The Summer 2011 Program

Our summer of fun-based instruction begins Monday, June 27th and lasts for eight weeks. All groups are taught in school-owned Widgeons and 420's, and a combination of school-owned and privately-owned International Optimist Dinghies. Class sizes are limited in order to guarantee safety and the quality of instruction necessary to teach solid sailing skills. All Senior staff have Red Cross certification in first aid and CPR.

Not sure which class to select? See our class selection flowchart.

Learn-to-Sail Widgeon

Monday - Thursday, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon
A beginning class for students with no or little previous experience. Instruction starts with the fundamentals and progresses through sailing upwind, tacking, sailing downwind, jibing and landing at a dock. Beginning sailors are always in a Widgeon with an instructor giving the small crew focused attention. In addition to the physical skills of sailing, students learn the parts of the boat and sails, the maritime rules of the road and how to determine wind direction. Fun and laughter are second only to safety, as much of the learning is accomplished through games.
$155 per week.

Learn-to-Sail Optimist

Monday - Thursday, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon
A beginning class for students with no or little previous experience. Instruction starts with the fundamentals and progresses through sailing upwind, tacking, sailing downwind, jibing and landing at a dock. Two students per boat share steering and controlling the sail so they can learn first from the instructor, then from each other. Recommended enrollment is two consecutive weeks.
$155 per week.

Learn-to-Sail 420s

Monday - Thursday, 9:00 am - 12:00pm
This is an introductory class, but is not a course for beginning sailors. To sign up for the course, sailors must have previously sailed in Intermediate Widgeon, Intermediate Optimist or Racing Optimists. Sailors who have not yet sailed at BSS should contact the registrar with their experience before signing up. The course is an introduction to 420s, which are high-performance racing boats. This course is held in the mornings when the winds are typically lighter. Sailors should have an understanding of all basic terminology and be capable of sailing the boat through all points of sail. The course builds on these basic sailing skills, and focuses on the specific demands of sailing a 420, not the more technical aspects of successfully racing one. Sailors will become capable enough to progress to afternoon sailing, when the winds are stronger. Learn-to-Sail 420s is a prerequisite to Intermediate and Racing 420s.
$155 per week.

Intermediate Widgeon

Monday - Thursday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Intermediate Widgeon is open to all sailors who have mastered the skills in our morning Learn-to-Sail programs. It is ideal for older students who are not interested in racing or for students who want to transition from an Optimist into a boat with a crew. Sailors not only take their basic skills to a higher level, but also learn new sailing skills. The instruction is pitched at a more sophisticated level encouraging a greater understanding of how and why sailing works. This program encourages sailors to participate in the Friday morning Junior Racing Series. The Friday racing fee is included in tuition.
$155 per week.

Intermediate Optimist

Monday - Thursday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Intermediate Optimist is for sailors who have gained confidence in the skills they learned in the morning programs, with emphasis on sailing upwind in a variety of conditions. Students will learn how to sail solo as captain and crew of their own vessels and handle both tiller and mainsheet effectively. This program encourages sailors to participate in the Friday morning Junior Racing Series. The Friday racing fee is included in tuition.
$155 per week.

Racing Optimist

Monday - Thursday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Racing Optimists starts sailors with the basics of racing and progresses to an intermediate level. No previous racing experience is needed, but sailors must have mastered basic sailing skills in either our Learn-to-Sail Widgeon or Learn-to-Sail Optimist programs. Fun activities and drills teach skill development in a variety of situations. Sailors gain confidence by learning how to control boat speed and how to respond to increasingly challenging circumstances. Instruction seeks to improve the ability to sail upwind and down, refine techniques of sail and boat trim, start a race, and learn basic racing rules and tactics. The program includes and encourages students to compete in the Friday morning Junior Racing Series. The Friday racing fee is included in tuition.
$155 per week.

Intermediate and Racing 420s

Monday - Thursday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
This class is for the sailor who has successfully completed Learn-to-Sail 420s and is ready to progress to the afternoon breeze. The class is for intermediate and advanced 420 sailors who are looking to improve their sailing and racing skills. Under the instruction of our racing coach, students will continue to expand their knowledge about sailing 420s and hone their racing skills, with an increased focus on understanding the subtleties of boat handling. Learning also focuses on safe competent movement of the boat, tacking, jibing, points of sail, hiking, and an introduction to spinnakers. Team participation is emphasized, and instruction includes skills needed for both skipper and crew positions. Those sailors who exhibit the requierd degree of skill and enthusiasm will be chosen to represent the Buzzards Sailing School team. At the discretion of the racing coach, and in accordance with specific guidelines, selected teams will participate in weekly regattas. Team members may vary weekly, depending on student enrollment, skill and interest. We do not guarantee that every student will attend regattas, and some students may be selected to participate in multiple or all regattas. For sailors who prefer to just sail and not race, class instruction will offer advanced skills with no regatta requirement. This program encourages students to race in the Friday morning Junior Racing Series. The Friday racing fee is included in tuition.
$155 per week.

BYC Junior Racing Series

Friday, 8:30 am - aprox. 12:30 pm
The Buzzards Yacht Club sponsors a Junior Racing Series which is included with Intermediate Widgeon, Intermediate Optimist, Racing Optimists and Intermediate and Racing 420s classes. Each session starts with a 10-15 minute onshore clinic covering the basics of racing and the importance of understanding local conditions. Then students hit the water to practice the topics covered ashore, followed by two or three races. Each fun-filled morning is topped off by a cookout, post-race analysis of the day's sailing and awards for the winners. Students are encouraged to race in weeks when they are not enrolled in classes, but must pay per-week tuition to cover racing and cookout expenses. There is no additional JRS payment required if your student plans on racing during a week that they are enrolled in one of the Intermediate or Racing classes. When races are oversubscribed, priority is assigned to enrolled students.
$10 per week.