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June 22 – August 20
Please sign up for lessons at the Ultra Camp registration page.
For the past 25 years, Orcas youth ages 8–15 have been introduced to the sport of sailing through this popular program. The program focuses on teaching sailing skills in a safe, fun environment. With a variety of boats including Optimist Prams, Bics, Lasers, and V-15s, the program can accommodate beginners and experienced sailors anxious to expand their skills. The venue is the protected waters of West Sound on Orcas Island — a great place for kids because there is little boat traffic and the waves and chop are minimal.
Sail Orcas is very pleased to announce that our lead instructors hold professional US Sailing Certification Level 1 Instructor training.
For ages 8 and up we teach beginner lessons. Once kids have had a few weeks of beginner classes and are feeling comfortable in the boat, we offer intermediate and advanced options. We also have youth racing options for those sailors who want to sail competitively.
Learn to Sail (Beginner): This is the first step in learning how to sail. The class is mostly done in Optimist sailboats — the little ones with colorful square sails. If your sailor hasn't taken a dinghy sailing class before, this is where you want to begin. For ages 8 and up.
Learn to Sail (Intermediate): Taking the next step in improving your sailor's knowledge, this class introduces kids to faster boats and double-handed sailing. We use O'pen Bics, Lasers, and V-15s. The typical student has taken at least two or three weeks of sailing classes and can comfortably operate an Optimist sailboat on their own.
Race Clinics (Advanced): This takes kids from Learn to Sail to Learn to Race. The clinics primarily use Optis, Lasers, and FJs to teach kids the fundamentals of racing. We cover how a racecourse works, inform sailors about upcoming racing opportunities, and work on advanced boat-handling skills.
Our morning sessions run from 9am to 12pm and our afternoon sessions from 1pm to 4pm.
A well-prepared sailor brings a towel, water-compatible shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a dry change of clothes, water, and snacks. Sailors are welcome to bring their own coast-guard-approved life jacket sized appropriately for the child. We have plenty of wetsuits and life jackets available at no cost.
We are a volunteer-run, nonprofit foundation that exists to share the joy of sailing. In addition to providing adult and youth lessons, Sail Orcas sponsors a successful racing team that competes at a regional and national level.