Registration for sailing classes for students ages 8 – 18 will open on April 15, 2017. Enrollment is limited to 6 per session for Little Puffs, Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced Single-Hand and 8 for Advanced Double-Hand. If you’d like to be added to our mailing list, send an email to NorthportSailing@aol.com and include your name, address, phone number and email address.
Classes are held at 105 Bay Street in Northport. It’s at the south end of the marina. There’s a map on our Contact page.
2017 CLASS SCHEDULE
We offer classes for 5 weeks. Morning classes are 9 am to noon. Afternoon classes are 1-4 pm.
July 3, 5-7 (4 day week; no class July 4th) / July 10-14 / July 17-21 / July 24-July 28 / July 31-August 4
The same classes are offered each week.
-Morning classes: Little Puffs, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Double-Hand
-Afternoon classes: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced Double-Hand, Advanced Single-Hand
-Wednesday nights (July 5, 12, 19 & 26 and August 2): NYSS Races begin at 4 pm for all current and former NYSS sailors who have experience sailing a Pico or Laser. (There will be no races for Opti sailors.) If you’re not registered to sail this year, you must bring this signed Racing Consent form to your first race. If you are registered, your registration permission covers races. Race details are here. You can race just one week or all 5. Current students get first dibs on boats.
-Friday nights: Family Picnic and Sail at 4:15 pm. Friday night is family night for both the morning and afternoon classes. We grill hot dogs and everyone brings a dish to pass. Our sailors will show you what they’ve learned.
Class Descriptions
Little Puffs: Designed for 8 and 9 year olds, this class will provide an introduction to sailing and comfort in and around the water. Activities include group sailing, knot tying, swim test, capsize drill, rigging and de-rigging an Opti and partner sailing. The focus is FUN and SAFETY.
Beginner: For beginning sailors ages 10-16 and sailors who have completed the Little Puffs Class. Emphasis is on basics and feeling comfortable on the water. Be ready to learn rigging, boat handling, terminology, capsize and recovery, knot tying, and marine safety. The maximum weight for beginners is 120 pounds.
Intermediate: Intended as a follow-up to Beginner. Sailors will strengthen their basic skills, become proficient at all points of sail and sail single-handed. Practicing tacking, jibing, sail trim, boat handling, knot tying, review of weather recognition and capsize and recovery are all goals of the class. The maximum weight for intermediate sailors is 120 pounds.
Advanced Double-Hand: Designed for those sailors who have mastered basic sailing. Sailors will strengthen sailing skills, and focus on boat handling, right of way, sailing in all conditions, and partner responsibilities. You must weigh at least 70 lbs. If you’re rated as an advanced double-hand sailor but weigh less than 70 lbs., please register for intermediate.
Advanced Single-Hand: Designed for those sailors who have mastered basic sailing. Sailors will strengthen sailing skills, and focus on boat handling, right of way, sailing in all conditions and racing. You must weigh at least 100 lbs and have completed double-hand. If you weigh between 70 & 100 pounds, register for advanced double-hand.
Why the weight restrictions? A person bigger than 120 pounds has difficulty moving around in the small boats used for beginner and intermediate classes. For the advanced sailors, it’s a matter of having enough weight to keep the boat upright and to right it if it capsizes. All classes beyond Little Puffs & Beginner require the recommendation of the instructor for enrollment.
