Welcome to the 2025 Jr. Summer Sailing Program at Bay Shore Yacht Club!  All skill levels from beginner to advanced are welcome. Sailors will be placed in small groups based on age and ability to encourage team building and boating confidence. Children 7 to 17 learn to sail in an exciting, supportive, and safe environment, and leave our program with invaluable life skills both on and off the water.

From Sailing Foundations to Race Strategy & Tactics or Adventure Sailing, BSYC offers classes for all age groups and interests.  All Bay Shore Yacht Club Sailing Instructors have completed intensive US Sailing Level 1 Instructor Certification Courses and hold current CPR/First Aid/NY Boating Safety certificates. We also have several certified lifeguards on staff! 

In addition to classes, sailing tuition includes:

• Build your own craft - annual Huck Finn Race
• Adventure Sail to Clam Island
• Friday GSBYRA Regattas (Race Team)
• Wednesday Afternoon Opti Club Races
• Wednesday Evening Family Chill n Grill Nights
• Parent/Child Club Races
• Awards night for all sailors and families

MEMBER REGISTRATION - March 1st, 9:00am

Priority Registration for BSYC Members will end March 8th at 9:00am.

Non-MEMBER REGISTRATION - March 8th, 9:00am. New sailors are welcome to participate in the summer sailing program and related program activities for one season, and then the family is invited to apply for membership.

Classes will sell out. Please register your child early as there is limited enrollment in each class.

Sailor/Parent Orientation Breakfast Sunday, June 29th, 10am - 12:00pm

Awards Night - August 15th

7 Week Jr Sailing Program runs June 30th through August 15th

3 Week Afternoon Adventure Sailing will run in two sessions.

• ADVENTURE 1 - June 30th through July 18th
• ADVENTURE 2 - July 21st through August 8th

Morning Sessions (8:30am-12:00pm) beginner/intermediate students ages 7 & up

Afternoon Sessions (1:00pm-4:30pm) Adventure Sailors and Opti/Sunfish/420 Race Team  

There are four options for class registration:

• Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
• Monday/Wednesday
• Tuesday/Thursday
• Tuesday A.M./P.M. Full Day (for Opti Skippers who have graduated Green Fleet)
• Full Day options are available for Race Team or Sailors over 12 yrs old

MORNING CLASSES: 8:30am to 12:00pm

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

• Second Mate (group boats, Flying Scot/Mercury): 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 First Mate: for sailors who have successfully passed the Second Mate level. Our Instruction Team will use both land based chalk-talks and sailing games to develop sailor skills. Opti First Mate prepares sailors for independent skippering with the goal of participating in beginner (Green Fleet) Opti regattas. Students will continue STEM units in weather, wind, tides and learning about the marine life of the Great South Bay.
• Opti Beginning Skipper/Jr. Racing Team: for sailors who have completed Opti First Mate and are ready to move on to Opti Racing. Students will learn racing rules, performance rigging and strategy with our Race Coach, Tara Berry. Opti Race Team members can participate in GSBYRA Jr. Regattas or Club Races on Fridays throughout the Jr. Sailing Season. We strongly encourage our racing students to participate in classes Monday through Thursday. Full & half day classes are available. Racers are also encouraged to have their own Opti and parents are expected to help transport boats and sailors to Friday GSBYRA regattas along the Great South Bay. Weekly Wednesday afternoon Opti club races and Friday GSBYRA Jr. regattas are included in tuition. Students will continue STEM units in weather, wind, tides and learning about the marine life of the Great South Bay.

AFTERNOON CLASSES: 1:00pm to 4:30pm

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

• ADVENTURE Sailing - Three week sessions for AGES 12 and up: (Session 1: June 30 to July 17th / Session 2: July 21st to August 7th: this class is designed for new and returning students with or without prior experience. Sailors will experience a variety of BSYC boats: Mercury, 420 and Flying Scots, providing a great opportunity to build skills and sailing confidence. Adventure Sailing is available in two 3 week afternoon sessions, Monday -Thursday. Learn to read charts, identify weather patterns and navigate on short adventure sails: anchor, swim, clam on the flats and explore our beautiful Great South Bay!
• Opti, Sunfish & 420, Jr. Race Team (up to age 17): intermediate or advanced sailing skills required.  Students will build on their knowledge of racing rules, strategy and tactics under the supervision of our Race Coach, Tara Berry. Practice and improve start techniques, learn optimal sail shape, performance rigging and sail trim. Improve mark rounding, fly spinnaker in 420 and perfect roll tack/roll gybe. Classroom lessons will be held on bad weather days. The BSYC Race Team will compete in Friday GSBYRA Jr. Regattas along the Great South Bay (included in tuition). Opti and Sunfish Racers are strongly encouraged to have their own boats and parents will be expected to help transport boats and children. We encourage our racing students to participate in classes Monday through Thursday.

Please note: Fridays are reserved for BSYC Race Team participation in GSBYRA Junior Races along the Great South Bay. This is a fun opportunity for your child to meet friends from other yacht clubs 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. 

Classroom lessons will be held on bad weather days. There are no weather cancellations.  

Cancellation & Refund Policy: Fees are fully refundable for cancellation requests up to 2 weeks before the start of the BSYC Jr. Sailing Program.  Cancellations within 2 weeks of program start will be 50% refundable unless we are able to fill the spot with another child. In that case the fee is fully refundable. Fees are not refundable after program start. 

We look forward to an amazing summer of sailing with your child!

Connect with us on Instagram @bsyc.jyc 

Questions? Send Sailing Instruction a message using the Contact link at the bottom of this page or email bsycjrsailing@gmail.com.