Teen Keelboat Camp (Ages 16–19): US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification

July 13-17, 2026

9 AM–4 PM | Cost: $999 youth rate!

Spend a full week on the water building real sailing skills, confidence, and independence—while earning your US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification. This 5-day teen sailing camp is designed for motivated sailors ages 16–19 and welcomes all experience levels, from first-timers to teens looking to formalize their skills and take the helm with confidence.

Throughout the week, students will work as a crew, rotate leadership roles, and learn what it truly means to sail safely and responsibly. You’ll start with the fundamentals—boating terminology, points of sail, steering, sailing upwind and downwind, basic knots, on-the-water safety, and crew-overboard drills—then build toward more advanced skills such as sail trim, tacking and jibing, rules of the road, basic navigation, reefing, line handling, outboard engine basics, and docking.

This is a hands-on, immersive experience, with time split between classroom learning and real-world practice on the water. Instruction takes place aboard our J/80 keelboats, modern performance boats that are stable, responsive, and ideal for learning. Their deep keel and balanced design provide confidence as students learn to skipper, while the spacious cockpit allows everyone to stay actively involved.

Classes are limited to a 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio, creating a supportive camp environment where teens get plenty of individual coaching, build teamwork skills, and form strong connections with their peers over the course of the week.

At the end of the camp, students will be tested for the US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification. Successful participants receive a US Sailing Membership, Logbook, and Certification Sticker, recognizing them as qualified to skipper a tiller-steered keelboat up to 27 feet—an important step toward independent sailing, leadership roles, and future maritime opportunities.

Course Details:

• Prerequisites: While there is no prerequisite for this course, students are highly encouraged to take the “Basic Keelboat Online Course” in order to best prepare for your in-person training: www.boaterexam.com/sailing/basickeelboat/
• Platform: We teach on our 26ft J/80’s. There will also be some time spent inside the chartroom at the NWMC campus.
• Duration: Five consecutive days: Monday–Friday, 9 AM–4 PM
• Materials: Tuition for this course includes the US Sailing Basic Keelboat Textbook, which will be waiting for you in the classroom. Alternatively, you may collect it ahead of time at the Welcome Center located at 431 Water Street, Port Townsend. Simply tell the cashier at checkout your name and that you are registered for a Keelboat class. An online version of the textbook is available instead of the paper copy—please contact our registrar if you’d prefer the online version.
• Notes: Please watch for a reminder email with class schedules, details, and pack list to be sent via email one week before class. This class has a two-person minimum.