The Manhattan Sailing School Teen Sailing Camp is a summer program run by the New York Harbor Sailing Foundation. It is one of the best ways you can spend a summer in Manhattan. You’ll be outdoors, sailing on a super cool boat and having lots of fun!
By the end of your first week at the Manhattan Sailing School Teen Sailing Camp, you’ll be able to hoist the sails, trim the sheets and steer the boat. By the end of your second week, you will by flying the spinnaker and trying to win the Lucky Dog Race! And while you are having so much fun, you will also be seeing world famous landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and meeting new friends and teammates.
LEVEL 1 – BASIC SAILING ON J/24S
This is where you begin and every teen will learn the basics of sailing including how to rig the sails, tie knots, trim the sheets and steer the boat. Basic Sailing is taught on a J/24 sailboat with an average of 5 students per instructor. Two or more weeks are recommended to gain a mastery of the basic skills.
LEVEL 2 – DINGHY SAILING ON THE 420S & LASERS
After teens learn the basics, those who wish to accelerate their skills can advance to dinghy sailing. Dinghies are lighter and more tippy boats. You get closer to the water and sometime capsize! Dinghy sailing teaches you to react quickly to changes in the wind. Dinghies are used for racing in college so this is a great introduction for young sailors. The 420s are two-person boats and Lasers are one-person boats. Teens who would prefer to sail dinghies rather than J/24 keelboats can go right into the dinghy program.
LEVEL 3 – BASIC COASTAL CRUISING ON A 36-FT SLOOP
A beautiful Concordia D36 has been donated to the NY Harbor Sailing Foundation and makes it possible for teens to participate in a trip of their lifetime. “No Moe” will be used for Basic Coastal Cruising. Teens start in New York Harbor on Monday with a training sail. Then on Tuesday morning, they head up the East River and enter Long Island Sound. After sailing for the day, the teens will take a mooring or tie up at the dock of a friendly yacht club. Teens will sleep on the boat or at a nearby Airbnb. On Wednesday, the teens will continue their exploration by sailing across the Sound to another Club. On Thursday, the teens will sail back home. The course wraps up on Friday with cleaning, reorganizing and a final sail.
At the end of each week, teens challenge the American Sailing Association basic sailing standard. Those wishing to receive ASA certification can do so. Friday afternoons feature the Lucky Dog Race when all the teen J/24s engage in a fun race before the graduation BBQ and ceremony.
