Ahoy Mateys!

After our success engaging island youth in sailing adventures aboard Captain Corey Feldon's sailboat in 2022, AIPRD is launching a hands-on Youth Sailing Program to further sailing skills for island youth!

Our 2025 program will offer two beginner and one intermediate session. Each two week session will meet twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at Ray Park.

Requirements:

Youth must be between the ages of 8 and 12. Development, attention span and independence are big factors, so if you want to discuss your circumstances, email us at sailing@andersonislandparks.org
Students must be comfortable in the water wearing a personal floatation device (PFD). There will be a pre-test on the first day.
Parent involvement for at least one class.
Due to the size of our sailboats, if your kiddo is ahead of their age on growth charts, you will want to email us at sailing@andersonislandparks.org to ensure they would have a comfortable experience - our adults can vouch that it is cramped once you achieve a certain height/weight.

2025 Registration will open :

April 6th for youth who are full-time residents
April 13th for open registration

Please note that we are offering early registration for full-time island youth, then opening it up to anyone else, like we do for our Nature Camp.

If you are registering a full-time resident, please only sign up for one beginner class during early registration. If you would like that child to repeat the beginner class for practice, please return to register them AFTER we open registration to all.
In general, students who pass the beginner class may move on to the intermediate level. If you register for both beginner and intermediate, and they do not receive certification to move to the next level, your registration fee will be refunded and class canceled. We expect a robust waiting list for the intermediate class with openings possible the Friday before the intermediate session.
If your child already has sailing skills, contact us at sailing@andersonislandparks.org to discuss their experience level before you register for an intermediate class.

We have big dreams for this program, but we are cautiously starting small to ensure our future success. For more details, keep scrolling or jump to:

Details about the levels & curricula
Info about our team
Instructor certification details
Future growth potential

Program Snapshot

AGES: 8-12

DURATION: Three 2-wk sessions, meeting Tues & Thurs 2pm-5pm (12 hours total)

Dates:

Beginner: July 15-24
Beginner: July 29- Aug 7
Intermediate: Aug 12-21

SIZE: 6 students/session (registration opening in April)

TYPE: Day Camp

COST: $65/camper (scholarships available - contact Belen Schneider)

PROGRAM CONTACT:

Kurt Sample, sailing@andersonislandparks.org

The Program

Generally speaking, kids will receive sailing instruction both on shore and in the water. We will partner with the Riviera Community Club to have access to Florence Lake, where young sailors will practice skills in one-person, one-design sailing dinghies called Bytes. These boats are design for individuals under 120-145 lbs and perfect for young sailors to lift, rig and sail.

When in the water, each session group of up to 6 kids will have one instructor and a rescue boat operator who will be with them at all times, as well as one other adult to assist with supervision and emergencies. Additional volunteers / parent support is welcome to support administration, snacks, problem-solving, etc.

Beginner Level

Our primary focus is to nurture a safe, vibrant boating culture for the youth of Anderson Island. Some of the curriculum will be land-based learning, but much of it will be physically active skills-centric instruction in the water.

Beginner sessions will focus on:

Sailing nomenclature
Useful knots and seamanship
Sailboat rigging
Skills to sail upwind, downwind, and when the wind is at your side
Response to capsizing

Students will receive a certification of completion. Those who achieve comfort and proficiency in these skills will be allowed to progress to the intermediate level sessions.

Intermediate Level

Intermediate sessions will:

Build on all skills from the beginner level
Hone skills for better control and sail trim
Introduce sailors to racing
Rules of the Road

Students will finish this session with a regatta (race) for which there will be awards.

In this first year, with only one intermediate session, we know not everyone will have this opportunity. We hope that our young sailors will look forward to future years of sailing sessions and additional opportunities to practice as our program and volunteer crew grow.

Our Team of Volunteers

Kurt Sample, Instructor

Kurt is a graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and has been sailing since he was five. His career as a camp director has allowed him to instruct countless youth in canoeing, kayaking, and sailing. Kurt keeps his sailboat in Oro Bay so he can sail our amazing South Sound whenever the wind is blowing.

Corey Feldon, Instructor

Corey is the owner of South Sound Sailing Tours. He sails year-round. Even after being hauled off to the midwest as a child, Corey was always looking for adventure on the water, whether kayaking the Rock River (Beloit, WI) or rowing his grandfather’s fishing boat across Willow Lake (Tripoli, WI) & back.

Lane Sample, Park Board Sponsor

Liaison between the Youth Sailing Program and the Anderson Island Park & Recreation District

Supported and Inspired by Area Youth Sailing Programs

Many yacht clubs in the Puget Sound have established youth sailing programs, so we have plenty of experience to draw from. Jeff Chale from the Vashon Island sailing program has been an invaluable resource, sharing details of how their program runs and its humble beginnings. He also arranged a great deal for us to purchase the start of our fleet from the Vashon programs retired boats.

Sailing Instructor CERTIFICATION

The projected minimum cost for instructors will be $550. AIPRD will reimburse these expenses, unless the individual wants to donate that amount back to the parks.

All instructors will go through the following certification process:

U.S. Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course (ages 16+)

Online self-guided portion $130 per candidate
Teaching & Coaching Fundamentals (online) $10
SafeSport Training (online Sexual Misconduct & Reporting Training) FREE
In person 3 day portion $325 per candidate

REQUIREMENTS TO COMPLETE THIS COURSE:

Requires a paid membership to “U.S. Sailing” (Family $129, Individual $79, College $120 /4 yr, Youth $39.) There are also Service Member & First Responder discounts.
Requires experience sailing on dinghies and/or day sailing keelboats.
Requires the ability to swim 25 yards with a life jacket.

More information, including cost, for this course can be found by clicking this link

CPR / FIRST AID / AEDs

These certifications will be required of all instructors. We should be able to do this through Anderson Island Fire & Rescue.

Additional Courses Down the Road

“Safe Powerboat Handling” Course
Olympia Community Sailing offers a “Junior Instructor Program” for ages 14-16

Anderson Island Park & Recreation District