Come sailing aboard Wonder
A Schooner, A School, A Pirate Ship, A Research Ship…
An Unforgettable Experience
Adventure and Tranquility
Wonder is the Planet School’s 82’ pirate schooner converted into an oceanographic exploration vessel. We combine learning with the beauty of nature in 2 hour sails as well as longer overnight voyages throughout the year.
We are a family-friendly environment, not a “party boat” (though we can be rented for private events and switch up the vibe). Wonder is a Coast Guard inspected and certified steel-hull vessel capable of crossing oceans, which we do.
Detroit’s Best View
See the Detroit skyline at sunset, sail past Belle Isle park, and experience Detroit’s namesake river in breathtaking fashion.
Picture this: the quiet whispering of the sails catching the wind. The wave sound of the boat cutting through the water. Seagulls. Laughter and relaxed conversation. Oh, and an unbelievable sunset.
You can help haul on sails or even steer the boat if you want to. Or just sit back, relax, and take it all in.
Detroit Public Sails
Picnic Sail
1.5 hours
Spend a beautiful Michigan summer day out on the water. Cruise past Belle Isle, the largest city-owned park in the United States at 982 acres (Central Park in NYC is 843 acres).
We will pass freighters and fountains as we head past downtown. You can help set sails or sit and relax to the sound of waves and wind.
Sunset Sail
2 hours
Watch the sun set behind the Ambassador Bridge and magnificent Detroit skyline. We will sail into the sunset—west down the Detroit River.
You can choose to participate in the work of the ship or just chill. We have coolers for any snacks and drinks you would like to bring.
Star Sail
2 hours
On calm clear nights, we will sail out into Lake St. Clair where the sky is dark. We use the final moments of dusk to practice navigating with our sextants.
Then we set up telescopes on deck and look at some of our favorite celestial objects. Your captain is a former planetarium operator and will give you a brief tour of the night sky.
Come Sailing, Support Education
100% of your ticket cost goes to supporting the tuition-free education model of the Planet School, a new high school opening in Detroit.
When Wonder is not hosting sunset sails, birthday parties, or weddings, we are a sailing school vessel that conducts oceanographic research.
👻 Haunted Ship 🎃
Starting on October 1, 2024, the evil spirits of the deep will consume Wonder and transform her into a terrifying haunted ship. This unique haunted house experience will take place dockside at the Roostertail in Detroit.
There are a limited number of tickets available—we can only allow Wonder to remain haunted for a week or risk the undead crew commandeering the ship for good. We strongly recommend reserving your tickets in advance.
Click below to learn more about the event. You can also listen to the story of our first wildly successful haunted house in 2022 at 04:25 of our podcast episode.
Wonder is BYOB and your ticket includes bottled water. We encourage you to bring drinks, snacks, or even a picnic! We also supply ice and coolers.
Lots of seating and room to walk about on our 65’ length deck. Plus two heads (bathrooms) are located down below via easy access full size stairs with a railing (not the usual awkward ladder!)
Get Detroit’s most stunning views and photos from the deck of Wonder. We are happy to snap pics of you steering or standing up at the bow.
Our Guests:
“It was an absolute pleasure serving aboard Wonder with Thane and the crew. You're all amazing, hardworking, wonderful people and I'm honored to have spent a few days with all of you.”
—Raam, guest crew on an overnight voyage.
“Sailing is utter magic. I stepped aboard a total novice and by the end of my time aboard, was already signing up for sailing lessons back home. Wonder was so empowering, so invigorating, so refreshing, and so very, very fun.”
—Megan, guest crew on an overnight voyage.
“My girlfriend and I spent a memorable, exhilarating, and informative long weekend on board with Thane. The hands-on element of our weekend was a real highlight…By the end of the trip, I was already plotting how to spend more time sailing.”
-Bunmi, guest crew on an overnight voyage.
Private Events
We have partnered with Roostertail Detroit to create amazing private events. Weddings, corporate happy hours, birthday parties (for adults or kids) or whatever fun idea you have. Events can be a few hours or overnight. Your event can include sailing, dockside service, or both.
Ask us about our team building events, which utilize the curriculum from our semester voyaging programs and create opportunities for teamwork you simply cannot find on land.
Email charter@saildetroit.com for more information.