Click Here to Apply for a 2024 WYC Fall Scholarship
The Youth Sailing Program has been active since the 1960's and has produced literally thousands of sailors. The program provides all boats and equipment for entry-level sailors through advanced sailors.
The goal of the program is threefold:
- Enrich each young sailor’s life with an enduring respect and appreciation of the ocean.
- Develop and master the skills of sailing, which can last a lifetime.
- Utilize sailing to build confidence and sportsmanship in young athletes.
To this end, a solid foundation is built by emphasizing the development of fundamental skills, like maneuvering (tacks, jibes, safety position and landings), while simultaneously developing an enjoyment of the sport. The WYC Youth Sailing Program embraces the triad modeled by U.S. Sailing—Safety, Fun and Learning.
As kids and teens progress from novice to intermediate sailing, they will be challenged with a variety of tasks that range from: single-handed sailing, learning how to teach as an assistant instructor, and/or exploring other types of boats from one of our five fleets. As skills progress, many sailors begin racing in regattas hosted by the Waikiki Yacht Club, before moving on to the traveling team. Finally, the Advanced Sailing Program continues the progression with both racing and teaching skills.
The WYC Youth Sailing Program is a comprehensive program for all levels, whether the sailor wants to sail for only one week a year or full-time year-round. Sailing is a lifelong sport that progresses in layers. Seeds planted during youth may grow in many directions, whether in traditional voyaging, windsurfing, racing, cruising, or a combination of all four!
All courses are taught by U.S. Sailing Certified Instructors and Coaches. Guy Fleming, the Sailing Director, is one of five U.S. Sailing Master Instructor Trainers (MIT’s) in the nation. (U.S. Sailing is the governing body for the sport of sailing.)
For specific information about an upcoming season, please call the office at 808-955-4405.
Available Programs
No experience is needed for this program where kids will learn everything they need to know about sailing. Each year, 200 kids participate in the fall or spring Saturday Learn to Sail Program or one of the 8 summer sessions that range from 1–2 weeks long.
- Fall Saturday Program: 12 Weeks
- Spring Saturday Program: 12 Weeks
- Summer Sailing: Monday–Friday, Up to 12 Weeks
Hawaii is the only state in which an entire league has recognized sailing as a sport.
The Interscholastic League of Honolulu is an organization of 27 high schools and has recognized sailing as a sport. Currently, seven schools participate in regattas leading up to the ILH championship. In collaboration with the Hawaii Yacht Club and the Kaneohe Yacht Club, the Waikiki Yacht Club hosts junior varsity and varsity sailing championships for these schools. WYC members volunteer their time to support the young sailors and staff the regattas.
Current participating schools:
- Iolani School
- Kamehameha Kapalama
- Le Jardin Academy
- Mid Pacific Institute
- Punahou School
- Sacred Hearts Academy
- Saint Andrews Priory
The Intermediate program is primarily taught in single-handed El Toros and Open Skiffs, but other boats like the Laser and Club 420 will also be introduced. Expect to improve boat handling, seamanship skills, the basics of tuning the boat for optimum performance, and an introduction to racing. These classes pick up where novice classes lead off.
Up to 12 advanced sailors 12–16 years old are selected to participate in this program. They start out being the competent calm person in the boat during introductory sails. Over time, they learn how to teach an intro to rigging, take people on introductory sails, teach people how to capsize and right the boat as well as sail trim and steering. Subconsciously, they’re also learning patience as well as how to teach others with a variety of learning styles.
This program helps prepare candidates for the rigorous U.S. Sailing 4-day certification course.
The advanced class is taught in Olympic Lasers (also used in collegiate competition) and Club 420s (the Olympic development boat for the 470, which introduces spinnaker and trapeze skills).
This program trains for the U.S. Sailing Junior Olympic Festival which is hosted in Hawaii each year. The top participants also compete in National regattas on the mainland like the U.S. Sailing Youth Championship. Waikiki Yacht Club is proud of their two sailors who went on to win this prestigious event!
The Advanced El Toro Program is for experienced sailors and builds on the Intermediate Racing Program. The Advanced El Toro Sailors have typically been sailing for 3–7 years and have progressed from El Toro C4, C3 & C2, which race in the smaller training sail. They’re now competing in El Toro C, B & A, which uses the larger racing sail.
At this level, their boat handling is typically already excellent, and they focus on improving their ability to start, anticipate wind shifts, and use tactics and rules to navigate the course.
State of the Art Vessels
The 420 is the trainer for one of the Olympic double-handed classes. At 4.2 meters, it helps prepare youth sailors for the larger 470. Both boats have the ability to train with spinnaker and trapeze. Sailors in the 420 have typically already progressed to the advanced El Toro class.
420s can also be sailed college style without the trapeze or spinnaker. Many of the WYC top sailors have used these skills to get into the college of their choice!
The Laser is an Olympic Class Single-Handed Dinghy that is also used in high school and college racing. Sailors typically begin racing in the smaller 4.7-meter sail, progress through the radial sail, and ultimately to the full rig sail. Sailors exit the Advanced El Toro program and move up when they are grown enough and strong enough for the boat.
The Glide Free company has made a foiling kit for Lasers. A “foil” is a horizontal panel that lifts the boat out of the water. Foiling puts a premium on weight placement, timing, coordination of sail and tiller controls, and balance. All of these skills are essential for successful sailing. The Waikiki Yacht Club Education Foundation has purchased two foiling kits for the continuing education of the top end racers!
U.S. Sailing is the National Governing Body for the sport of sailing. As part of the Olympic pathway program, U.S. Sailing annually hosts approx. 20 Junior Olympic Festivals around the country. This promotes grassroots competition as well as having the top athletes qualify for national competition.
The WYC has co-hosted the 5-day U.S. Sailing Junior Olympic Festival–Hawaii since 2002, and 70–120 athletes compete each year.
Waikiki Yacht Club Education Foundation (WYCEF) Annual Giving Campaign
Waikiki Yacht Club Education Foundation (WYCEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization set up to fund capital purchases for youth sailing. It raises money primarily through donations and the sale of donated boats. The money raised is used to purchase the sailing fleets for the program–currently 15 Toppers, 12 El Toros, 12 420s, 12 Lasers, and 6 BICs (Open Skiffs)–as well as sails and other equipment. Additionally, the WYCEF funds a scholarship program for youngsters who might otherwise not have the opportunity to learn to sail a boat without financial assistance.
Each year WYCEF sends out letters asking for help to keep this successful program strong in order to nurture the next generation of sailors. Your donation will help kids learn to sail in the ocean right off Waikiki Yacht Club. Young sailors find the most perfect conditions for learning to sail here, along with a lucky chance to meet dolphins, turtles, or even whales!
All help is appreciated! Your generous gift will give young sailors the skills to not only sail a boat but also equip them with invaluable life skills such as leadership, teamwork, self-assurance, responsibility, integrity, perseverance, and the Corinthian spirit of sportsmanship. Because WYCEF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), your contributions are tax-deductible. Please make your contribution to our cause through GoFundMe.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
