Junior Sailing

Junior Sailing 2023

June 26 - August 18

4 Week Sessions:

Session 1: June 26 - July 21
Session 2: July 24 - August 18

2 Week Sessions:

Session 1: June 26 - July 7
Session 2: July 10 - 21
Session 3: July 24 - August 4
Session 4: August 7 - 18

Limited Member Fee

Junior Sailing classes are open and available to all. Those who are not year-round, dues paying CYC members need to pay a limited member fee for each child and for every 2-week session of participation. The fee is $100/two-weeks/child.

Opening Night

Friday, June 23

Registration

Click here to register

Medical Waiver

Medical Release & Liability Waiver (mandatory)

About Jr. Sailing

The CYC Jr. Sailing program is open to all juniors including non-members, member guests, friends and relatives.* The program provides a safe and fun environment where youth sailors of all ages and abilities can improve their sailing skills, while learning respect for their fellow sailors, boats and the water. Sportsmanship and respect are of the utmost importance, and it is the instructors' responsibility to engender these qualities among the sailors. The program strives to provide a high level of excellence as well as a variety of boats and classes to instill a lifetime love of the sport of sailing.

Jr. Sailing class placement is based primarily on skill, not age. Sailors must be 8 years old by September 1 the year in which he/she will begin to participate in junior sailing. There are multiple pathways for learning to sail, progressing through the CYC Junior Sailing Program, and becoming a competent sailor. Starting in the beginner class is always recommended as the best place to start learning to sail, regardless of age. Kids who start in the beginner class and go through the recommended class progression often become the most competent, confident, and independent sailors.

Classes & Schedules

Beginners
Intermediates
Adventure Optimist
Adventure Sailing
Green Fleet 420
CYC Green Fleet Optimist Team
CYC Optimist Racing Team
420 Racing Team
Lasers
Laser Clinics

Optional Fees

View add-ons & extras

Refund Policy

View refund policy

Equipment to bring 

View equipment to bring

Beginners, ages 8-12

An introduction to sailing, Beginners will have fun with the basics of sailing – wind directions, parts of the boat, rigging, capsize and recovery, bailing, knots, points of sail, tacking, jibing, towing, and docking, as well as basic boat care. Swimming, games, and knot tying will all be part of this fun-focused introduction to sailing class. This class will be taught primarily in Prams. Students will sail double-handed (in pairs). (In order to move to Intermediates, sailors must demonstrate that they are comfortable sailing alone.)

Schedule & Cost: there are 2 participation options for Beginners:

1. Participate Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings from 9-12, 2-week sessions; $265
2. Participate every morning for two weeks, 2-week sessions; $450

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Intermediates, ages 9-12

Intermediate sailors will build upon the skills learned as beginners to sail solo in Prams. A combination of fun activities and skill-building drills will be incorporated into the class to develop a love of sailing and confidence in each child. Docking, sail trim, weight distribution, maneuvering, points of sail, getting into and out ‘of irons’ and sailing backwards will all be covered in class. Seamanship and basic racing will also be introduced. Children may experience windier conditions in the afternoon classes, and thus may intermittently sail Hunter 140s with a junior instructor in the boat. Children must be comfortable sailing solo to participate.

• Schedule: Monday - Friday, 1 – 4 PM; 2-week sessions
• Cost: $300/session
• If your child is on the CYC tennis team and will not be able to attend Wednesday afternoon Intermediate sailing, contact Meg Myles: Meg@ConanicutYachtClub.org

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Adventure Optimist, ages 10-12

The next step after Intermediates, this class is for the sailor who has completed Intermediates (or the equivalent). Sailors must be comfortable sailing by themselves. The class will expand on the seamanship and boat handling they have previously learned with lots of “tiller time” in Optimists. Sailors will be on the water in their boats sailing for fun, exploring the Bay, learning how to sail well in a variety of conditions. (Sailing correctly on the various points of sail is a main focus in this class.) Instructors may also introduce racing in a fun, non-traditional way. Sailors must either have their own Optimist or charter a boat from CYC. (Charter boat cost: $200/session)

• Schedule: Monday - Friday afternoons from 1-4 PM, 2-week sessions
• Cost: $300/session
• Charter boat cost: $200/2-week session
• If your child is on the CYC Tennis Team and will not be able to attend Wednesday afternoon Adventure Opti, please contact Meg Myles: Meg@ConanicutYachtClub.org

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Adventure Sailing, ages 12 and older

For those who just want to recreationally sail, this class will focus on fun on the water and sailing to various destinations around the Bay. Multiple platforms are used to cruise around Narragansett Bay – RS Quest, Hunter 140, O’Pen Bics, Hartley 10’s, J/22s, etc... Sailors are welcome to bring their own boat to class too! Wednesday’s will be keel boat day. Tuesday & Thursday participants will have a choice as to what boats they want to sail. Sailors will play games and swim in addition to learning sailing basics such as wind direction, parts of the boat, rigging, capsize and recovery, knots, towing, docking, time and distance, as well as basic boat care.
Sailors will take turns doing all the jobs on the boat – steering and trimming the sails.

• Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday mornings from 9 AM - 12 PM, 2-week sessions
• Cost: $290/session

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Green Fleet 420, ages 13 and older

This is an introduction to sailing & racing Club 420s. Sailors who are interested in progressing to racing, and those who may be interested in high school and college sailing, should join this class. The class will focus on all aspects of becoming a competent 420 sailor - skippering and crewing, long-distance sails, seamanship skills, docking, rules of the road, and introduction to spinnaker and trapeze will be covered in class. Basic boat handling and more advanced boat handling will be stressed. Ideally, each sailor will become competent as a skipper and a crew. Sailors will switch skippering and crewing to get the experience of doing all the different jobs of sailing the boat.

All students in this class MUST view this safety video prior to the first day of class: https://youtu.be/gZT-lT0Hb0Q

• Schedule: Monday & Friday 9 am - 4 pm, Tues. & Thurs, 1 - 4 pm; 2-week sessions
• Cost: $425/session

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CYC Green Fleet Optimist Team

Green Fleet Opti Team is for beginning Optimist racers - it is next in the CYC class progression after Adventure Optimist. Sailors who participated in Adventure Optimist in previous years, anyone who is competitive, and/or is interested in starting to race Optimists should join this group. Like any other sport, racing hones skills and mastership of the sport. Instruction encourages fun on the water with sessions that combine racing drills and recreational sailing. Green fleet sailors need to be able to go upwind, tack, jibe, and control their boats in a variety of wind conditions. This group will also sail O’Pen Bics (now O’Pen Skiffs) for half a day, one class each week. This is to keep things fast, fun, and give them a different platform to hone their skills on.

This class will teach the fundamentals of racing and racing rules. Ideally, sailors will participate in local regattas on Narragansett Bay including Jr. Race Week as a part of the Green Fleet Optimist Team class. These races are typically short, close to shore, and are designed to encourage the beginning racer. Green Fleet includes sailors of any age with entry-level racing skills. There will be a CYC coach and motorboat at each scheduled regatta. Regatta entry fees and NBYA membership expenses are additional, but necessary to compete in the NBYA regattas. Parents must register their racers and let coaches know of their intent to participate in each regatta.
Sailors should have their own Optimists. CYC may have boats available for charter if needed though. Contact Meg Myles to discuss Meg@ConanicutYachtClub.org

Here is some great info for parents about Opti’s on the USODA Class website: https://usoda.org/faq

• Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9 am - 4 pm.
  This racing class is an 8-week experience in two four-week sessions. Sailors are strongly encouraged to participate in all 8 weeks.. Sailors MAY NOT join for only the second session without approval from the Program Director: Meg@ConanicutYachtClub.org
• Cost:
  • 4-week fee - $675
  • 8-week fee - $1,350

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CYC Optimist Racing Team

The CYC Opti Racing Team is for Optimist sailors who have completed at least one full season in Green Fleet Optimist. Sailors should have basic racing skills. Practices will focus on racing drills, advanced boat handling, racing rules, and strategy. This group will also sail O’Pen Bics (now O’Pen Skiffs) for half a day, one class each week. This is to keep things fast, fun, and give them a different platform to hone their skills on.

Optimist racers are expected to attend NBYA regattas and Jr. Race Week. There will be a CYC coach and motorboat at each scheduled regatta. Sailors must have their own boats.

(Please note, sailors in the CYC Optimist Racing class can choose to race in Green Fleet at regattas. This is ideal for a sailor who is more timid or new to racing.)

Here is some great info for parents about Opti’s on the USODA Class website: https://usoda.org/faq

• Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9 AM - 4 PM
  This racing class is an 8-week experience in two four-week sessions. Sailors are strongly encouraged to participate in all 8 weeks. Ideally a sailor who can participate for only 4-weeks will participate in the first 4-weeks.
• Cost:
  • 4-week fee - $675
  • 8-week fee - $1,350

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420 Racing Team

420 sailors who have a strong desire for racing and have demonstrated good, solid boat-handling skills in 420s or other boats, are ready for the CYC 420 Racing Team. Practices will focus on advanced boat handling with trapezes and spinnakers, racing drills, racing rules, and strategy. Skipper/crew teams will be formed by the coach, though requests will be considered. Sailors will switch skipper and crew roles during practices as much as possible. Fees include the use of CYC boats and equipment in class and at NBYA regattas. 420 sailors are encouraged to own their own boats. (See below for discounted pricing if you own your own boat.)

Newer, first year 420 racers are encouraged but not required to attend NBYA regattas. Those sailors may attend CYC’s Adventure Sailing Class (T, W, Th 9-12) during regatta days.

CYC will provide trailers or will tow on the water to NBYA regattas. Parents are needed to help tow the trailers and/or to tow boats by water to and from regattas.

There may be additional sailing opportunities for sailors to casually race against Sail Newport and other local clubs. These opportunities will be scheduled a week in advance.
Class size is limited to five CYC 420s, 10-12 sailors. This racing class is an 8-week experience in two four-week sessions. Sailors are strongly encouraged to participate in all 8 weeks.

All students in this class MUST view this safety video prior to the first day of class: https://youtu.be/gZT-lT0Hb0Q

• Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9 am - 4 pm
• Cost:
  • $875 for 4-weeks; $1750 for 8 weeks
  • $1,000 for 8 weeks if you bring your own boat

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Lasers

Hone your sailing skills by learning to sail and race Lasers! CYC has 4 Lasers with a variety of rig options (4.7, radial, and full rig), as well as a Byte. Kids must weigh at least 90 lbs and be skillful enough to dock the boat without damaging it. (If you need a Laser, there is a $200/session charter fee.)

Schedule & Costs there are two participation options for Lasers:

1. Monday & Friday, 9 am – 4 pm, $400/2 week session
2.  Monday & Friday, 1 pm – 4 pm, $200/2 week session

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Laser Clinics

Clinics will be scheduled on Wednesday evenings from 4:30 – 7:15 pm throughout the summer. Every effort will be made to hold Wednesday evening clinics each week. Please check the box to be contacted about the clinics when they are scheduled. Clinics will be scheduled a week in advance or more.

Schedule & Cost: Wednesday evenings, 4:30 – 7:15 pm, $45/clinic

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Add-On's & Extras

Lunch Account:
CYC Junior Sailors may sign up to have a lunch account and order lunch. This is for children who are in class all day only. (Year-round, dues paying members do not need to sign up for a lunch account.) Lunch orders are taken by a sailing instructor each morning. There is no lunch on Monday’s though as the kitchen is closed.
Cost: Sign-up for a lunch account requires a $50 deposit. Any remaining funds will be refunded at the end of the summer or the fall.

Optimist Trailer Spots:
CYC has an eight boat Optimist trailer to help transport our Green Fleet and Opti Racing sailors to regattas. The eight spots are available for purchase for the season for $150, or $55/event.
Parents are still responsible for getting their sailors to the regattas and all the gear except for the hulls.
Cost: $55/regatta or $150 for the season

Optimist Boat Charters:
CYC has Optimists available for charter. Charter priority is given to those participating in Adventure Optimist, however there are usually 1-2 Optimists available for those who are in a racing class and do not as yet own their own boat.
Cost: $200/2-week session

Laser Charters:
CYC owns four Lasers that are available for charter to anyone interested in CYC’s Junior Sailing Laser class, but who does not as yet own their own Laser. Boats come with all equipment needed to sail
Cost: $200/2-week session

Pinnies for Sailors in Racing Classes:
Sailors in racing classes, including Green Fleet, are required to wear CYC Junior Sailing pinnies to all NBYA regattas. (Sailors may choose to wear their pinnies during practice as well.) The pinnies help create a team atmosphere and help the CYC instructors be able to more easily identify CYC sailors at regattas. Pinnies are $35 and can be purchased during the check-out process now. If your sailor has a pinny from a previous year(s), you are not required to buy a new one. Sailors who have pinnies from last summer, may use those. Sailors new to CYC racing classes must purchase pinnies.
Cost: $35

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Refund Policy

After June 1, 2022 a $25 administrative fee will be assessed, with the balance refunded. If a sailor has attended class(es), the refund will be prorated based on the number of classes attended.

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Equipment To Bring

All Junior Sailors must bring their own life jacket. Life jackets are to be worn at all times when on a boat, on the water, on the pier, and on the docks.

ADDITIONALLY, CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE THE FOLLOWING:

• A life jacket
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Closed-toed boating shoes (bare feet not allowed)
• A snack (no food is provided)
• A Towel
• A change of clothes
• Layers in case it is cold or raining. (It is always cooler on the water, and sailors will sail in the rain. Children will NOT sail if there are thunderstorms or thunderstorms are within a 20 mile radius. Classes are held though, regardless of the weather.)
• A water bottle. In order to reduce the number of plastic cups used for water, sailors are required to bring their own water bottles. Refill stations are available in the junior room.

For information about the Junior Sailing Program, contact Meg Myles, Junior Sailing Program Director.

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