What can sailing do for a child?

For most children, the sea is a vast and mysterious environment. They cannot just put on a lifejacket and run across the water. Instead, beginner sailors must learn to make the wind and waves work for them. Learning about the lake teaches children to be self-sufficient and to exercise judgment while instilling confidence.

Being on the water helps children appreciate the natural world around them. The importance of clean water becomes apparent and children become connected to nature through an understanding of winds and weather.

Children who go beyond basic sailing and learn to race develop other skills. To be successful and earn the respect of their competitors, young sailors must honour the rules and learn to take the self-imposed penalties that apply when a rule is broken. The rules and the constant presence of competitors present sailors with an endless and ever-changing stream of tactical situations that require children to learn to assess risks and make quick and responsible decisions. In addition, teamwork skills develop as skippers and crews learn the importance of working together and team racing emphasizes close cooperation within teams of three boats.

There is so much to learn from the water. It is a classroom and a laboratory; a special environment; a place of endless challenges, mysteries, joys, wonders, and thrills; a place that teaches self-reliance, sportsmanship, teamwork, and respect for the natural world around us

General information about our programs

• Please keep your registration confirmation letter as it is also doubles as your tax credit submission form.
• PCYC Junior Sailing Annual Awards and Trophies

Advancing Sailors: Questions and Concerns
Traditionally the PCYC Sailing School has set a high standard of achievement for its students to insure they move through the levels with confidence and the required base skills. Many of the current instructors frequently repeated levels to meet the program requirements.

In the past, instructors have felt parental pressure to advance sailors who had not achieved the required competence to advance. Obviously this would create serious concerns if, while in advanced levels, the sailor was unable to demonstrate the required skills – especially when some were necessary to sail independently on Lake Ontario.

Please accept and appreciate that not all students will achieve the required skills on the first attempt. It is our goal to insure students can demonstrate consistently the required skills of the level being undertaken – a student that does not consistently demonstrate the required skills does not fail – the student has simply not completed the level.

Please contact your child’s instructor if you have concerns about your child’s advancement. In most cases extra help can be arranged if you wish.

Junior Membership: is a person between the ages of twelve (12) and eighteen (18) years inclusive who is entitled to Club privileges, with the exception of voting. Each application shall be guaranteed by the applicant’s parent(s) or legal guardian.  A Junior Member may be granted a dry sail mooring at the discretion of the Board of Directors.  A Junior Member will be given a 10% reduction in the amount of the Senior Membership initiation fee for each year of Junior membership, to a maximum of 3 years or a 30% credit. 

Discount available for Junior members when registering for Learn to Sail Programs.