Middle School Sailing Team
Summer Series
Eligibility
Intermediate/Advanced sailors ages 8 to 14 years old under 120 lbs. At least one summer camp/learn to sail is required before joining the team. If you are not sure if your sailor qualifies, email youth@boatingcenter.org.
Cost
Team Dues for the Summer Season is listed in the matrix below. Opti Charters will have an additional charge of $200 for the summer.
We do not want cost to be a barrier from participation. Our scholarship program can be found here.
What do dues cover?
| Practices 2/week | Race Night 1/week (Optional) | Coaching at Regattas | Regatta Logistics | Gear |
| Developing sailing skills and knowledge | Racing on the bay with other dinghies | Support from a coach on a safety boat during regattas | Helping parents plan carpools, towing boats, and housing | Wetsuit, PFD, and booties |
Out of pocket expenses for sailors will be Opti boat charters, as well as registration fees, food, and housing/camping at regattas.
Practice / Race Night Schedule
We practice 2 times a week Monday/Wednesday 4:30 – 7:30. Our 2023 Summer Season is June 19th – August 27th. Practices are held at the BYC Youth Dock at Zuanich Point Park. Attendance is highly encouraged at all practices and regattas as this is a competitive sport.
The Community Boating Center hosts race night once a week on Tuesday, 5:30 – 8:30pm. Team dues cover entry to race night. It is a great opportunity to practice more and try out an RS Tera or RS Quest.
Regattas
Below is the regatta schedule for this summer. Our team is planning to attend 5 regattas. Summer regattas are usually two days with the sailors on the water all day. Coaches join the sailors on the water in a safety boat to offer support and coaching between races. Everything depends on the wind so the amount of racing/on the water time can vary. Saturday usually does not have a last start time as they want to get as many races off as possible. Sunday will have a hard deadline for racing, followed by awards and going home.
Regatta Schedule
June 24-25: Dave French Memorial Regatta
Oak Harbor, WA – All Fleets
Fun regatta to kick the summer off. All sailors should attend. Camping at Deception Pass State Park.
August 5-6: Bellingham Youth Regatta
Bellingham, WA – All Fleets
Great regatta on our home turf. Both Opti Green and Champ fleets should attend. Staying at home and might be hosting away sailors.
August 19-20: J.A.M Regatta
Bainbridge, WA – All Fleets
Both Opti Green and Champ fleets should attend. Top boats are awarded Jam and/or Pajama Pants. Camping or finding airbnb.
August 26-27: US Junior Olympics Festival
Seattle, WA – All Fleets
JO’s is a large youth regatta that focuses on quality racing and on-shore activities. Hosted by Seattle Yacht Club. Both Opti Green and Champ fleets should attend. Plan on driving home to Bellingham for the night.
September 9-10: Octoberfest
Seattle, WA – All Fleets
A fun final regatta hosted at Sail Sand Point. Both Opti Green and Champ fleets should attend. Plan on driving home to Bellingham for the night.
Required Gear
All sailors are required to wear a lifejacket with a whistle, which the CBC will provide. There will also be days that we will require a wetsuit (which we can provide) or you won’t be able to sail. We strongly encourage additional proper gear such as sailing gloves and booties (we have these available as well!). Please no cotton base layers or sweatshirts, they do not dry and can be a safety hazard on windy or colder days. On the days we are not able to sail we will do team workouts, including cardio exercises. Team members must be prepared for the possibility of a team workout and running.
Please contact youth@boatingcenter.org with any additional questions.
Meet your coaches!
Cooper Snell
Cooper grew up sailing Lido 14s and Sabots in summer sailing camps. He moved to Bellingham to pursue a degree in Physics at WWU. While at Western he discovered his love of competitive sailing on Western’s sailing team. He is now going into his senior year at Western and fourth year on the team. As a US Sailing Level 3 Coach, Cooper has coached all levels of sailors in Bellingham, including CBC’s Middle School Team, Whatcom Sailing’s High School team, and Western’s sailing team. Cooper is excited to launch CBC’s first summer racing program and is looking forward to having fun in the sun this summer!
