Time to Set Sail!

Stephen Vance, Staff

mfd sailing fp270 Meaford’s harbour will soon be dotted with a rainbow of colourful sails as Sail Georgian Bay opens for another season of training area youth to sail.

Sail Georgian Bay, a non-profit sailing school, offers sailing lessons to children ages 8-18 throughout the summer.

“We have introduced many children to sailing and water safety since the sailing school was founded in 2001. You’ll want to sign up early because spaces fill up quickly,” said the school.

An open house will be held at the school, which is located at Meaford’s Harbour below the Rotary Harbour Pavilion, on Friday, June 23, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“Sail around the harbour with our qualified coaches. Never been in a sailboat? That doesn’t matter – it’s all about the fun of trying a new experience. Just show up at our boathouse in Meaford harbour, be prepared to have fun, and get a little damp!” suggests the school.

“At 6:30 the sailing school will be officially naming and welcoming the latest addition to their fleet. Thanks to a very kind donation from a local sailor we now have a small keel boat to introduce adults to sailing. With her ballast keel there’s no worry of going for a swim and her large cockpit provides more room for adult size legs. She’s also very pretty – come and see for yourself.”

The popular youth programs begin in July, and adult programs are also offered.

The number of children served by the school is typically 100 to 150 students each summer. The school uses the CANSail Dinghy Program developed by Sail Canada, and currently offers Levels 1 through 4. They also have an introduction to racing program that runs one night a week for students who want to try competing in a fun and supportive environment.

The school provides summer employment for students who have obtained the necessary credentials from Sail Canada. Most of the instructors have gone through the school themselves and return as instructors who are passionate about sharing sailing with the new students. There is also a junior instructor program, whereby students who are considering becoming instructors themselves can volunteer their time at the school and work directly with a certified instructor to obtain experience, and also to decide if they would like to pursue their instructor status. The instructors must continually upgrade their skills through courses at Ontario Sailing in order to remain certified, giving the school a very highly qualified staff.

The school says that there are many benefits to be found by registering in one of their sailing classes including:

Self-Confidence: There is simply nothing like being able to pilot your own craft!
Spatial awareness: Sailors learn how to navigate a boat through narrow spaces and tight turns – how to avoid collisions, coast to a dock with finesse, or squeeze into a packed starting line at a regatta.
Weather knowledge: Do you know if the weather is building towards a storm or going to stay clear? If your child is a sailor, he or she will know. Weather knowledge comes in handy both on the water and on land.
Shipshape habits: Sailing students learn how to properly rig and unrig a boat. Kids learn to put things away in the right place, and keep them tidy while on the water. That’s a skill every parent wants!!
Tremendous fun!