Public registration for our award-winning Summer Sailing Programs is now open!

Columbia Sailing Club is proud to present our

 

2024 David Van Cleef Youth Sailing Summer Programs!

 

With classes and camps for all experience levels and no need to own your own boat, this will be a perfect summer to start or expand your sailing adventures!

 

Our full-day (9:30am – 4:30pm) one-week sessions are open to the public…you don’t have to be a club member!

 

Each session has limited capacity so sailors can enjoy an outstanding student/coach ratio.

 

Eager to secure your child’s spot and get sailing?

Are you looking for a discount on our sailing camps?

 

Early registration discounts are available!

ends January 21, 2024 at 11:59pm

 

  • 10% off when you register a single camper for 2 weeks of camp*

  • 15% off when you register a single camper for 3 or more weeks of camp!*

 

*Restrictions apply – Excludes PB&J. Must complete registration in one transaction for the discount to apply. The discount cannot be added for an additional registration made at a later date. Each camper must be registered individually, so the discount applies only to multiple registrations for the SAME camper, and does not apply to single-session registrations for multiple campers. If the camper later cancels/withdraws from a session that would have changed the discount eligibility (i.e. moving from 3 sessions to 2, or from 2 sessions to 1), the eligible refund will be for the maximum discount the registration would have received with new/remaining number of sessions registered.

Need help choosing the right program?

 

Check the table below.

 

There are options available for all ages and experience levels, and campers can greatly benefit from taking the same program more than once.

 

The most important factor in becoming a better sailor is time on the water, so let’s get sailing!

Program Descriptions

 

PB&J Sailing:

Public – $39
CSC Member – $29

 

All Other Programs:

Public – $459
CSC Member – $359

 

*denotes program has prerequisite

Click below to expand individual program descriptions

PB&J Sailing - Ages 4 to 8

PB&J Sailing

Ages 4 to 8

Designed as an introductory, hands-on program, the goal of PB&J is to plant and then sow a seed that creates a love for the outdoors, the water, and of course, sailing! It's not a class that teaches beginner sailing like our week-long camps that starts at age seven, but rather a preparation for it, akin to tee-ball as an introduction to baseball.

As such, we will play, laugh, swim, learn, and sail, and hopefully impart our own love for sailing in the process. We aim to build life-long sailors by helping kids become more comfortable in the water and providing them with a fun and welcoming introduction to sailing.

 

Each PB&J class starts with the three rules: have fun, wear a lifejacket, and listen to the coach. With just three rules, things are kept simple and safe.

 

PB&J Sailing is available on

 

Wednesdays from 5:30-7:00pm throughout June & July

(no session July 3)

What better way to get your little ones outside and learning while having fun?

Sailing Optimists - Ages 7 to 14

Sailing Optimists

Ages 7 to 14 | Prerequisite: None

Taught on the ubiquitous “Opti” sailboat, this program teaches the basics of boat handling, sailing fundamentals, seamanship (knots, weather, etc.), sportsmanship, water safety, and a basic introduction to the sport of sailing. Sailors learn the essentials of steering, trimming the sail, and balancing the boat in an exciting, hands-on way. More advanced Opti sailors may single-hand their boat—sail it by themselves—as well as learn how to rig, launch, recover, and properly store their boat and equipment.

 

Sailing Optimists is available during

 

Session 1 | June 3-7

Session 2 | June 10-14

Session 3 | June 17-21

Session 4 | June 24-28

Session 5 | July 8-12

Session 6 | July 15-19

Session 7 | July 22-26

Ready to sail an Opti?

Sailing 420s - Ages 12 to 18

Sailing 420s

Ages 12 to 18 | Prerequisite: None

This sailing program is taught on Club 420 sailboats, a two-person or “double-handed” boat so called for its length: 420cm or 13’9”. The program is for older and larger sailors who are new to sailing, or younger sailors with some experience but who are new to the Club 420 sailboat. Course includes basics of rigging a Club 420 sailboat, basic boat handling, seamanship (knots, weather, etc.), sportsmanship, and water safety. Sailors who grasp the fundamentals quickly may be asked to lead the fleet on a long-distance sail or begin an introduction to racing.

 

Sailing 420s is available during

 

Session 1 | June 3-7

Session 2 | June 10-14

Ready to sail a 420?

*Racing and Exploration - Dinghies | Ages 8 to 15

Racing and Exploration - Dinghies

Ages 8 to 15 | Prerequisite: Some sailing experience and comfort on the water

This course is for sailors who are comfortable on the water and have completed a previous week of camp or have some other sailing experience. Sailors will get a chance to sail a variety of boats—Opti, Skiff, C420, Sunfish—and the course will teach additional sailing concepts while honing the fundamentals.

The course includes introductory racing concepts like basic racing rules, starting sequences, and simple race courses, as well as introductory cruising concepts like destination sailing and basic navigation. Both racing and adventure sailing can be further explored in additional programs.

 

*Sailors in Optimist, Skiff, and Sunfish sailboats will need to be functionally competent in “single-handing” their boat, which involves controlling the sail and steering simultaneously. This multitasking, while essential, can sometimes be challenging, especially for our youngest sailors. If your sailor is not quite ready to single-hand, consider some more “tiller time” in the Sailing Optimists program.

 

Racing and Adventure – Dinghies is available during

 

Session 1 | June 3-7

Session 3 | June 17-21

Session 4 | June 24-28

Session 5 | July 8-12

Session 6 | July 15-19

Session 7 | July 22-26

You ready to get back on the water?

Adventure Sailing - Big Boats | Ages 10 to 18

Adventure Sailing - Big Boats

Ages 10 to 18 | Prerequisite: None

This wildly popular program is one all the littlest sailors look forward to, and one all the parents are envious of…it’s Big Boat Adventure Sailing! The program is taught on Big Sailboats ranging from 23’ to 34’ and is the best way to get the feeling of “sailing the high seas” right here in the Midlands.

Sailors will learn how to sail as a crew, each having individual responsibilities, but working as a team. They will also discuss basic navigation, trip planning, boat mechanics, and environmental awareness.

 

Weather permitting, day-to-day activities may include long-distance sails up the lake, lunch on an island, scavenger hunts, or a visit to the waterfront restaurant Liberty on the Lake.

 

This class is perfect for the child that loves the water and experiencing it in a variety of ways. It is an inspired alternative to the conventional racing track route and will build a foundation for lifelong sailors.

 

Adventure Sailing – Big Boats available during

 

Session 2 | June 10-14

Session 3 | June 17-21

Session 4 | June 24-28

Session 5 | July 8-12

Session 6 | July 15-19

Session 7 | July 22-26

Are you ready for an adventure?

Summer Schedule and Session Availability

  • Session 1 | June 3-7

    • Sailing Optimists
    • Sailing 420s
    • *Racing & Exploration – Dinghies

  • Session 2 | June 10-14

    • Sailing Optimists
    • Sailing 420s
    • Adventure Sailing – Big Boats

  • Session 3 | June 17-21

    • Sailing Optimists
    • *Racing and Exploration – Dinghies
    • Adventure Sailing – Big Boats

  • Session 4 | June 24-28

    • Sailing Optimists
    • *Racing & Exploration – Dinghies
    • Adventure Sailing – Big Boats

  • Session 5 | July 8-12

    • Sailing Optimists
    • *Racing & Exploration – Dinghies
    • Adventure Sailing – Big Boats

  • Session 6 | July 15-19

    • Sailing Optimists
    • *Racing & Exploration – Dinghies
    • Adventure Sailing – Big Boats

  • Session 7 | July 22-26

    • Sailing Optimists
    • *Racing & Exploration – Dinghies
    • Adventure Sailing – Big Boats

Are you excited for summer yet? We certainly are, and we can’t wait to sail with you!

Registration Notes:

  • You may sign up for more than one class.
  • CSC Sailing Director reserves the right to move a sailor into another program better suited to their skill and/or age.
  • All sailors must be registered online. Upon completion of registration, ClubSpot will display a confirmation number in the browser and send a confirmation email.
  • Minimum Age – Your child must turn the minimum age of the respective class within 30 days of the start of the class session. No exceptions.
  • Once you submit your registration and payment, you will receive an additional form(s) via email that will require an e-signature from the participant’s Parent/Guardian.

 

Contact Brandon P. Gerrald, Sailing Director with any registration issues – brandon@columbiasailingclub.org

Payments and Refund/Withdrawal Policy:

Online payment is due and required at the time of online registration. The CSC Sailing Director is not able to process offline registrations, nor can they accept cash or check.

 

Please be sure of your schedule and availability when you register for a program. Our programs are staffed based on the allotted capacity and sell out weeks to months in advance. Last-minute withdrawals do not allow time for the available program spot to filled, thereby preventing someone else from enjoying the sailing program.

 

As such and in the interest of fair and equitable application of this policy, exceptions to the refund policy will not be made for unexpected scheduling conflicts, changes of plan, changes of heart, etc.

 

Refund availability and amount refunded or credited for any camp, class, clinic, session, program, etc. will strictly follow the policy below.