YMCA Sailing Program

After all the talk this past week of wishing children had an opportunity to get on the water for a sailing program Damon Cummings wrote to tell me that there are already many programs in place to get local youth out on the water-

Here is a link to the High School and Middle School program run by Patti Page. It is during the school year, spring and fall, of course so the YMCA summer program is using the floats and boats for the summer (except that we took a bunch of Tall Ship sailors out sailing the afternoon before last):

http://www.sailghs.org/
Joe,
When you saw the City of Gloucester Youth Sailing Program Boston Whaler and a runabout leave the harbormaster’s pier this morning full of kids, they were on their way out to go sailing on the city owned Rhodes 18s and 19 and the Gloucester High school sailing team 420s. They went by us under sail a few minutes later. They go out every weekday except Friday. The program is run by the YMCA now since the city summer recreational program has been phased out. Here is a link to the program:
http://www.northshoreymca…sailing_2009_handout.pdf
That is only one of the sailing and harbor related programs presently under way for kids in Gloucester. During the school year Patti Page runs a High school and Middle School program with the 420s and Rhodes. The students do not pay a cent and we take both beginners and champions. The program has a joint Gloucester and Rockport sailing team that competes against other high schools around the state. Kevin Cook is the coach and some funny old guy runs the races. Moreover the Heritage Center and the Lannon run a massive program for Gloucester students and the Gloucester Museaum school at Ram Island does as well. The International Dory Racing Committee has junior racers (some in Middle School) racing against Canada and the Heritage Center has an off and on youth program in the pilot gigs. It is my understanding that a Community Boating center is in the works and that is something we all have wanted for a long time.
Whatever you may have heard to the contrary, Gloucester offers a wealth of opportunities for youth who are not in private yacht clubs to get out on the water.
Here’s a picture of the kids leaving the Harbormaster’s float to head to the sailing program.

YMCA Sailing Program, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

Thanks for the info Damon

One thought on “YMCA Sailing Program

Leaving a comment rewards the author of this post- add to the discussion here-