JUNIORS DAY CAMP

The DSC’s Youth Sailing Program was formed in 1990 to make sailing available and convenient for all Baltimore-area children. Since the program’s inception, thousands of children between the ages of 8 and 16 have learned to sail with us. Sailing is an exhilarating way for children to learn teamwork, concentration and self-confidence – not to mention a deep appreciation for the environment in which we live.

We teach sailing to children of all skill levels in accordance with the well-known and respected U.S. Sailing curriculum. Each day at Juniors camp is divided into land-based and on-the-water instruction segments, with the majority of the day spent learning sailing skills first-hand on Baltimore’s beautiful and historic Inner Harbor. On-the-water time is spent with a boat group composed of a U.S. Sailing certified instructor and a group of three or four other children grouped by age and skill level. On-the-water activities include day sails out to the Francis Scott Key Bridge for picnics on the boat, racing, boat “tag” played with wet sponges and drills for the skills learned in the day’s on-land instruction. On Friday’s children are given the chance to test their skills in 10-foot-long Australian Access Dinghies. The bright-colored two-seaters are a fun way for children to test their independence on the water in a safe environment, closely monitored by instructors both on the land and in motorboats.

All classes are held at the DSC’s downtown facility at the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

Safety is the DSC’s No. 1 priority and we make sure that children know the importance of on-the-water safety. All participants and instructors are required to wear a personal flotation device (PFD), provided by the DSC. Our program uses the popular J/22 keelboat preferred by sailors worldwide for its safety and stability in a breeze and its responsiveness on light air days. Each boat comfortably carries four children and an instructor. Our keelboat program includes three levels of keelboat instruction for students of every skill level:

• Level 1 (Y1) covers basic sailing skills. Topics covered include principles of sailing, boat rigging, water safety, steering, tacking, jibing and nautical vocabulary.
  
• Level 2 (Y2) reviews the basic skills as well as right-of-way rules, points of sail, buoys, markers, wind awareness, and knot tying. Prerequisite: Level 1 or previous experience.
  
• Level 3 (Y3) covers departure and landing techniques, overboard recovery and refining sailing techniques. With a focus on making the boat fast. Prerequisite: Level 2 or previous experience.
  
• Racing (YR) Beginner Racing with focus on introduction to race strategy, starts, mark rounding, and spinnaker handling. Prerequisite: Level 3 or previous experience. This advanced level of instruction is only offered for sessions 7, 9,11. Limited spots available and dependent upon the number of youth who are interested.
• Instructor's Assistant (YA) is a program where experienced campers can act as assistants to the instructors, which can get them valuable experience in a leadership position.  Campers who are interested must apply each summer in order to be assistants.  Potential assistants should sign up for the regular camp session they would like to enroll in if NOT selected as an assistant (Y1, Y2, Y2, or YR), since assistant status is not guaranteed.  Please note that camp fees are normal for a camper who is also an assistant!  Prerequisites: See the FAQ for details on assistants, prerequisites, and how to apply. Limited spots available and dependent upon the number of youth who are interested.

   

  
  This year the DSC is offering 11 one-week sessions from early June to late August. Sign up soon - the camp usually sells out early in the season. If you have questions about the camp or about which course level is appropriate for your child, feel free to call the DSC office at (410) 727-0722.

  
  
  

  The Downtown Sailing Center is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit community sailing center.
  Located at The Baltimore Museum of Industry
  Photography donated by Andy Herbick Photography, and others.