Optimist Level 1 Pre-requisite: 7 years old by the start of the session.

Student Age Recommendation: 7-12 years old or up to 110 lbs.

The goal of the Level 1 Optimist- Beginner class is for each child to have positive early experiences on the water and while sailing. Building confidence, ensuring safety, demonstrating respect, courtesy to others, and good teamwork are primary goals. Novice sailors learn basic nomenclature, seamanship, and sailing skills. Optimist Prams are used for instruction. Fun sailing games and other skill-related activities are incorporated into the course. Upon completion students should feel comfortable sailing alone in an Optimist dinghy.

Focus:

• Parts of the Boat
• Steering
• Points of Sail
• Upwind/Downwind Sailing
• Rigging/De-rigging
• Capsize/Recovery
• Knots/Lines
• Safety
• Casting-off/Landing
• Having Fun

Runs on a biweekly half day schedule (morning or afternoon), cost is $425 or you can do full day for two weeks with cost being $850. There is also an option for one week of full day camp for any week of camp for $425.

Scholarships available, apply here to see if your family qualifies:

Apply for a Sarasota Youth Sailing Scholarship.

Level 2 Optimist Pre-requisite: Level 1 Optimist or Sailing Director’s Approval Student

Age Recommendation: 8-12 years old.

The Level 2-Skipper class is an extension of the Level 1 Optimist class that helps students develop skills while also building knowledge and confidence. Skipper class sailors focus on refining boat control, boat handling skills, and learn more safety practices. Sailors will be introduced to sailing around a course. Optimist dinghies are used for single-handed sailing, and there may be opportunities to sail in 420s at the instructor’s discretion. As in the Novice class, fun sailing games and other skill-related activities will be incorporated into the teaching.

Focus:

• Knots/Lines
• Upwind/Downwind Sailing
• Wind Direction
• Rigging/De-rigging
• Tacking/Jibing
• Points of Sail
• Casting-off/Landing
• Getting out of Irons
• Sail Trim
• Starting/Stopping
• Safety
• Man Overboard Recovery
• Having Fun
• Basic Rules of the Road

Runs on a biweekly half day schedule (morning or afternoon), cost is $425 or you can do full day for two weeks with cost being $850. There is also an option for one week of full day camp for any week of camp for $425.

Scholarships available, apply here to see if your family qualifies:

Apply for a Sarasota Youth Sailing Scholarship.

420 Basics and Beyond Prerequisite: Sailing experience is not required for this camp. 

Student Age Recommendation: 13-18 years old. 

This camp isdesigned for those junior sailors who are experiencing sailing a double-handed boat for the first time, and also for those who already have experience with 420s and would like to build on and practice their skills with our excellent coaching staff. “420 Basics and Beyond” is a mixed-level camp.

Your sailor is sure to make friends in this camp as they learn and/or build their sailing skills in this mixed-level double-handed (two-sailor operated) boat! If your sailor is interested in pursuing high school sailing, this is the boat used for high school teams, so this is also the camp that would help sailors prepare for or practice for high school racing. Sarasota Youth Sailing is the center for High School sailing in our area, hosting teams from Sarasota High, Cardinal Mooney, Sarasota Military Academy, Pine View and more for practice every Tuesday after school during the school year. SYS also hosts 1-2 SAISA (South Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association) regattas annually for our regional high school teams.

Beginner 420 sailors learn the basics as this camp begins with a series of demonstrations both on land and on the water where students will develop an understanding how to sail 420s and work as part of a team. Coursework will focus on the introduction of a jib, proper sail trim, using a spinnaker as well as the proper terminology. 

Focus for beginners:

• Teamwork
• Tacking/Gybing
• Terminology
• Using a spinnaker
• Introduction of Jib
• Safety
• Proper sail trim
• Having Fun

More experienced sailors will have the opportunity to go “beyond basics” and further their education in a high performance boat. Sailors train in both the skipper and crew positions learning how to use a spinnaker, proper position on roll tacks and gybes, and weight placement. Sailors receive on-shore chalk talks in preparation for on-the-water drills, and they are instructed on sail trim, boat speed and rules. The class will also cover the basic concepts of racing. 

Focus for more experienced sailors:

• Teamwork
• Spinnaker skills
• Skipper/Crew assignments
• Introduction to racing
• Safety
• Roll Tacking/Gybing
• Having Fun

Runs on a biweekly half day schedule (morning or afternoon), cost is $425 or you can do full day for two weeks with cost being $850. There is also an option for one week of full day camp for any week of camp for $425.

Scholarships available, apply here to see if your family qualifies:

Apply for a Sarasota Youth Sailing Scholarship.

Adventure Sailing Pre-requisite: 4^th – 8^th Grade in school 

Student Age Recommendation: 9-14 years old

Adventure sailing is a blast! This is a more leisurly camp where sailors from beginner to advanced levels sail the Hobie Waves, and also explore other watersports like kayaking, fishing, as well as try out boats on our other fleets. This is a fun camp where sailors do a variety of actiivities, including exploring nearby islands, go on nature walks, sail to sandbars and swim, and more!

Runs on a biweekly half day schedule (morning or afternoon), cost is $425 or you can do full day for two weeks with cost being $850. There is also an option for one week of full day camp for any week of camp for $425.

Scholarships available, apply here to see if your family qualifies:

Apply for a Sarasota Youth Sailing Scholarship.

O’Pen Skiffs Pre-requisite: Opti Level 2 or 420 experience.

Student Age Recommendation: 8-14.

The O’Pen Skiff camp (formerly called O’Pen Bic Camp) gives experienced sailors and Optimist racers an opportunity to further their education in a fun exciting boat.  Sailors will work on the basic points of sail while having fun and cruising around the bay!  Sailors receive on-shore chalk talks in preparation for on-the-water activities, and they are instructed on sail trim, boat speed and rules. Focus:

• Having Fun!
• Knots
• Upwind/Downwind Sailing
• Wind Direction
• Rigging/De-rigging
• Tacking/Jibing
• Points of Sail
• Casting-off/Landing
• Getting out of Irons
• Sail Trim
• Starting/Stopping
• Safety
• Man Overboard Recovery
• Basic Rules of the Road

Runs on a biweekly half day schedule (morning or afternoon), cost is $425 or you can do full day for two weeks with cost being $850. There is also an option for one week of full day camp for any week of camp for $425.

Scholarships available, apply here to see if your family qualifies:

Apply for a Sarasota Youth Sailing Scholarship.