Sail Orcas opens registration
for summer classes

Get ready to get out on the water!

Due to Covid-19, we are trying out a different sailing season this summer. With the help of OICF, instead of our normal sequence and size of classes, we are specializing our classes to keep sizes smaller than normal, and classes will be differentiated by skill level. Class sizes will be initially limited to 6 kids. Classes are divided into morning and afternoon sessions and run 4 days a week. As the season progresses, we may be able to expand class sizes beyond 6 students. We will maintain a waiting list for our classes.

Here is a description of our youth classes:

Youth Beginner (recommended ages 8 to 13)

The fundamentals of how to sail. Kids learn how to identify where the wind is coming from, make their boat move accordingly, recover a capsize, dock, and get in and out of safety position. The class uses Opti Prams and Open Bics. For kids that know the basics but are still working to master them, this class is also a refresher on how to sail and an opportunity to continue gaining confidence before moving into the intermediate class. The class is taught in Vanguard Prams, Open Bics, and the possibility for larger boats based on sailor skill and COVID restrictions.

Youth Intermediate (recommended ages 9 to 14)

For sailors who are comfortable with the basic boat mechanics and are ready to move into sailing a higher performance boat. For single handed sailing this class will feature Open Bics and Laser 4.7's based on skill level, size, and sailor goals. We will be focusing on how to use more controls on the boat and move into understanding the basics of racing.

Youth Advanced (recommended ages 10 to 14)

A continuation of learning how to adjust the boat in different wind conditions, how sail shape affects speed, and learning more about the fundamentals of racing. All kids are encouraged to begin taking part in Laser, Opti, or Open Bic racing. Drills will be based on teaching greater mastery of boat handling and a deeper understanding of the rules.

This summer we’re excited to be piloting a STEM Marine Science and Sailing program. The aim of the class is to connect kids to the Salish Sea and build their understanding of how the marine ecosystem functions. The class offers opportunities at home for family interaction with the materials and will be taught during the afternoon session the week of the August 2nd. The course was built using SeaDoc educational materials and is geared for kids from 4th through 6th grade. (We will be weaving Marine Sciences into our regular weekly classes to give all kids a taste of this class for future years.)

We are also running six Women’s Learn to Sail classes on Monday evenings. This is a class taught by women for women. The goal is to get more women out on the water and help them achieve whatever their sailing goals may be. Whether it’s learning the basics of how to sail or getting involved with the yacht club race scene, we’re here to teach. Our classes start in two person dinghies and this year we’ll have options for learning in larger keelboats. Class size will be initially limited to 6.

Tuesday nights will be Informal Laser racing for all ages, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Lasers provided by Sail Orcas will be initially limited to 6.

Watch our Facebook page for additional special events, races, or clinics this summer.

Greetings, Friends of Sail Orcas!

2020 will be a year that few forget – the COVID 19 pandemic impacted everything, causing closures and changes everywhere. We were saddened at the loss of Board member Les Zorb just recently, as well. Sail Orcas programs were also affected, but one bright spot was that we found ways to keep working with our junior sailors.

"You are the only people I see outside of my mom and dad."

Board member Steve Vurno and his son, Kai, volunteered to begin working with our sailing juniors in Lasers (singlehanded sailing dinghies) in early summer using COVID-safe protocols that included social distancing, wearing masks, and staying outside. Soon, they were working with 5-10 kids in Lasers, focusing on sailing drills and running practice races. For these kids (age 12-16), these workouts are often their only social interaction “in real life” (i.e., not on the computer). Typically, our sailing juniors (middle school and high school sailors) cease practicing in mid-autumn, but 2020 has been different – they continue to practice. This has been a tremendous learning opportunity for them, as they are embracing heavy-air sailing that is typical of the weather we have this time of year. Steve and Kai were also honored recently by Sail Orcas and Orcas Island Yacht Club for their efforts to keep Orcas kids sailing safely through the pandemic.

Looking forward to 2021

Sail Orcas is optimistic about 2021, but we are also being realistic. The immediate need in our community is to keep kids active and interacting in a safe activity during a pandemic, and we intend to support these efforts. Specifically, we ask for your help to refurbish the Lasers, which are being used multiple times each week, so that they are roughly equivalent to each other (~$600/Laser, total $6,000 for all ten). We will get back to a new normal eventually, and when we do, we will need to be ready for summer lessons, middle/high school racing, and programs that keep our community excited to be sailing in the beautiful area in which we live. Please consider the work we do when you are planning for your upcoming charitable donations.

Every donation is tax deductible; check should be made payable to Sail Orcas and mailed to PO Box 1226, Eastsound WA, 98245. Thank you for your support – we are grateful for it!

All the best from the volunteers who make Sail Orcas go.