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HomeYouth Sailing Education

Youth Summer Classes
Outdoors & Screen Free!

 

Summer fun awaits - sailing, boating, water skills and STEM, navigation, paddling and fishing, Great Lakes lore, even racing - a world of adventure all on Lake Lansing!
Choose morning, afternoon, or both - this year we also have a lake skills class that includes the free Michigan DNR/US Powersquadron Safe Boater Certification - get kids ready for safe family boating fun.

Sessions: June 15-18, June 22-25, June 29-1, July 6-9, July 20-24


JUNE 15-18

JUNE 22-25

JUNE 29-1

JULY 6-10

JULY 20-24

AM
8-12


 

Sailing Adventure
& Summer Lake Fun

4-day


$470

SIGNUP

  

Sailing Adventure
& Summer Lake Fun
3-day

 

$360

SIGNUP

  

Lake Fun, Skills

& DNR Safe Boater Certification

5-day


$470

SIGNUP

  


 

PM
12:30-3:30



 




 

Sailing Class
& Summer Lake Fun
Beginner or Intermediate

4-day


$360

SIGNUP

Sailing Class 
& Summer Lake Fun
Beginner or Intermediate

4-day


$360

 SIGNUP


Sailing Class 
& Summer Lake Fun
Beginner or Intermediate

3-day


$270

 

SIGNUP

Sailing Class 
& Summer Lake Fun
Beginner or Intermediate

4-day


$360

 

SIGNUP


Sailboat Racing Class
12:30-5pm

5-day

 

 

$500

 

SIGNUP


Start the adventure of a lifetime! Sailing teaches confidence, fun on the water, teamwork, safety, and a love of the outdoors.
Youth in our summer sessions learn how to sail, and be confident on the water, or build on their existing skills. Every class includes general boating skills and summer lake fun too.

Racing Class introduces youth to the fun of competitive sailing, and hones the skills of current racers - increasing mastery of sailing and preparing them to join, if they want to continue racing, grade 6-12 Fall/Spring interscholastic racing teams at LSC, or Summer Fleet racing.

Our Michigan DNR/US Power Squadron Safe Boater Certification puts official certification class (and test) inside a hands-on skills and on-the-water boating class that adds fun and live experience. We learn on a variety of boats for great summer fun!

We emphasize safe sailing and having fun as well as developing good seamanship skills.

Let's make this a summer of less screens, and more fun on the water!


SUMMER SAILING & FUN



Sailing Adventure & Summer Lake Fun - Any Skill Level
Mornings (Sessions: June 22-25, June 29-July 1)

 

A fun summer adventure on the water, with sailing, boater education, lake exploration, paddling, lake-themed STEM, fishing, navigation, Great Lakes lore and much more. 
Child must be comfortable in the water. 


Sailing Class & Summer Lake Fun (PM) - Newbies or Intermediate
Afternoons (Sessions: June 15-18, June 22-25, June 29-July 1, July 6-9)


A fun summer on the water, with Learn to Sail at Beginner or Intermediate levels, boater education, lake adventure and exploration, rigging and basic boat-handling, paddling, even some lake-themed STEM.  Boats can include Sunfish, Optis, Lasers, Bic O'Pens, 420s, Wayfarers, Lightnings, kayaks and canoes.
Child must be comfortable in the water.

During signup choose Level - Beginner, or Intermediate 1&2 - but Instructors may move student to different Level if a better fit.

Beginner is for youth who are new to sailing, or want to review the basics - rigging and basic boat-handling, and basic rules of the road, and safety.
Intermediate Sailing 1 focuses on crewing, builds on the basics for more confident boat control and sailing skills, with an emphasis on teamwork. 
Intermediate Sailing 2 focuses on skippering, challenges youth sailors with more sailing techniques, such as spinnaker, leading crew teamwork, decision making, and a taste of racing fun. 

 

Lake Fun and Michigan Safe Boater Certification

Morning (Session: July 6-10)

 

Hands-on lake and boating skills, paddling, trailering, fishing, fun activities - on the water - plus DNR Michigan Safe Boater Certification taught live. Get in on the fun, adventure, and an official Michigan boater license - which makes your family lake time safer, and allows legal supervised operation of powerboats and jet skis by your child when you venture out on the water.
Certification test on 5th day, then graduation boat trip across Lake for ice cream. Certificates obtained will go home with students.

 

 

Racing Class (aka "Race Week"

Afternoons (Session: July 20-24)

 

Train in the exciting sport of Sailboat Racing - for youth sailors who have never raced before, and those who have raced. Shore class, and on-the-water training will build skills and boat handling. The week of training culminates with a fun regatta on Friday, parents and guests welcome to cheer them on, awards, and a sweet corn cookout.

Class is on Club 420 Sailboats, the two-person sailboats used by our Fall/Spring JV & High School Racing Teams (ISSA National League Racing) and the MSU Collegiate racing team (CSA National League Racing).

 


All classes may be repeated by students.

Student must have sufficient motor, cognitive, and language skills to interact with and move on a sailboat, be comfortable in water, learn in a group, and understand and respond to directions in English from instructors.


Family Membership = Continue the Family Lake Fun!

Want to keep the family lake fun going? Apply for Associate Membership - $325  After you apply for Membership, send a message to membership@lansingsailing.org, with subject  MEMBERSHIP FOR YOUTH EDUCATION FAMILY.



Apply For Family Membership

 


Frequently Asked Questions


Can a youth enroll for more than one session?

Yes! - a young sailor can also repeat a class, either reinforcing skills at the same level, or advancing through levels of skill. 

Who can enroll?

Youth going into grades 5-12 may be enrolled. 
Minimum physical and language requirements to operate and move on a sailboat, be comfortable on the water, and understand and respond to directions from instructors must be met by student. Students cannot remain on shore while their class practices on the water. 

Where do we teach?

The program is held at the Lansing Sailing Club and on the waters of Lake Lansing. The Lansing Sailing Club is at 6039 E. Lake Drive, Haslett, MI, on the east side of Lake Lansing.

Instructors and Coaches

Instruction and coaching is provided by and under the direction of US Sailing Certified Instructors. The instructors and coaches enjoy working with youth sailors, love to sail and have years of experience sailing a wide range of sailing craft and usually have extensive sailboat racing experience as well.

Boats

Sunfish, Lasers, 420s, Optis, and Bic O'pens, Wayfarers, Lightnings are sailboats we may employ in our Learn to Sail programs.

What to Bring

Here is a checklist of what to wear and bring daily:

    • Type III life jacket - must fit. We highly recommend sailors have their own life jacket fit to them (but the Lansing Sailing Club does have life jackets for those who do not have their own). 
    • Youth sailors should wear submersible clothing (ex: active wear, swimming suits, surf-style clothing,etc)  and expect to get wet in the Lake. No jeans or pants with studded rear pockets. Among other things, we teach youths how to recover from a capsize.
    • Wear closed toed secure footwear with white or non-marking soles (dark soles often leave marks on the boats) - no spongy crocs. NO flip-flops on boats or grounds.
    • Anything from Keens to those $5 water shoes at the drug store work well. 
    • A water bottle.
    • Sunscreen is helpful.
    • Eyeglass holders if the sailor wears glasses (glasses are very easily lost in the lake).
    • Cap clip is helpful if the sailor wears a cap (they only float for a short period of time).
    • Whistle with lanyard is helpful (attach to life jacket).
    • Towel and change of clothing so as to go home in dry clothes.
    • Sailing gloves are strongly recommended, often easily found at West Marine.
    • Remember to dress appropriately for the weather conditions and note that it is always cooler on the water. We sail in light rain and cool weather, but not during thunderstorms - so bring the appropriate rain gear if necessary.
    • Do label bags and belongings with name.
    • Do secure long loose hair down with hair tie and/or hat/cap/buff/etc- long loose hair can get caught in boat parts.
    • Do not bring valuables.
    • Do not wear dangly jewelry. Loose chains etc. easily hook and pull off into the deep of Lake Lansing.
    • Any cell phones brought will remain in child's bags during class.

Wellness Precautions

  • Bringing your child to Class is your attestation of wellness - if your child is ill, please do not attend and do let us know they will be absent.Students, staff and volunteers who know they have a symptomatic contagious disease shall not attend classes. 
  • Ideally sailors have their own life jacket, fit to them - we do have extras (see "what to bring" list)
  • Families are encouraged to provide their sailor with a water bottle and sunscreen. Sun exposure is magnified on the water, and sailors can become burned or dehydrated more quickly than on land.