What’s it like to be a YYC Junior Sailor?
or the parent of one?
Every
weekday morning from late June until almost Labor Day,
Junior Sailors arrive at the Youngstown Yacht Club dock
by bicycle, family car, or on foot; life jacket over
shoulder, lunch in hand, and Tevas ® on feet for a day's
sailing.
By 10
o'clock, they are headed out the river in the Club's
dinghies, shepherded by accompanying instructors. In
early July, movements are hesitant, landings rough,
confusion frequent, and tears not unknown. Four weeks
later, sailing in 20 knot winds is routine, racing rules
are exploited to the utmost, and if the landings are
still rough, it is a matter of impatience rather than
inability. The children who were beginners a few short
weeks before are competent; the ones who are back for
advanced courses often become the experts.
Youngstown Yacht Club's Junior Sailing Program has been
a resounding success for more than forty years. At YYC,
our teaching philosophy is that one learns best by
doing. Consequently, our program features on-the-water
sailing 5 full days a week.
Sailors
aged seven to eighteen are instilled with a love of
sailing along with the fundamental sailing skills that
they can build upon. They receive instruction in safe
boating, seamanship, dinghy sailing, sailboat racing,
and boat maintenance. And the friendships made in the
Junior Program can be the most enduring they make. Some
last a lifetime.
Instructors and staff have received training from the
United States Sailing Association, and have Red Cross
training in First Aid and CPR. Juniors sail in YYC's
fleet of Vanguard Prams, C&C Nutshell Dinghies and
Vanguard Club 420's accompanied by instructors in four
to eight high speed support boats equipped to Coast
Guard standards, with VHF radios. The Junior Sailing
Program is open to both Youngstown Yacht Club members
and non-members.
Enrollment is on a first come, first serve basis.
Youngstown Yacht Club member applicants will receive
preference over nonmember applicants until June 1, 2007.
After this date, nonmember applicants will be assigned.
If a desired session is full, you will be given the
option to enroll in an unfilled session. Letters of
acceptance will be made by June 15, 2008. If not
notified by that date, please contact the Youngstown
Yacht Club office at 745-7230 X 10.
Placement. Although your child may have satisfied all
of the requirements considered for advancement, we
reserve the right to place your child in a class
category deemed appropriate by the head instructor. The
head instructor will place the most qualified children
first, on a space available basis.
Lifejackets. US Coast Guard Personal Flotation Devices (PFD's)
are required to be worn by all students enrolled in the
YYC Junior Sailing Program. Students are required to
provide their own PFD. A type III PFD is suggested and
approved for all students, for all classes, by New York
State. A Swim Test will
be conducted at Fort Niagara the first day of each
Junior Sailing session.
Lunch. Students enrolled in the full day classes must
bring their own lunch in a labeled, waterproof, plastic
bag. We suggest a one gallon size freezer baggie. A
refrigerator is in the Junior Sailing Building.
Bad Weather. Classes will be held each scheduled day
regardless of weather conditions. Weather conditions
each day will dictate how much on the water sailing time
each class will have. Alternative boating related
activities and/or field trips will be arranged by the
instruction staff.
2008 YYC
Junior Sailing T-shirts will be given out at the annual
Junior Sailing Awards Banquet. Details will be given to
your child.
To obtain an application please contact: Josie Fettante, YYC
Office Manager @ (716) 745-7230 Ext 10 or e-mail
YYC@Roadrunner.com;
Junior Sailing Director, Mark Schimley at (716) 773-3436
or e-mail
mschimley@aol.com or Head Instructor, Bruce Matthews
at (716) 417-7454 or e-mail: bcmatta3g@aol.com