The Case for Winter Sailing Lessons

There are all sorts of reasons why summer is the prime time for kids to take sailing lessons, but as staffers at several San Francisco Bay sailing institutions will tell you, there are also some strong arguments for learning the ropes during the winter months.

Veteran racers often recommend that newbies learn the subtleties of on-the-water competition during mid-winter races because — unless it’s storming — winds are light, waters are flat, and the action is slower. The same is true of taking sailing classes during the winter months. True, students do have to layer up a bit more, but learning to sail in light air is much, much less intimidating to newcomers — especially those who didn’t grow up around the water.

Compared to the fast-action of high-wind sailing, maneuvers during wintertime seem to take place in slo-mo, giving neophytes extra reaction time. Students are typically less nervous sailing in light air, and playing the gentle puffs of winter will give them a more accute sense of the sublte nuances of sail trim.

So who’s offering such courses? While virtually all sailing clubs offer adult programs year-round, as far as we know only a few organizations offer kids winter instruction: Richmond YC (510-237-2821), Oakland Parks and Rec (510-238-2196), Treasure Island Sailing Center (415-421-2225), and both the Marinship (415-956-5700) and San Francisco (415-517-3943) Sea Scout Programs. 

If you’re running a winter program not mentioned above, we’d love to receive your info — and give you some publicity. Happy sailing!