After-school Sailing Club and Race Team to start Tuesday Sept. 21st

Photo contributed by SJ Sailing Club

Sailing Club will be back on the water at Jackson Beach soon! Middle- and high-school students with and without sailing experience are invited to come sail one- and two-person sailboats on Griffin Bay.

The SJI Sailing Foundation will be launching two new RS Fevas – super fun to sail two-handed boats — the first boats with spinnakers in its fleet.

This year we’ll have three groups: (1) Students new (or new-ish) to sailing, (2) students who have sailed with the Club before or have other dinghy sailing experience, and (3) the High School Race Team (grades 8-12).

Coaching and instruction will be provided by Nige Oswald, Darin Jenson, and Marina West. Students will sail in RS Teras, Lasers, FJs, and RS Fevas depending on their size and experience.

Sailing Club meets at the far end of Jackson Beach every Tuesday and Wednesday after school until 5:30 pm. A swim test will be held at the first session, which is always surprisingly popular. The Club meets as long as the weather is decent, and the Race Team meets through the first week in November.

Sailing Club is open to any student grade 5-12 living in the San Juan Islands; Race Team is open to students in grades 8-12.

Thanks to the SJI Community Foundation’s County Fair Matching Grant and several generous donors, this program costs only $100 for the season and SJISF has financial aid and loaner gear available as well. The Sailing Foundation wants all kids out on the water, so families needing assistance shouldn’t hesitate to ask for it.

Sailing is safe, even in a pandemic, and a way for athletes and non-athletes to be active and social. It’s an excellent activity for preparing students in geometry, physics, meteorology, marine biology, and McGyvering solutions.

Contact Susan West with questions, and go to https://forms.gle/BwDiebMp6NJ1Ktf9A to register. Payments will be accepted on the first day.

The SJISF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and for many people, donations are tax deductible. The Sailing Foundation’s mission is to make sailing accessible, fun, affordable, fun, safe, and fun. But mostly fun. Donations are used to expand and maintain the fleet, buy PFDs and other gear to lend out, and pay for coach boat fuel and maintenance. Volunteers interested in teaching sailing, maintaining boats, and baking cookies are most appreciated.

San Juan Island Sailing Foundation (SJISF

Contact Information
Susan West, [email protected]
Nige Oswald, [email protected]

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