From dinghies and hydrofoils to offshore races and sail training aboard tall ships, these are exciting times for young sailors…many of whom actually write the stories in this section!
If you are looking for a great place to have fun and learn how to sail, check out the program at Shennecossett Yacht Club (SYC) in Groton, CT. Located next to UConn’s Avery Point Campus, SYC is just minutes from I-95, I-395, Route 1 and Route 117. In 2009, Bill Gaynor, SYC’s Director of Sailing,…
Foiling is the hottest thing in sailing right now, and our friends at Sail Black Rock in Bridgeport, CT and Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, NY have teamed up with WindCheck to present a unique writing contest with perhaps the most exciting prize in the history of youth sailing! The winning essay will appear…
One of the primary goals of junior sailing programs should be retaining kids long enough for them to develop a passion for the sport and a personal desire to continue. Far too often, however, before that happens kids are asked to spend too much time (years) in boats that do not align with their version…
Young Americans overcome adversity in the Vineyard Race By Caitlin Owles, Alexa Shea & Elizabeth van der Voort Young American Sailing Academy Editor’s note: Many sailors would consider the failure of a boat’s electrical system during an overnight race sufficient cause for throwing in the towel and setting a course for the nearest tavern. For…
By Ben Cesare In our September issue, my Publisher’s Log made a case against the Optimist as a training boat. In October, we published some letters that agreed with the premise. This month there are some letters in defense. Beyond those, we have gathered many points of view…frankly it’s been exhausting as the topic generates…
Over 120 former members of the Junior Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound gathered on Saturday, September 8, 2018 under the Pandemonium at Larchmont Yacht Club, scene of many great dances during their junior sailing days. The day began, naturally, with racing in Ideal 18s provided by LYC. Each team had a special connection…
On July 12 & 13, 2018, 51 teams of sailors between the ages of 12 and 18 raced their Club 420s in the Fourth Annual Dinghy Race by Volvo Construction Equipment.
Homeschooling began to grow in popularity in the 1970s when educational theorist John Holt asked parents to consider schools without walls, where kids can learn at their own pace in their own environment. This experiential-based approach has grown significantly, and today more than 2 million U.S. children are being taught from home.
Save the Bay Education Specialist Lauren Farnsworth and “Sealia” teach harbor seal anatomy on a recent seal watching expedition.
I think the Optimist stinks as an early trainer. Here is why. Like all sports, we are introducing our kids to sailing at a younger and younger age. It used to be 9 years old, and now programs start as young as 6. What does a typical 9 year old like? They tend to like other kids and want to be in close proximity to them. They don’t like to be scared. They don’t really have a handle on “seamanship” nor, unless they are gifted, the physics of sailing. And finally, sad to say, they may be a bit more spoiled than prior generations and like quick satisfaction (digital!) so menial chores, like bailing, turn them off more quickly.
Representing Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY, twin sisters Carmen and Emma Cowles, 18, won seven of nine races in the 420 Girls class at the Youth World Sailing Championships in Corpus Christi, TX this summer, garnering their second consecutive world championship title.
