About The School - Port Dover Yacht Club Sailing School
The Port Dover Yacht Club sailing school is a separate, not-for-profit division of the Port Dover Yacht Club, also a not-for-profit organization.
We want you to learn to love the sport of sailing as much as we do and intend to make your experience fun and successful. The Port Dover Yacht Club has effectively encouraged and trained sailors of all ages and abilities for years by hosting the Ontario Sailing Association's BOOM mobile sailing school.
Thanks to donations by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and some local sponsors we are excited to formalize this devotion to our sport by operating our own summer sailing school for youth and adults.
Our qualified instructors will guide new sailors through the basics and coach experienced sailors towards success in competitive regattas using the Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) certification system. The white sail program has three levels and is designed to teach beginners. The Bronze Sail program has two levels designed for the intermediate sailor.
Courses
White Sail levels I, II and III are introductory courses that introduce the basic skills of sailing, including seamanship and boat handling. On land students will learn parts of the boat, knots, safety and how to rig a boat.
The instructors will soon get the students on the water and focus on boat safety and boat handling skills. The activities will be taught with a focus on fun, building individual skills and confidence. Our fleet of small, Pico sailboats will be used with two children in a boat.
Bronze Sail level IV advances sailing ability by teaching sail trim, boat tuning and advanced boat handling skills. Level V teaches spinnaker use, trapeze, boat maintenance and sail theory. We have sophisticated 420's, which will be used for these advanced classes.
These levels are achieved when a minimum skill set is demonstrated. The number of weeks it takes to advance depends greatly on the individuals, everyone learns at their own pace and the weather plays an important role as well.
Once certified at a level, students can certify at the next level at any CYA certified school
Instructors
Our CYA instructors have national qualification and have additional proficiency in First Aid, Powerboat handling, and coaching theory certification. They enthusiastically teach our sailing school programs with kindness, respect and an emphasis on fun and safety. The sailing school is pleased to provide a high caliber of instructors.
Youth Programs
Sailing is an exciting, fun activity that we hope your child will enjoy. Sailing develops teamwork, leadership skills, a respect for the environment as well as fitness. Your child should be able to swim and be comfortable in and around the water.
Our program is suitable for children ages 8 to 16 and will be offered, 9am to 4 pm Monday to Friday starting July 4, 2011. Initially, white sail levels might be accomplished in a week (WS I) or two but Bronze levels require sailing skills that take longer to achieve, anywhere from two to four weeks or more. Advancement depends on many factors, including the age of the child and the weather for the week.
The instructors will ensure the children have a good time on and off the water. Special activity days are included in every session with lots of opportunity for games, and picnics. The social environment will be maintained in a friendly atmosphere with no swearing or bullying tolerated. Lunches will be brown bag and peanut-free.
Adult Programs
Adult dingy courses are taught in a series of four lessons, once a week in July and August. Our experienced instructors will be able to accept all levels of sailors for these courses, encouraging beginners to gain confidence and coaching experienced sailors.
The Adult Keel Boat program is a 2-weekend (30 Hour) CYA certified course that is run according to demand
Other Programs
The Port Dover Yacht Club sailing school also has other programming available for schools and other youth organizations. The Ontario Sailing Association has crafted curriculum compliant programs for elementary and secondary school students for one-day field trips. Please contact us for these trips.
Location
We are now, for the 2nd year at the Port Dover Harbour Marina, operating in cooperation with Norfolk County.