Half Moon Bay Yacht Club 2023 Award Winning Summer Youth Sailing Registration is OPEN!

Half Moon Bay Yacht Club’s award-winning youth sailing program runs during the summer sailing season.  The sailing camps are available to members and non-members 8 – 16 years old. No experience is necessary; beginners are welcome! Campers do need to be comfortable in the water while wearing a life jacket and wetsuit.

Camp sessions are each one week long, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday.  Campers may sign up for any number of weeks. Sign up early for best selection; boat availability is limited and assigned based on early registration and experience (final determination will be made by the instructors).

To see the available sessions and to register, see the Youth Sailing Camp Calendar.

Award-winning Program

In 2017, the Club’s Youth Sailing was recognized by the Pacific Coast Yachting Association as the best youth sailing program on the entire West Coast

Details can be found here.

What do campers do

Each week’s curriculum caters to the youth campers’ unique interests and abilities. In addition to basic sailing and water safety, camp’s main focus is to get everyone out on the water, explore the marine environment, and build confidence though hands-on experiential learning. The most important thing is for the campers to have fun (safely, of course)! All sailing takes place in the calm, protected waters of Pillar Point Harbor under the close supervision of our instructors. A sailor will start out in an Optimist, a very stable 1-person dinghy approximately 8 feet long.  Older sailors who weigh at least 100 lbs and are at least 5′ tall may be ready to sail on our 16-foot Lasers or our 2-person FJ dinghies.

All campers learn:

• Basic sailing skills.
• Water safety skills.
• How to read the wind.
• Critical thinking skills, as they navigate a boat among a group of other small boats.
• Teamwork, as they work in small groups to rig and sail their boats.

Youth Sailing Instructor Team

Our Youth Sailing Instructors and Junior Instructors have powerboating, youth sailing, and college sailing experience, as well as a love for the sport of sailing. Safety is our first (and second, and third) priority, but right behind that, we want the campers to have fun. Instructors are certified by either US Sailing or the American Sailing Association, and have been trained in proper safety/coach boating techniques as well as first aid and CPR. Additionally, all of our instructors  carry the California Boater Card.

Central to our values is that sailing skill alone is insufficient to make a good instructor. We make a point of hiring only instructors who have demonstrated the soft skills necessary to work with young and beginning sailors, instructors with whom the campers will feel at ease; who will keep the campers safe; who will ensure that the campers will have a positive, enjoyable experience; and who will inspire confidence in parents who entrust their children to us. Overall maturity (particularly emotional maturity), leadership skill, safety focus, and interpersonal skills are key instructor skill areas.

Our instructor team guides the campers to learn the basics of sailing and water safety, to explore the marine environment, and to build their confidence in handling small boats. Most of our instructors have been HMBYC youth sailors themselves, to ensure continuity in our program and familiarity with Pillar Point Harbor, where all camp sailing activities take place. All of our instructors are committed to sharing their experiences at the Club on and off the water in a safe, fun and sportsmanlike manner!

Camp costs

Camp fees are $350 per camper per week session for member families. For non-members, each camper is charged a one-time additional fee of $150 for a youth membership in the Club, which is then valid for the remainder of the calendar year. We also invite non-member families to consider applying for Club membership, which brings with it the ability to register campers at the member rates.

Cancellation Policy

The HMBYC youth sailing camp cancellation policy is that no refunds will be issued within two weeks of the class start date.

How to Register

To register for a youth camp session, go to the Youth Sailing Camp calendar, choose the week you want, and click on the event.  The event information will appear, which will give you instructions on how to register.

What do campers need to bring?

Please ensure that your sailor has the appropriate attire for sailing. Think about layers, like fleece and wool for cooler days and quick drying fabrics or rash guards when the sun is out. Please no cotton for on the water activities!  Your child’s enjoyment will primarily depend on his or her comfort. Ensure that he or she will be warm, protected from the sun, and well fed!

Each sailor should bring:

• Sack lunch and snack.
• Snugly fitting wetsuit.
• Swimsuit.
• Sailing gloves (rubberized gardening gloves work great and are a less expensive alternative).
• Neoprene booties or comfortable closed-toe shoes.
• Sun hat and warm hat
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses.
• Lightweight weather-proof jacket
• Change of clothes and towel.
• Water bottle.
• and a big bag to hold everything.

RECOMMENDED FOR WETSUIT SALES AND RENTALS

Mavericks Paddlesports, 214 Princeton Avenue, Half Moon Bay (at HMBYC) (650) 563-4251

RECOMMENDED FOR SAILING GLOVES AND APPAREL

West Marine Products, 1119 Industrial Road, San Carlos  (650) 593-2070

Youth Sailing Camp Rules

1. Sailors must wear their PFD’s at all times while on the water, dock and boats.
2. Willingness to learn and participate is mandatory. Any sailor who refuses to participate will be asked to leave the class and his/her parent will be called to take him/her home for the remainder of the day. In the case of a repeated offense or at the discretion of the Head Instructor on the first offense, the sailor will be asked not to return and no refund will be given.
3. There will be no swimming off the dock during program hours without permission of an Instructor and/or supervision.
4. The use of skateboards, bikes, roller blades, scooters and other recreational modes of transportation are not allowed on HMBYC grounds.
5. Sailors are not allowed on the ferry or on the docks without PFD and permission of an Instructor.
6. Sportsman-like behavior is to be demonstrated by all sailors at all times, in keeping with the Corinthian spirit of HMBYC.
7. Sailors shall not use, borrow or take equipment that is not theirs unless they have received specific permission from the owner.
8. Water guns, water balloons, and other non-sailing toys are not permitted during program hours, unless by permission of the Head Instructor.
9. Appropriate sailing attire must be worn during program hours.
10. Sailors are responsible for putting away all gear at the end of each day.
11. Sailors are responsible for providing their own lunches during camp.
12. Sailors are not permitted to leave class until a parent or guardian has checked them out by speaking with an Instructor.
13. Hitting, fighting and/or bad language will not be tolerated. Any sailor who exhibits this behavior will be asked to leave the class and his/her parent will be called to take him/her home for the remainder of the day. In the case of a repeated offense or at the discretion of the Head Instructor on the first offense, the sailor will be asked not to return and no refund will be given.
14. Abuse of boats or failure to follow safety instructions will lead to loss of sailing privileges, expulsion from the class, and/or potential financial responsibility.
15. Alcohol, tobacco and drugs are prohibited on HMBYC grounds. Violation of this rule is grounds for immediate expulsion from the program without refund.
16. Sailors and their parents should not come to HMBYC if they have been feeling sick, showing any COVID-19 symptoms, or have come into contact with someone who may have been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days.

Breaking Rules

While this is a summer camp, it is still imperative that everyone adheres to the Camp Rules to ensure that our staff and community remain safe.  If any Sailor or parent does not follow the rules or safety practices, we have provided our response here.  We differentiate between two types of infractions regarding the Rules: minor and major.

Minor Infraction – Examples
• Not wearing a PFD while on the water.
• Using inappropriate language.
• Entering HMBYC containers, Event Center, or clubhouse while closed

Minor Infraction Response
Sailors requested verbally to adhere to the Rules more than 3 times will be asked to leave for the day.  If a sailor repeats the action the following day, he or she will be removed from camp and unable to attend the remaining sessions.  This response is for the safety of all campers, Instructors, and Club members.  Parents will be notified via email for minor infractions of Rules practices at the end of day.

Major Infraction Examples
Purposely ignoring Instructor’s directions.

Major Infraction Response
Parent will be contacted and the sailor will be removed from camp and unable to attend the remaining sessions.

Other information for parents

SWIM TEST

All campers are required to take a swim test prior to any on the water activities. This test will involve a 20 yard swim and treading water while wearing a PFD. To get the most of the camp experience, we strongly encourage participants to complete this test at an Orientation event PRIOR to your first day of class.

PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME

To maximize instructional time, please enable your child to arrive with enough time to be ready to sail by the beginning of the class period. We suggest arriving at the club no later than 15 minutes prior to the beginning of class. Rigging and chalk talk will begin promptly at 8:30 AM. Especially the youngest in our classes need assistance and time to get dressed properly. Please arrive early if this is the case.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Parents and grandparents who wish to observe the camp are asked to do so from the Club deck. We ask that you do not interrupt the class once it has begun as this will impact the instructor’s flow of thought and could compromise the learning and safety of all students. If there is anything that you are worried about and would like to share with the instructor, regarding instructional time or techniques, please inform the instructor before the class begins.

AFTER CLASS

It is imperative that you pick your child up, or make arrangements to do so, immediately after class is over at 3:30 PM. If you are not personally able to pick your child up and wish to carpool with another student or send someone else, we will require written authorization to release your child to anyone other than the parent or guardian. The instructor will not be able to supervise your children more than 1⁄2 hour after class unless advance arrangements have been made, by paying the instructor’s salary for the time.

For more information contact the Club.