Youth Learn to Sail: Opti Levels 2 & 3

NEW FOR 2024! Students in this course will be evaluated by instructors who will instruct them at either Level 2 or Level 3. 

Building upon the foundation laid in Opti Level 1, Opti Level 2 and 3 sailors will elevate their fundamental sailing expertise by advancing both upwind and downwind boat handling skills. Students will focus on mastering the tiller, mainsheet, capsizing, and refining body placement while sailing solo. Participants in the Opti Level 3 program will further refine their skills through advanced tacking and gybing techniques. Additionally, they will initiate their understanding of basic racing concepts, preparing them for confident participation in local regattas. 

On “capsize day,” kids learn in a controlled setting that they are capable of capsizing their boat and getting it upright again. Prior to the capsize drill, students will participate in a water comfort assessment to gauge their overall comfort and the ability to stay calm in the water. This will include entering the water while wearing a wetsuit and a lifejacket, briefly treading water, swimming a minimum of 20 feet, and exiting the water.

This class is repeatable to help your sailor further develop their skills!

To ensure comfort and control in their boat, sailors under 5 feet tall and under 110 lbs should take this class. If your child is taller or will be by the summer, check out our Doublehanded classes in C420s and FJs!  If you’re unsure which class suits your child best, please call our registrar at 360-385-3628 x1.

Course Details:
July 15-19, July 29–August 2, August 12-16

9 AM–3 PM | Cost: $450 non-member, $405 member

• Prerequisites: Opti Level 1 (or Beginner Sailing from previous years)
• For Ages: 8-12. Our Opti classes are best suited for sailors under 5 feet tall and under 110 lbs.
• Duration: 6 hours daily, Monday–Friday
• What to bring each day:
  • Snack, lunch, and a water bottle
  • Sunhat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
  • Rain jacket
  • Towel and change of clothes
  • Water-friendly shoes or sandals (no flip-flops please, sneakers are not ideal)
  • On the first day of class, the instructor will let students know which day will be their capsize day. Please have your child arrive wearing their swimsuit on capsize day. If they own a wetsuit, please bring it. If not, instructors will issue wetsuits.
  • Optional: a mask, for the short time each day that your child will be inside. 

Note to prior Youth Learn to Sail participants: If you’ve been part of our Youth Learn to Sail classes before, we’ve made some changes! Instead of calling them Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced, we now have Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 classes. If your child has completed our “Beginner Sailing” camp in the past, they are eligible to register for either “Opti Levels 2 & 3” or “Doublehanded Levels 2 & 3” camps. Which camp they should join depends on their age and size. You can find more details about the specific ages and sizes for each camp in the class information.