a boat in this condition. To make matters worse, he threatened us that if we clog the head, we will be fined $150 to fix the problem. Halfway into the sail, the head clogged. Paul (the captain who was actually great) spent half a day fixing the problem. It was not that someone flushed anything inappropriate down the head, it was that the pipes were "clogged like plaque in an artery." We lost a half day of instruction because the captain was knee deep in sewage fixing a poorly maintained boat. 3) Lastly, I paid for instruction in three courses, Intermediate Coastal Cruising, Advanced Coastal Cruising and Coastal Navigation. He put me on a cruise with a group of people who had never been on a sailboat who were starting at Basic Keelboat One. The captain did his best, but he had to spend the majority of the time teaching the rest of the group basic sailing. I was left to study for my tests by myself and NEVER received any instruction on Coastal Navigation and therefore was not able to take the test. I don't think that the American Sailing Association would recommend putting sailors of such a diverse background on the same course and promise each of them they would receive instruction in three courses. I still have not received my sticker for Advanced Coastal Cruising 106, which Mr. Micklewait signed in my logbook. read more

Let me start by saying how grateful I am to captain Jeremy and Michelle. The boat was gorgeous but it wouldn't have mattered if Michelle wasn't there to make the whole experience what it was. We had all girls on this trip and we all enjoyed it. Top 10 best days of my life! We had so much fun. I can't thank them enough. Don't pass this one up. Jeremy and Michelle were awesome. Definitely will see you again when I'm back. Mahalo!!! --Stef read more

Had a great time sailing between Oahu, Molokai and Maui with my husband and Mike Micklewait for a week in Hawaiian waters. Mike answered our countless questions regarding sailing skills, equipment, logistics and planning. He gave us a supportive environment that helped boost our individual sailing confidence. He offered hours behind the helm to build our practical hands-on experience. By the end of the week, we were doing almost everything on the boat ourselves. Additionally, Mike shared a side of Hawaii, close up and very special, that could not have been experienced in any other way. What a great way to combine ASA training and vacation time in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I would recommend Honolulu Sailing Company to anyone who wants to experience sailing in Hawaiian waters. read more

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Jeremy and Michele showed us 8 women a wonderful afternoon! The boat is beautiful and we could not have asked for a better time! We saw whales and dolphins and took a dip in the ocean. We went on the 4:00 sail and did 3 hours so we could check out a beautiful sunset! I highly recommend Honolulu Sailing. You guys are AWESOME! Mahalo! read more

We (4 adults) did a morning sail with Captain Rich and Michelle along the Waikiki coast toward Diamond Head. Spectacular views! But the best part; I am a sailor, introducing my family to it. My family members got a bit nauseous from the motion. While Captain Rich and I handled most of the sailing, Michelle broke out the remedies, and everyone was comfortable after a short period. I highly recommend the experience! read more

We chartered a boat for a private birthday sail. The Captain, Rick, and the crew Michelle, were wonderful. We had so much fun sailing the Waikiki and Diamondhead area. The crew was knowledgeable and the boat was gorgeous. It was a great day! We will definitely sail again on our next trip to Hawaii! Thanks Michelle and Rick for making the birthday sail so much fun! read more

We celebrated my 60th birthday yesterday during a sunset sail set up by Michelle and captain Jeremy on the 50 ft Te Fiti yacht Michelle was so nice and fun to deal with. From the reservations to working on board making sure everyone was comfortable and having a good time. Captain Jeremy was so chill and professional taking us to several whales and cool snorkeling spots. We can't wait to book with them again! read more

They are amazing . The boat is beautiful. I couldn't asked for a better experience. Seriously a 100 stars if I could give it . Thank you so much. You made my Hawaiian experience 10 times better read more

STAY AWAY FROM THIS DANGEROUS AND DISORGANIZED COMPANY! ! ! ! Rather than tell you, here is the email that I sent Mike Mickelwait the owner of Honolulu Sailing and the "captain" we were provided: Hi Kim and Mike -- Kim has asked me to provide a list of issues with our cruise -- This is my list, if our guests have anything to add to it, I will supplement - 1. No one picked us up from the airport although we had been assured that we would have transportation. This was due to the fact that the boat was not ready and everyone was scurrying at the last minute to get groceries. Rather, one of my guests' was given Kims car and told to come pick us up. She got lost and what should have been an easy 45 minute process turned into two hours. 2. Once we got to the boat, the boat was docked in such a way that we had to jump from the dock onto the bow of the boat - keep in mind, we had been traveling more than 10 hours, were exhausted, in travelling clothes with luggage. Additionally, myself and my guests are all older women in our 50's and 60's. In the past thirty years of chartering/sailing -- I have never had to jump onto the bow of a boat. 3. Once onboard, the boat was noticably dirty and in disrepair - beginning with my cabin -- The sheets had not been changed and there were small black bugs in my bed. There was no door on the closet in my cabin, and the closet was stuffed to capacity with what looked like garbage. Nevertheless, there was no place to stow any clothing. 4. Knobs were missing in the galley, making it impossible to open some drawers/cabinets. This was a bit frustrating when I got up before everyone and wanted to make coffee, yet couldn't open kitchen cabinets. 5. The Galley/Dining area was cluttered, there was no TV in the galley, so movies and wine at night were out of the question 6. Although I had sent several emails -- to both of you, explaining that my sister had never sailed, and I was looking for private, shallow, quiet snorkeling areas -- there was no cruising plan. 7. The boat didn't have enough fuel for the cruise -- Kim explained to me there was no where to get fuel. 8. One of the harbors Kim pulled into one night seemed dangerous. Kim even noted that we should eat at a restaurant where she could watch the boat due to the shady characters that were hanging around. Not once on this cruise did I see Kim check in with a dockmaster or pay any docking or mooring fees. 9. Although amusing, it was completely inappropriate for our captain to suggest that we "all take our shirts off" when navy helicopters were flying overhead. 10. We never ONCE ate a meal off of dishes, everything was served on paper plates. Little if any thought was put into a meal plan, and it was apparent that the document that I filled out for provisions and provided months before the cruise had not been read. This was why I actually took everyone, including Kim and Val out for 2 of the meals. 11. The air conditioner was not run until the last day when I was packing, and I finally insisted with Kim to turn on the AC so we could pack below. Again, with older women on the cruise, it would have been nice had the cabins remained air conditioned and comfortable. 12. In my sisters cabin, shelves were falling off of the wall Bottom line, although I am a fan of Kim's captain abilities -- this was NOT a $5,600.00 cruise. At this junction, and in an effort to end this immediately and amicably -- I need a refund of half of this charter or $2,800.00 If this is not acceptable, or if I do not get a response, I will seek other remedies -- I hope we can work this out --" In light of the horrible experience on board, Mike offered to refund half of my money. When it didn't arrive, he lied to me and told me he didn't have my address. I then sent him my address AGAIN, and a week later he told me he wasn't going to refund me. This organization is a joke -- and a dangerous one. The idiot he had as our "Captain" didn't have a captains license -- there was no safety check, none of us knew where life preservers were (if we did need them) -- I am speaking to lawyers in Hawaii -- This might have been a good sailing company at one time, it has deteriorated into a dangerous and dishonest operation. Anyone else that has been ripped off by this company, feel free to contact me -- Let's see if we can put this scam artist out of business -- read more

Don't use them. I booked for a family evening of sailing & fireworks June 2019. The owner was allegedly "out of town" so got his buddy to sail for him (not disclosed until later). According to owner, the "buddy" switched boats without his consent. The captain/"buddy" and his mate fought the entire charter about how to actually sail the boat -- not a way to make passengers feel safe! When it got dark, we discovered that the lights didn't work. We almost hit the pirate ship. They had to stand at the bow holding a flashlight to maneuver back to shore, only to discover that neither of them knew how to dock the boat. Luckily after many failed attempts at docking, someone on the dock threw a line to get us into the slip. In addition to a shoddy boat, the captain/buddy was rude and not friendly at all. A few weeks after the excursion, the owner texted me asking how the evening went, telling me that his buddy had changed the boats we were to take without him knowing. When I texted him back my honest assessment, I received no reply; I am even a repeat customer, so you'd think he would care to respond...Why even ask if you don't care to respond to honest feedback? The are other companies to use, PICK ONE OF THEM!! The reviews from 2018 may have had good experiences, and I had sailed with them in 2018 and was pleased. But as of summer of 2019, they are no longer providing good service!! read more

Our family of 10 rented the boat originally for two hours to take my husband's ashes out to Diamond Head and scatter them in the ocean he loved so much and sailed so often. It was a Memory that the entire family will cherish forever. Michele and our captain couldn't have been more accommodating. After we put his ashes into the water, we asked if it would be possible to stay out an extra hour so that we could all swim in the waters off Waikiki...and the two of them were totally good with that! Such a fun time after such an emotional day for us all. Michele was so good with the two youngsters we had with us...even providing brand-new life jackets for them...ages 6 + 7! It was sunset as we came into the channel...docking was a picture perfect ending to the afternoon. Thank you so much! We loved it and highly recommend this team for a perfect sail aboard the Beneteau 50 Te Fiti! read more