SSA Junior Sailing
SUMMER 2025
In the summer, we offer a diverse array of instructional classes and competitive race teams!
SUMMER 2025
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SUMMER 2025 ⋆
Scroll down to view our Summer 2025 offerings:
Harbor Rookies, Beginner Opti, Intermediate Opti, Rookie Racers, Intro to High School Sailing, & Adventure SSAiling!
Click Here to view our Summer Race Teams
Registration for Dues-Paying SSA Members opens on January 8th, 2025
Registration for Junior Club Members/Non-Members opens on January 22.
Harbor Rookies
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Ages: 5 - 7
Time: 9am to 12pm | One-Week Sessions
For: Brand new sailors!
Pre-Requisite: Completion of one year of Kindergarten
Price: $450
This half-day class will teach the basics of sailing, but is primarily geared towards having fun and getting young sailors comfortable on the water in boats. Participants will learn how to steer a boat, rig a boat, basic points of sail, rules of the road, basic sailing knots, and how to recover after a capsize. There will be a lot of fun games and team activities integrated into this class. Participants will be sailing in McLaughlin Sail Cubes (similar to an Optimist dinghy), and will start two to a boat, with the goal to sail by themselves by the end of the session!
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Participants will need to bring the following things to camp every day, clearly labeled with their name:
PFD/Life Jacket (Coast Guard Approved) with whistle
Closed-toed shoes that can get wet
Change of clothes & towel
Sunglasses & hat
Sunscreen
Healthy Snacks
Reusable water bottle
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Beginner Opti
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Ages: 7 - 11
Time: 9am to 4pm | One-Week Sessions
For: Newer sailors
Price: $675
Beginner Opti will teach your young sailor how to properly rig and sail an Optimist dinghy. Participants will learn rigging, points of sail, knot tying, capsize recovery, rules of the road, and proper body placement in the boat. After successful completion of this course, and demonstration of core skill competence to our coaches, sailors will become eligible for the two-week Intermediate Optimist class. Completion of the Harbor Rookies program is not a prerequisite for the Beginner Optimist class.
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Participants will need to bring the following things to camp every day, clearly labeled with their name:
PFD/Life Jacket (Coast Guard approved) with a whistle
Closed-toed shoes that can get wet
Change of clothes & towel
Sunglasses & hat
Sunscreen
Lunch & Healthy Snacks
Reusable water bottle
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Intermediate Opti
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Ages: 8 - 12
Time: 9am to 4pm | Two-Week Sessions
For: Beginner Opti graduates or sailors with prior Opti experience
Pre-Requisite: Completion of Beginner Opti
Price: $1,200
The Intermediate Optimist program is for sailors with experience in the Optimist dinghy. Participants must come into this program knowing the basics such as rigging the boat, how to sit in the proper position, and basic sailing knots (figure-8 and square knots). Participants will work toward improving their skills in tacking, gybing, sailing upwind and downwind, and learning basic rules of the road. This is a 2-week, full-day program intended to provide the skills for participants to move up to Rookie Racers, Green Fleet, or just improve upon their sailing skills in general.
Successful completion of the Optimist Beginner program is a prerequisite for this program (but may be waived at the discretion of the Junior Program Director).
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Participants will need to bring the following things to camp every day, clearly labeled with their name:
PFD/Life Jacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle
Closed-toed shoes that can get wet
Change of clothes & towel
Sunglasses & hat
Sunscreen
Lunch & Healthy Snacks
Reusable water bottle
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Intermediate Opti Registration Links
Session 1: 6/09 - 6/13 & 6/16 - 6/20
Session 2*: 6/23 - 6/27 & 7/07 - 7/11
*Session 2 skips the week of July 4
Session 3: 7/14 - 7/18 & 7/21 - 7/25 - FULL
Session 4: 7/28 - 8/01 & 8/04 - 8/08
>>>>>> WAITLIST <<<<<<
Not within the age range? Age Restriction Waiver
Rookie Racers
Introduction to Green Fleet
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Ages: 9 - 12
Time: 12:30 to 4:30pm | Two-Week Sessions
For: Intermediate Opti graduates interested in joining Green Fleet
Pre-Requisite: Completion of Intermediate Opti or Coach Recommendation
Price: $1,250 (or $1,000 if you bring your own boat - Highly Recommended). Opti Charters are limited and will be leased on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Regatta List: Coach recommendations for SSA Sandy MacVickar Junior Regatta (Session 1 or 2) or Miles River Junior Regatta (Session 3 or 4)
The Rookie Racers Optimist program is for sailors with experience in the Optimist dinghy. Participants must come into this program knowing the basics such as rigging the boat, how to sit in the proper position, and basic sailing knots (figure-8 and square knots). Participants will work toward improving their skills in tacking, gybing, sailing upwind and downwind, and learning basic racing rules and tactics. This is a 2-week, afternoon program intended to provide the skills for participants to move up to Green Fleet, or just improve upon their sailing & racing skills in general. Successful completion of the Optimist Intermediate program is a prerequisite for this program (but may be waived at the discretion of the Junior Program Director).
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Participants will need to bring the following things to camp every day, clearly labeled with their name:
PFD/Life Jacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle
Closed-toed shoes that can get wet
Change of clothes & towel
Sunglasses & hat
Sunscreen
Lunch & Healthy Snacks
Reusable water bottle
Notebook & Pen/cil
Blade Bag w/Rudder/Tiller & Daggerboard (not needed for charter Opti)
Boat Ownership highly encouraged.
Limited Charters available.
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Session 1: 6/09 - 6/13 & 6/16 - 6/20
Session 2*: 6/23 - 6/27 & 7/07 - 7/11
*Session 2 skips the week of July 4
Session 3: 7/14 - 7/18 & 7/21 - 7/25
Session 4: 7/28 - 8/01 & 8/04 - 8/08
>>>>>> WAITLIST <<<<<<
Not within the age range? Age Restriction Waiver
Intro to High School Sailing
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Ages: 7th grade through 12th grade
Time: 10am - 3pm | Two-Week Sessions
For: New sailors, sailors who have graduated from Opti’s, sailors who wish to improve their skills for High School Sailing
Price: $1,100
The Intro to High School Sailing program is class intended to teach inexperienced sailors how to sail a high school program dinghy, in this case, the FJ (Flying Junior). This program is intended for 7th Grade to 12th grade sailors that are interested in learning how to sail or want to keep working on their skills from High School Sailing. Sailors will learn how to rig the boat, the points of sail, how to tie knots used in sailing, proper positioning in the boat, the right of way rules, basic racing rules, tactics, and race courses in order to prepare the sailor for Fall Tryouts.
We encourage and recommend that where possible, participants pair up as skipper/crew units prior to signing up for the class and register together, however the Junior Program can assist with pairing un-matched sailors.
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Participants will need to bring the following things to practice every day, clearly labeled with their name:
PFD/Lifejacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle
Closed-toed shoes that can get wet
Change of clothes & towel
Sunglasses & hat
Sunscreen
Lunch & Healthy Snacks
Reusable water bottle
Bailer (could be an empty detergent bottle, or Arizona ice tea jug, with bottom cut off.)
Notebook if you want to take notes (Recommended)
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Session 1: 6/09 - 6/13 & 6/16 - 6/20
Session 2*: 6/23 - 6/27 & 7/07 - 7/11
*Session 2 skips the week of July 4
Session 3: 7/14 - 7/18 & 7/21 - 7/25
Session 4: 7/28 - 8/01 & 8/04 - 8/08
>>>>>> WAITLIST <<<<<<
Not within the age range? Age Restriction Waiver
Adventure SSAiling
Intro to SSA’s One-Design Fleets
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Ages: 8th grade through 12th grade
Time: 9am - 4pm | One-Week Sessions (Weeks 3, 4, 5 & 6 ONLY)
For: Sailors with previous sailing experience who wish to expand their sailing resume by trying out several different one-design boats.
Price: $650
The Adventure SSAiling program is a class intended to expose the experienced sailor to a variety of one-design sailing dinghies. This program is intended for 8th Grade to 12th grade sailors that are interested in learning a new boat or to expand their sailing resumes. Each week may incorporate learning and sailing in a different fleet where sailors will learn to rig, sail, and maintain a variety of boats. Sailors may be introduced to boats including, but not limited to, some of the following fleets: Daysailer, Lightning, FJ/420, Snipe, Melges 15, Laser, Waszp, 29er, Thistle, Soling, J22, J24, and J70.
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Participants will need to bring the following things to practice every day, clearly labeled with their name:
PFD/Lifejacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle
Closed-toed shoes that can get wet
Change of clothes & towel
Sunglasses & hat
Sailing Gloves
Sunscreen
Lunch & Healthy Snacks
Reusable water bottle
Bailer (could be an empty detergent bottle, or Arizona ice tea jug, with bottom cut off.)
Notebook if you want to take notes (Recommended)
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*Refund Policy: Any summer class registrations that are dropped/canceled at least 30 days prior to the start date of The Summer Program (June 09, 2025) will be granted a full refund (less processing fees). Any classes, Summer or Non-Summer, that are dropped/canceled 7 or fewer days before the first day of class may be given a 50% refund (less processing fees) if we can fill their slot with a participant from the waitlist. No refunds will be issued if we can not fill their spot from the waitlist or once class begins. Please note, that while Junior Club membership is non-refundable, you are still able to enjoy its benefits regardless of your participation rate in Junior Program activities.