In this work is described the procedure for determining the optimal route for sailing in which two methods for optimization are used: - Genetic algorithm - Nelder-Mead method. To determine the optimal route for sailing is of special significance for sailing on the longer routes, where the weather conditions change in time and location, while at the short distance can assume that the wind is unalterable. The optimal route for sailing is calculated relative to the weather forecast and sailing boat polar diagram data. In the polar diagram is defined dependence speed sailing boats on the speed and direction of wind on the bow, and by the wether forecast is defined direction and speed of wind in the specific area and time. Beside the weather forecast and sailing boat polar diagram, it is required to specify the departure and arrival points as well as the departure time in order to define wind on the specific area relative to the location and time. From the all specifed data about the wind and the boat it is possible for each direction of sailing at a time to determine the sailing boat speed and thus to calculate the time required for sailing on a particular route. To determine the optimal route at offshore sailing, it is necessary to take into account as much as possible opportunities because there is theoretically unlimited number of possibilities for the optimal sailing route. For this reason it was selected genetic algorithm that quickly finds global optimum, and for the further improvement of results is selected Nelder-Mead method, which quickly calculates the optimum from the initial state. As the initial vector is the result obtained using genetic algorithm, this approach enables the exploitation of the good side of both methods for the purpose of quick and precise calculation of global optimum. At mathematical model for calculation of the sailing time at smaller distances is assumed sailing at plane, while at the larger distances curvature of Earth is taken into account. Due to this, the distance between two points on Earth is calulated as Rhumb line instead of straight line.