Juniors

By Laura Beigel Sailors and enthusiasts alike gathered at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, CT on Tuesday, March 12 for the first MudRatz fundraiser of the year where “Chief Executive MudRat” Brandon Flack announced the donation of two keelboats to the organization and its new initiatives for youth sailors. The evening, billed as “Charlie & Sam: Stories and Surprises,” featured a special presentation by The Ocean Race (formerly the Volvo Ocean Race) skipper Charlie Enright…

By Debbie Huntsman and Joan Thayer AdventureSails are about small steps. We have been told that girls are most vulnerable when they enter the 7th grade. They have moved out of grammar school. They are growing awkwardly. Their bodies are changing. It is a time of wonder and each girl should be able to experience positive wonders. But for a variety of reasons, many girls do not have a support system in the family or schools. Thankfully there are organizations…

Foiling is the hottest thing in sailing right now, and our friends at Sail Black Rock in Bridgeport, CT and Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, NY have teamed up with WindCheck to present a unique writing contest with perhaps the most exciting prize in the history of youth sailing! The winning essay will appear in an upcoming issue of WindCheck (No, that’s not the prize), and the author will receive a scholarship for a one-week Oakcliff Foiling…

By Whitney Peterson, Gowrie Group Gowrie Group and the Burgee Insurance Program are proud to offer important safety materials and resources to sailing organizations nationwide. We believe one of the most important documents that all sailing organizations should have in place is an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). At the most basic level, an Emergency Action Plan covers these important things: The key steps to take if an emergency or life threatening injury occurs What to tell 9-1-1…

If you are looking for a great place to have fun and learn how to sail, check out the program at Shennecossett Yacht Club (SYC) in Groton, CT. Located next to UConn’s Avery Point Campus, SYC is just minutes from I-95, I-395, Route 1 and Route 117. In 2009, Bill Gaynor, SYC’s Director of Sailing, restarted the club’s junior sailing program. If Bill’s name is familiar, that’s because he’s the recently retired Head Sailing Coach at Stonington…

  Foiling is the hottest thing in sailing right now, and our friends at Sail Black Rock in Bridgeport, CT and Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, NY have teamed up with WindCheck to present a unique writing contest with perhaps the most exciting prize in the history of youth sailing! The winning essay will appear in an upcoming issue of WindCheck (No, that’s not the prize), and the author will receive a scholarship for a one-week Oakcliff…

One of the primary goals of junior sailing programs should be retaining kids long enough for them to develop a passion for the sport and a personal desire to continue. Far too often, however, before that happens kids are asked to spend too much time (years) in boats that do not align with their version of fun and pressure to “succeed” comes much too soon. The current junior sailing recipe is driving kids out and resulting in…

Young Americans overcome adversity in the Vineyard Race By Caitlin Owles, Alexa Shea & Elizabeth van der Voort Young American Sailing Academy Editor’s note: Many sailors would consider the failure of a boat’s electrical system during an overnight race sufficient cause for throwing in the towel and setting a course for the nearest tavern. For the eight teenage sailors aboard the J/105 Young American in this year’s running of Stamford Yacht Club’s Vineyard Race, quitting was never…

By Ben Cesare In our September issue, my Publisher’s Log made a case against the Optimist as a training boat. In October, we published some letters that agreed with the premise. This month there are some letters in defense. Beyond those, we have gathered many points of view…frankly it’s been exhausting as the topic generates a huge number of stories and opinions. Following is an effort to synthesize and provide a prescription. Luckily for me, I have…

Over 120 former members of the Junior Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound gathered on Saturday, September 8, 2018 under the Pandemonium at Larchmont Yacht Club, scene of many great dances during their junior sailing days. The day began, naturally, with racing in Ideal 18s provided by LYC. Each team had a special connection – lifelong sailing pals Rich duMoulin and Elliot Oldak (both Knickerbocker YC); Instructor Bill Sandberg (American) and pupil Lili Jenkins (Noroton); the…