PAYC provides a safe and fun learning environment that teaches young sailors seamanship, sportsmanship, and safe boat-handling.  Our overall goal is simple—teach kids how to sail and encourage them to have fun on the water amazing place where we live.
Junior sailors learn on an array of boats from the club’s fleet of dinghies.  Beginners start on a small, single-sail dinghy called an Opti to become comfortable with points of sail.  Sailors then advance to the Vanguard 15, a two-sail/two-person dinghy, to develop technical proficiency and learn how to skipper and crew on a boat.  Eighth grade and High School sailors begin sailing Flying Juniors (FJs), the standard for regional race fleets, and have the opportunity to competitively race on the High School Sailing team. 

Why Teach Children to Sail?  Sailing Teaches...

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Self-Confidence:
​Sailors need to proficiently handle technical maneuvers, navigate difficult situations, and develop sound judgment.  With every skill learned and challenge overcome, a junior sailor becomes more confident, self-reliant, and motivated to take on new challenges.
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Awareness:
​Sailors rely on spatial awareness, situational awareness, and self-awareness to avoid collisions, adjust to weather conditions, and handle the dynamic tasks required underway. Junior sailors learn how to navigate their craft with finesse in response to a myriad of factors.
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Initiative:
​Sailors are ready to take on the tasks and responsibilities necessary for a safe and fun journey.  Junior sailors learn to properly rig and unrig a boat, don safety gear, and put things away in the right place. It becomes second nature to contribute to those nitty-gritty tasks required for smooth sailing
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Leadership:
​Sailors fluidly transition between leading and following as circumstances on the water change. Because sailing is a team activity, junior sailors learn the importance of communicating clearly, fulfilling duties, listening to others, taking charge, and fixing problems when they arise.
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