Adventure Sailing Full Season

Full Season Regular Price: $861.00
NBYC Member Full Season Price: $706.00

420 Race/Opti Race/Opti Green/Double-Handed Beginner Full Season

Full Season Regular Price: $1008.00
NBYC Member Full Season Price: $853.00
Boat owner deduct $140*

420 Race/Opti Race/Opti Green/Double-Handed Beginner Half Season

Half Season Regular Price: $661.00
NBYC Member Half Season Price: $561.00
Boat owner deducts $140*

Intermediate Full Season

Full Season Regular Price: $955.00
NBYC Member Full Season Price: $800.00
Boat owner deduct $140*

Intermediate Half Season

Half Season Regular Price: $630.00
NBYC Member Half Season Price: $530.00
Boat owner deduct $140*

Opti Beginner (Orange/Purple/Yellow) Full Season

Full Season Regular Price: $892
NBYC Member Full Season Price: $737
Boat owner deducts $140*

Opti Beginner (Orange/Purple/Yellow) Half Season

Half Season Regular Price: $598
NBYC Member Half Season Price: $498
Boat owner deducts $140*

*If you are supplying your own boat for ALL classes, please indicate so at checkout to receive the discount. This is not a class level discount. It can only be applied once per sailor during checkout.
10% sibling discount is applied for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. child (you will need to register/pay for each child one at a time)

Adventure Sailing

This course focuses on navigation and seamanship for a life on the water. Rather than an emphasis on dinghy racing, the goal is to give students a well-rounded experience on larger cruising boats, including the skills to be either skipper or crew. Students will learn these skills through a combination of shorter instructional days and a full day on the water on a larger boat. On the full day cruises, students will practice their skills and participate in STEM activities to deepen their understanding of the “why” beyond the “how”. The 8-week course is thematic in nature and each week will have a different focus. Come join us on the water! Participants must be 11 years old by July 1st of this year.

Class meets Tuesday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Beginner Opti

An introduction or reintroduction to sailing. This class is for the young student who has no prior sailing experience. Beginner students will have fun and learn skills in both small group and whole class lessons. The basics of sailing – wind directions, parts of the boat, rigging, steering, sail trim, tacking, jibing, knots, towing, and docking, capsize and recovery, bailing as well as basic boat care. Swimming, games, and knot tying will all be part of this fun-focused introduction to sailing class. This class will be taught primarily in Optimists though students will cross train in RS Feva's and Ensigns.

Class Schedules:
Orange - Class meets Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Purple - Class meets Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Yellow - Class meets Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Intermediate Opti

Optimist Intermediate is intended for those sailors that have graduated from Opti Beginner who are looking to refine their boathandling skills as well as increase their knowledge of sailing rules. This class is a great segue to either Opti Green Fleet intro to racing or Doublehanded Intermediate. The class will also focus on refining skills required to sail a boat at its optimal performance and have fun!

Class meets Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Opti Green Fleet – Intro to Racing

This class is designed for the young sailor who has mastered the beginner class and is ready to learn some basic racing skills. These skills can be tested at local Eastern Connecticut Green Fleet Regattas. These fun low key regattas are for kids that want to begin and test competitive racing. Owning your own boat is a good idea and encouraged.

Class meets Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Opti Racing

This class is for the Opti Sailor who is eager and committed to learning racing skills. Opti racers will develop racing skills including rigging for optimum speed, race preparation, and strategy development, various starting tactics, upwind/downwind steering and strategy, and rules. Classes will be formatted to include both small group instruction focused on boat handling (mark rounding, roll tacking/gybing, starting, etc.) and whole class racing. Opti Racers will be encouraged to participate in Twilights, weekend racing, and regattas (for which coaching will be provided).

Class meets Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Double-handed Beginner (Feva)

This class is designed for sailors who are age appropriate and ready to move on from the Opti. While we recommend the sailors to have participated in two full seasons of sailing classes, beginners who are interested are welcome! Lessons will be primarily taught in Fevas and 420s. A combination of fun activities and skill-building drills will be incorporated into the class to develop a love of sailing and confidence in each child. Sailors will learn parts of the boat, rigging, sail trim, tacking, jibing, towing, docking, capsize/recovery, weight distribution, upwind steering, points of sail, introduction to spinnakers, etc. Seamanship and basic racing will also be introduced.

Class meets Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Double-handed Intermediate (Feva)

This class is recommended for sailors who have participated in two full seasons of sailing classes or one season in Double-Handed Beginner, who are age appropriate and ready to move on from the Optis and beginner Fevas. Lessons will be primarily taught in Fevas and 420s as well as some keelboating. Intermediate sailors will build upon the skills learned as beginners. A combination of fun activities and skill-building drills will be incorporated into the class to develop a love of sailing and confidence in each child. Sail trim (Main, Jib and Spinnaker), weight distribution, upwind steering, points of sail, sailing backwards, and introduction to spinnakers will all be covered in class. Seamanship and basic racing will also be introduced.

Class meets Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

420 Racing

This class is for the 420 Sailor who is eager and committed to learning racing skills. 420 racers will develop racing skills including rigging for optimum speed, race preparation and strategy development, various starting tactics, upwind/downwind steering, double handed sail trim, and rules. Classes will be formatted to include both small group instruction focused on boathandling (mark rounding, roll tacking/gybing, starting, spinnaker and trapeze etc.) and whole class racing. 420 racers will be expected to represent NBSA in the ECSA team races and are encouraged to participate in Twilights, Weekend Races, and regattas(for which coaching will be provided).

Class meets Monday, Tuesday, Friday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

NBSA Junior Sailing Handbook:

2024 NBSA Junior Sailing Handbook

REGISTER NOW

If you have questions, please contact us at NBSA@NianticSailing.org.

Junior Sailing 2024 RECAP

The 2024 season brought tremendous accomplishments for NBSA’s youth sailors. Beginner and intermediate groups thrived, with young sailors honing their skills and building confidence on the water. We look forward to welcoming them back next year as they continue to grow within our program.

Our Adventure Sailing class was a standout success, equipping participants with lifelong sailing skills. Special thanks to the skippers volunteering their time and boats, making this class possible. We’re excited to expand Adventure Sailing next season and further integrate STEM and sustainability into our programming.

The racing fleets also shone brightly this year. NBSA youth sailors earned top finishes in regional regattas, including outstanding performances at the Larry White Regatta, organized by Theresa Colantuono. It was incredibly rewarding to see sailors who began their journeys with NBSA achieve such impressive results. Heartfelt thanks to our instructors, parents, and volunteers for their invaluable support in making this season’s races a success!