Welcome to the 2023 Jr. Summer Sailing Program

Member registration opens March 21st, Non-member registration opens April 15th.

Kids 7 years old and up learn to sail in an exciting, supportive, and safe environment, and leave our program with invaluable life skills both on and off the water.

• Our 7 week program runs June 26th through August 16th
• Sailor/Parent Orientation is Saturday June 24, from 10am-12pm: Join us in the JYC for a welcome breakfast, meet your instructors, enjoy a quick program overview and pick up your BSYC JR. SAILING Shirts!
• Please note that in addition to the descriptions below, students will experience a variety of boats: Optis, Mercury, Sunfish, 420s and our newly added Flying Scots.
• Morning Sessions (8:30am-12pm) are for beginner to intermediate students and Afternoon Sessions (1pm-4:30pm) are for intermediate to advanced sailors.
• All Jr. Sailors are welcome to participate in our annual Huck Finn Race, Fire Island Adventure Sail, Wednesday Afternoon Races, Jr. Club Races, FUN WEEK August 13-16 (water games, slides, and beach party!) and GSBYRA Jr. Races hosted by local yacht clubs along the Great South Bay every Friday.

There are three options for class registration:

• Monday/Wednesday/ (Friday Racing)
• Tuesday/Thursday/ (Friday Racing)
• Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/ (Friday Racing)

 Sailors will be grouped by ability. All students must pass a BSYC swim test.

Crew: This program is designed for children ages 7 and up, who are ready to learn the foundations of boat safety, seamanship, and sportsmanship. These sailors have little to no sailing experience. Variety, teamwork, fun, and skill-building are the core of the curriculum. Sailing games on and off the water, boating vocabulary, a STEM introduction to weather, wind, tides and learning about the marine life of the Great South Bay are important parts of this class.

OPTI Beginner Skipper: for sailors who have successfully passed the Crew level and are ready for an introduction to our Opti Skipper program. Sailors will work in small groups with the instruction team to increase their skills, learning safe seamanship: tacking, gybing, rounding marks and safe docking. Land based chalk-talk plus sailing drills and games on the water will prepare Opti Beginner Students for independent skippering in beginner Green Fleet Opti regattas.

Opti Advanced Skipper/Jr. Racing Team: for sailors who have completed training for Opti Green Fleet and are ready to move on to the advanced Opti RED/WHITE/BLUE Fleet. Students will learn racing rules, performance rigging and strategy. Opti Race Team members are encouraged to participate in GSBYRA Jr. Regattas or Club Races on Fridays throughout the Jr. Sailing Season. Racers are encouraged to have their own boats and parents will be expected to help transport boats and children to Friday GSBYRA races.

Classroom lessons will be held on bad weather days.

 Sailors will be grouped by ability. All students must pass a BSYC swim test.

Intermediate: This class is designed for students with experience who are comfortable single-handing or sailing as crew.  Students will experience a variety of boats: Sunfish, Mercury, 420 and Flying Scots, providing a great opportunity to build skills and sailing confidence. Participation in BSYC Wednesday Afternoon Racing and GSBYRA JR. Friday Racing is encouraged.

Jr. Race Team: Dinghy racing in Opti, Sunfish or 420. Advanced sailing skills are required. Students will build on their knowledge of racing rules and tactics. Sail common race courses such as windward-leeward course and triangular course. Practice and improve starting techniques, learn start signals and sequences, optimal sail shape, performance rigging and sail trim. Improve rounding of all marks and learn protocol to lodge a protest. Classroom lessons will be held on bad weather days. The Jr. Race Team will compete in Friday GSBYRA Jr. Regattas along the Great South Bay. Opti and Sunfish Racers are strongly encouraged to have their own boat and parents will be expected to help transport boats and children.

Please note: Fridays will be reserved for BSYC Club Races and/or GSBYRA Jr Races along the Great South Bay. Once your child completes a safety certification for Opti Beginner Skipper, they will be eligible to join the BSYC Jr. Race Team. This is a fun opportunity for your child to learn life skills such as resilience, independence, decision-making, the value of sportsmanship, respect, teamwork, inclusiveness, and caring for the environment. If there are no GSBYRA Jr. Regattas scheduled, Friday races and sailing games will be held at our home club.

Please click the button below to register. We look forward to a wonderful summer of sailing with your child!