Foundations Sailing Programs (Level 1, 2 & 3) - Wednesdays

The Foundations Program is a fun, confidence-building introduction to sailing designed for young sailors at all experience levels. Through three progressive stages, sailors learn the fundamentals of boat handling, safety, and seamanship while spending as much time as possible on the water. Using games, drills, and age-appropriate challenges, the program builds skills, independence, and a love of sailing—creating a strong foundation for future participation in recreational sailing, advanced training, or race teams.

Level 1
Sailors are introduced to the fundamentals of sailing, including identifying wind direction, basic steering, and sail trim using the push-pull principle. They learn essential knots, practice tacking and jibing, sail simple reaching and upwind-downwind courses, and develop safety awareness through capsizing drills and boat care.
Identify wind direction.
Steer with the tiller extension while sculling and towing.
Tie a figure-8, square knot, and cleat hitch.
Introduced to crossing sides & the microphone technique.
Learn and practice how to tack.
Learn and practice how to jibe.
Sail a reaching course around the buoys and upwind-downwind following the safety boat.
Introduced to the push - pull principle of sail trim.
Right a capsized boat with some assistance.
Anticipate and avoid collisions.
Demonstrate care and respect for the boats.

Level 2
At this level, sailors build confidence and independence, refining their boat handling, sail trim, and steering coordination. They learn to sail a full triangle course, recover from irons, perform turns and self-rescues, and demonstrate a basic understanding of right of way, roll tacking, and launching and recovering their boats safely.
Able to evaluate wind direction and speed.
Demonstrate getting out of irons without assistance.
Tie a bowline, square, and stopper knots.
Jibe safely and control the boom as it crosses sides.
Tack safely from close-hauled to close-hauled.
Eases when heading down.
Trims in when heading up.
Turn the boat with the tiller extension and sheet the sail at the same time.
Sail a triangle course with trim for each point of sail.
Perform a 360 and 720-degree turn.
Self-rescue after a capsize.
Introduced to fundamental rights of way.
Basic understanding of the theory of Roll Tacking.
Launch and recover their boat from a beach and dock.

Level 3
Sailors advance to mastering fine-tuned boat control and race awareness, recognizing shifts, puffs, and lulls while maintaining steady upwind courses. They perform roll tacks and jibes, adjust daggerboard and body position for various conditions, rig and tune independently, and begin executing starts and basic racing tactics with strong sportsmanship.
Awareness of wind shifts, puffs, and lulls.
Demonstrates basic roll tacks and jibes.
Slows and stops a boat in a confined area for over a minute.
Able to hold a steady course in the upwind groove using the telltales.
Understands how a sail works.
Sails backward on command.
Jibes on command while holding a downwind course.
Demonstrates basic daggerboard settings for each point of sail.
Can sail and bail while holding a steady course.
Demonstrates weight placement for light, medium, and strong winds.
Demonstrates sportsmanship and understands fundamental rights of way.
Applies simple tactics to mark roundings.
Can rig, tune, de-rig, and care for equipment independently.
Can tension sprit and vang tension on the water with some assistance.
Can plan and execute a basic station keeper start with acceleration.
Understands the flags and timing sequences of starting races.