Our Program


Our sailing program is designed for boys and girls (ages 8-15) and adults (16 and older). In addition to on-the-water sailing instruction, students learn boating / safety skills, seamanship skills, perform land drills, and play team-building games. We meet, rain or shine, at the Youth Boating Center, 619 Broughton Drive.

Classes are offered at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Special programs include adult basic sailing and classes for racing tactics on specific types of boats. The classes are taught or supervised by U.S. Sailing Certified Instructors. Sessions run Monday-Thursday for one-week sessions from mid-June to mid-August.

Sailing Classes


Class Calendar

Opti Beginner

Develop a student's confidence and skill operating small sailboats in light winds of less than 12 mph and mild seas. Students rig and dismantle their boats, learn basic nautical and boating terms, and demonstrate basic knots and line handling. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 3 - Max 9
Prerequisite: Must be able to swim 20 yards in light clothing - students will be tested on the first day of class.

Opti Intermediate

Develop a student's confidence and skill sailing in light to moderate winds of 12-15 mph and moderate sea conditions. Students learn about different types of boats, rigging, increasing their vocabulary of nautical terms, tie more advanced knots, and learn the Rules of the Road in sailing close to other boats. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 3 - Max 9
Prerequisite: SYSC Opti Beginner or equivalent experience.

420 Beginner

Develop student's confidence and skill sailing in winds exceeding 15 mph and more challenging water conditions. Students demonstrate safe operation of their craft in a variety of conditions, including loss of boat parts and in close proximity to other boats. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 3 - Max 8
Prerequisite: SYSC Opti Intermediate or equivalent experience.

420 Intermediate

Tactics and techniques designed to teach racing tactics in the areas of starting, upwind and downwind sailing, sail trim, and reading wind conditions. Opportunity to be a part of the SYSC Junior Sailing Team. Open to intermediate and advanced sailors. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 3 - Max 10
Prerequisite: SYSC 420 Beginner, Opti Intermeidate or equivalent experience.

Adult Level 1

Introductory course for both men and women with no or little sailing experience. Students gain on-the-water sailing experience accompanied by an instructor. Students rig and dismantle their boats, learn basic nautical and boating terms, and demonstrate basic knots and line handling. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 4 - Max 16
Prerequisite:Must be able to swim 20 yards in light clothing - students will be tested on the first day of class.

Adult Level 2

Techniques and drills designed to enhance sailing skills in the areas of upwind and downwind sailing, sail trim, reading wind conditions, and/or racing will be practiced in this course. This course will be tailored to the needs and interests of the sailors enrolled in the class. Emphasis will be placed on "enhancing the skill sets" of the students. This course is ideal for sailors with developing, intermediate, or advanced skills that want to enhance and practice their sailing skills. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 4 - Max 16
Prerequisite:SYSC Adult Level I or equivalent experience.

Adult Keelboat

Develop a student's confidence and skill sailing in light to moderate winds of 12-15 mph and moderate sea conditions. Students learn about different types of boats, rigging, increasing their vocabulary of nautical terms, tie more advanced knots, and learn the Rules of the Road in sailing close to other boats. This course will be tailored to the needs and interests of the sailors enrolled in the class. Emphasis will be placed on "enhancing the skill sets" of the students and team work. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 4 - Max 10
Prerequisite:SYSC Adult Level I or equivalent experience

Adult SYC Racing

Develop a student's confidence and skill sailing in light to moderate winds of 12-15 mph and moderate sea conditions. Students learn about different types of boats, rigging, increasing their vocabulary of nautical terms, tie more advanced knots, and learn the Rules of the Road in sailing close to other boats. This course will be tailored to the needs and interests of the sailors enrolled in the class. Emphasis will be placed on "enhancing the skill sets" of the students and team work.

Class size: Min 4 - Max 10
Prerequisite:SYSC Adult Level I or equivalent experience

Youth Lightning Lab (including SYC Tuesday races)

Develop the student's confidence and skill sailing in the Tuesday night Lightning Races at the Sheboygan Yacht Club. Students learn about preparing for a sailboat race including team work, boat launching and hauling, rigging, checking weather conditions, decision making as a team, getting to the race course on time for the race, and learn the Rules of the Road in sailing close to other boats. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 3 - Max 8

Personal Sailing/Windsurfing Experience

New in 2012, this Class is designed for the person or people(up to 4) that would like a more private lesson designed specifically for their personal interests and ability. The Instructors will instruct you at whatever level you are comfortable. We will ask a few questions to help us understand what your expectation is for the class. Are you a Beginner sailor/windsurfer just starting out, Intermediate sailor/windsurfer looking for experience on different kinds of Equipment, a family outing to give them a sailing experience, a parent/child experience, a couples experience, friends outing, and the list goes on...

We offer a full schedule of daytime and evening classes from beginner to racer – if these don’t fit your schedule try the Personal Sailing Experience.

Cost for 1 Person Experience = $75.00/hour
Cost for 2 – 4 Person Experience = $50.00/hour/person

Please contact us AT LEAST 1 week prior to schedule a time that works for you and our Instructors.

Windsurfing Classes


Windsurfing Beginner

Introductory course in windsurfing designed to expose the student to windsurfing as an alternative sailing activity. This course will develop the skills so that the student can rig the sail, maintain correct balance and position on the sailboard, uphaul and sail away, change sailing direction through upwind and downwind sail positions, and turn the sailboard through a slow tack. Daily class topics will be adapted to weather conditions to allow for the maximum possible time on the water. Class Skill Sets
The class is available for three separate age groups:

  • Child - age 9 to 12, Class size: Min 2 - Max 4
  • Beginner - age 13 to 18, Class size: Min 3 - Max 6
  • Adult - age over 18, Class size: Min 3 - Max 8

Prerequisite: SYSC Opti Beginner or equivalent experience.

Windsurfing Intermediate

Intermediate course in windsurfing designed to provide additional unstructured time for practice sessions to continue the development of skills learned by the windsurfing student in the beginner course. In addition to open practice sessions, the course will include opportunities for coaching in various intermediate skills such as windsurfing in higher wind conditions, getting the board up on plane, beach starts, windsurfing in waves, using a harness, adding speed to tacks and jibes, and for those students interested in racing the possibility of a racing clinic. This course will offered in an unstructured open format for coaching time to be determined by weather conditions and coaching in the skills appropriate for the level of the windsurfer. Class Skill Sets

Class size: Min 2 - Max 8
Prerequisite: SYSC Windsuring Beginner or equivalent experience