What’s Missing from Sailing? Kids
Reader Brett Langolf sent us this message — and link — a few weeks ago. It’s the first of a few youth-oriented things we have in the works . . .
It’s time to put the fun back into the sport we love.
How? We don’t know for sure . . . but we do know it’s a collection of parents, kids and friends who want to see this sport grow again, and give kids the opportunities to learn sailing — just like we had. We have elected to launch and make YouTube our foundation; please subscribe to help this grow. We will start by posting videos and fun content and use social and traditional media to share our adventures. We even had a printed newspaper article written about us this summer. Now that’s old school.
We cannot do this alone. If you have a video and want to contribute your sailing story, let’s talk. Share, take some videos, pick some cool songs, and grow the sport of sailing. #MoreKidsOnSailboats.
100% this. The huge difference between Australia (where I learned to sail) and the United States is that in the US, sailing is considered to be a “rich person’s sport” and therefore, inaccessible to kids and their Gen X / Y parents. We really need to promote venues like Treasure Island Sailing Center, which make the sport highly accessible… And break down the notion that you need to have lots of money and connections to bring sailing within reach. Clubs with dinghy programs are a dime-a-dozen on Sydney Harbour and I’m always impressed when I go back and see the kids not only sailing in challenging conditions (read: amidst the ferry traffic, in swells), but having the time of their lives while they’re at it. No secret why Aussies are good at this gig.
I’d love to see:
– More pathways to affordable, community sailing programs
– More pathways to racing (which is the only way I can afford to sail so much)
– Awareness that sailing is a sport for everyone – and I think your YouTube and social media outreach is a fabulous first step!
More power to you all – please keep us updated on how we can be involved!
Hear, hear! Yacht Clubs in the Bay Area are stuff in comparison to Australia, NZ, and more relaxed places like Hawaii where sailing is actually cool, accessible & not so expensive. “Sail wars” are not a thing in Hawaii which helps keep the price of entry reasonable. Clubs own fleets of venerable Cal 20s which anyone can use and race every Wednesday. The racing is fierce but the cost is almost zero. Corinthian YC has a fleet of Cal 20s but I’ve never seen them race… How about a Waikiki YC vs. Corinthian YC Cal 20 race challenge at the end of the season? Top 3 crews from each club race.
I was at the Santa Cruz Harbor last weekend and witnessed about 100 youthful sailors from the St. Francis Yacht Club sailing in heats all weekend. It was great to see and kudos to their parents support of this event!