phone: (207) 772-7245 • fax: (888) 674-SAIL (7245) • 58 Fore Street • Portland, Maine 04101• learntosail at sailmaine.org

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Fall Middle School Sailing

for sailors in sixth through eighth grade
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Fall Middle School Sailing is for sailors in grades 6-8 who are comfortable skippering their own boat (any type of small dinghy such as a 420, optimist, laser).
  • They should have completed a minimum of one summer of sailing in an organized sailing program (yacht club, community sailing, camp, etc.) and feel comfortable in more challenging fall wind conditions.   
  • IF YOU ARE NEW TO SAILING, please sign up to participate in the Intramural LTS (Learn to Sail) program (see bottom of page for more information)*.


BOATS:  The program uses a variety of boats including Optimists, Bytes, Lasers and 420s. SailMaine provides all the boats for the program.

REGATTAS: Middle School sailors participate in approximately two SailMaine HS JV level regattas during the fall season. The regattas dates are yet to be determined.

PRACTICE:

  • Sailors meet three days a week for three hour practices at SailMaine.
  • Practice days are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-6:30pm.
  • The program runs from early September through the end of October.

LOCATION:  Middle School practice is at SailMaine in downtown Portland. The kids sail in Casco Bay in the same sailing area as the HS sailing program.

The program has its own dedicated coach, sailboats and coach boat.

Additional considerations:
  • The program is capped at 10 sailors.
  • Sailors will not be on a Varsity roster, nor are they considered High School JV.
  • Sailors don’t practice with the high school teams; the coach will gear practice to the skill level of the sailors.

Middle School Sailing Practice Daily Schedule:

  • 3:00-3:30pm sailors arrive and get ready
  • 3:30pm chalk talk (discuss plan for practice)
    * Sailors are expected to be dressed to sail *
  • 3:50pm sailors shuttled to sail docks
  • 4:15pm-5:45 practice on the water
  • 5:45pm sailors de-rig
  • 5:45pm sailors on shore
  • 6:30pm sailors depart/ get picked up

*Intramural Sailing: Please note, sailors must weigh at least 100 pounds + to participate in the Learn to Sail program, since the class sails 420s only. Priority is given to the HS aged sailors but we welcome MS aged sailors if there is room. Please click here for detailed information on the Intramural Program.

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