Kids Sailing
Children take naturally to sailing. We are specialists in teaching children to sail. Our sailing program for children was developed , by us, from the Royal Yachting Association Young Sailors Program which breaks down the learning process into many stages so that each child can learn at his or her own pace. See further below for full details for each stage. You can rest assured that your children will not only have great fun, but also progress significantly from one summer to the next, or even from one week to the next.
Recent quotes from happy campers:
I just wanted to tell you how much our granddaughter enjoyed her first encounter with sailing. She was a little overwhelmed on Monday but by Friday was feeling very confident. Personally, I was most impressed with how well organized the activities were. Thanks for a wonderful experience. B. July 2020
“I have missed camp since the day I left. Thank you for the amazing week I spent sailing. I have experienced some of the best times of my life there, and hope to have many more memorable times in the summers to come.” – 13 year old E
“I just wanted to thank you and your wonderful instructors for providing a great camp experience for our family last week. Your instructors are great sailors who are so patient with the kids and able to roll with whatever the kids bring their way. Everyone was just great.” Shirley
Sailing camp in Irvington, Virginia
We have been using this program for years and have successfully taught hundreds of young people from age 6 -17 to sail with confidence and have fun! We use Optimists, Sunfish, RS Tera, Laser Bahia, Hartley 10s, Laser Byte and Minifsh, and believe in having each child sailing their own boat from the first day. Children can move up through the stages of the program from one year to the next, and for the more advanced young sailors we run Race Training and J24 sailing courses. Sailing camps run Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm. Children can take shorter courses of 2 or 3 days if lack of time is an issue.
- Stage 1 (Introduction)
- Finding wind direction
- Helping to rig boats
- Wearing lifejacket properly
- Swim test
- Golden rule when capsizing
- Tying figure 8 knot
- Steering straight course
- Tacking
- Slowing and stopping the boat
- Helping to derig boats
- Stage 2 (Basic)
- Naming parts of boat
- Naming parts of sail
- Rigging a boat
- Preparing for tow
- Tacking and gybing
- Man overboad recovery
- Capsizing and righting the boat
- Putting boat in safety position
- Launching and landing
- Tying a bowline, cleat knot, round turn and two half hitches
- Starting to sail upwind
- Stage 3 (Intermediate)
- Five points of sailing
- Understanding windward and leeward
- Easing sails when you bear away
- Terminology – bearing away, luffing up etc.
- Aerodynamics
- Gybing well
- Getting out of irons
- Sailing upwind
- Coming alongside anchored boat
- Launching and landing properly
- Hiking out to keep boat level
- Tying a clove hitch
- Stage 4 (Advanced)
- Understanding all points of sailing
- Adjusting centerboard for all points of sailing
- Weight placement fore and aft
- Weight placement to head up, bear away
- Rigging perfectly according to weather conditions
- Sail safely downwind being aware of gybing points
- Understanding sailing by the lee
- Coiling and heaving lines
- Tying double sheet bend.
- Recognizing thunder storm patterns
- Understanding channel markers
- Knowledge of different rigs – yawl, ketch. Schooner, lateen, sprit
- Familiarity with traditional terminology
- Knowledge of boat building techniques
- Stage 5 ( Pre – Instructor)
- Extensive terminology vocabulary
- Tying all knots including rolling hitch without hesitation
- Demonstrate perfect points of sailing
- Towing another boat while sailing.
- Sailing backwards
- Heavy weather sailing techniques
- Pinching and feathering
- Quick gybe in heavy weather
- Sailing without a rudder
- Tides and tidal currents
- Dock etiquette and Flag etiquette
- Hydrodynamics and aerodynamics
- Sail cloths and sail making techniques
- Race Training Course
- J24 Sailing Course
J24 Basic Sailing & Spinnaker Sailing
This is a sailing course for teenagers between 13 and 18, and is done in a J24 in which you will learn to sail a bigger boat and have fun sailing to different destinations, anchoring for lunch, docking the boat etc. Mostly suitable for kids who have already done some small boat sailing. One instructor and 4 students per boat.
Quick Lessons
Half day lessons are also available.
Safe Powerboating for Kids
Powerboating classes also are an option.
Pricing
Click above to see the price list.
Schedule
Click above to view the course schedule.
Enroll Now!
Fill out the enrollment form to sign up for this program today!
Contact Us!
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