Youngstown Junior Sailing

Sailors aged 7-17 are instilled with a love of sailing, along with the fundamental sailing skills that they can build upon. Children receive instruction in safe boating, seamanship, dinghy sailing, sailboat racing, and boat maintenance. Daily lessons are broken down into classroom, on land demonstrations, and on the water lessons. Whatever the age or experience of your child, we have a program that fits. Our teaching philosophy revolves around safety, fun, and learning. Consequently, our instructors are all trained by US Sailing and held to the latest safety practices and standards. Our well trained instructor staff are dedicated to creating a safe and fun learning experience on the water.

The friendships made in the Junior Program can be the most enduring friendships they make! Some last a lifetime.  We have 4 different class offerings to cover a variety of skills and ages. Need help choosing the right class? Contact sailingdirector@yyc.org

Dinghy Demons

Age 7-9 This is a program for our youngest sailors. If your son or daughter is new to sailing and under age 10, they will most likely be in the Dinghy Demon Program. The boats provided for sailing are called Prams. The Prams are a fleet of small, simple trainer boats supplied by Jr. Sailing. In this program the kids will have lots of fun getting accustomed to being on the water while learning the basics of rigging, steering, and trimming. This group stays in the river or bay most of the day.

Opti

Age 9-15 The Opti Program is for graduates of the Pram Program OR new sailors who are ready to learn how to race. It is divided into two groups, beginner (Opti Green Fleet) and Opti Race Ream. The Instructors will determine which group is best suited for your child. Sailors can sail Foundation owned boats or their privately owned boats for a discounted price. In the beginner group, sailors will learn about sail trim, boat handling, and basic rules as it relates to racing. The Opti Racing Team will break down the finer points of racing including tactics, sail shape, rules, etc. The great thing about the Opti is that since it is the premier boat for this age group, there are lots of opportunities to race against other sailors. They will often test their skills at various local regattas at the local, regional, and national level. How much they travel is really up to them, but regattas are a true highlight of this program.

Adventure Sailing

Our Adventure program is for sailors aged 9-15 and is designed for those who love sailing or want to learn to sail and be on the water, but aren’t necessarily interested in focusing on racing. This class will include fun and safe instructor led activities on the water. Activities can include; longer destination sails to local points of interest, swim breaks, picnics, and much more! Adventure Sailing includes several different types of boats including our new Ideal 18 Keelboats! This course is geared for adventure, fun and safety on the water. Basic boat handling, seamanship (knots, weather, etc.), sportsmanship, and water safety are all part of the adventures. Additionally our adventure sail program will feature some aspects of the REACH curriculum which incorporates hands-on, boating activities that relate to Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM).

Racing Team

Age 12-18 This is a racing program typically reserved for our experienced or more competitive sailors. It is a travel team that will offer opportunities to sail against other clubs around Western New York and beyond. The boats provided are 2-person Club 420 class sailboats outfitted with spinnaker and trapeze. Single handed Laser sailors are welcome if they provide their own boat. Sailors will refine their boat handling, tactics, and strategy and advance their knowledge of the racing rules, rigging and tuning, and sportsmanship. We offer this mostly in 2 week session blocks, and multiple sessions are encouraged to get the full racing team experience!