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Treasure Island Sailing Center Treasure Island Sailing Center mainly services locals in San Francisco and area schools, but is looking to develop a more inclusive environment. Like ACSC, TISC is host to the US Sailing Siebel Sailing Program, but their aim is to recruit more diverse instructors who are mentors and role models. TISC is also developing a unique program called Treasure Island Maritime Education that will build sailing and boat-work skills. Its goal is to expose high-school-aged sailors to build diverse skills such as rigging and fiberglass work, and to help them understand Coast Guard career options.
ACSC
Alameda County Sailing Center The island community in Alameda is home to many water people: stand-up paddlers, swimmers and kayakers. But connecting the community to sailing has proven to be the main challenge in building the youth program at Alameda County Sailing Center. "It's very important to get more people into sailing," says program director Emily Zugnoni, "especially people who don't come from sailing families, and those who don't even know what a yacht club is." Of course, the dream is that kids will fall in love with the sport, the water, and the community and eventually bring their own children and grandchildren to sail. All it takes is the curiosity of one kid looking for fun to introduce a new generation of sailors to the community. Last year saw the launch of a new US Sailing Initiative to get youth into sailing who are traditionally underrepresented in sailing clubs. San Francisco Bay is one of the regions designated for three Siebel Sailor Programs, including ACSC. "We are trying to build people who love sailing, and care about the water," says Zugnoni. "People who want to try new things, and get outside their comfort zones." Sailing campers play games, do drills, have adventures, and grow into responsible, brave young adults. One would think that funding would be the biggest barrier to getting children on the water. According to Zugnoni, "Finding scholarship money is not the problem. The hard part is finding scholarship recipients!" Meet Kyla Lum, 17, and a high school senior from Alameda. She started sailing at ACSC in the sixth grade, the age girls typically drop the sport. As a young sailor, she enjoyed all the games and really admired her instructors. "I learned pretty much all I know at ACSC," says Lum. "They taught me enough to be able to teach sailing to kids now. I really enjoy it." She describes the laid-back atmosphere at the club, where they find a balance between learning and making learning fun, but also being pushed out of her comfort zone. "I wasn't a strong swimmer when I
started," recalls Lum. That makes feeling safe out on the water quite an accomplishment — not to mention her becoming a lead instructor at the club.
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Kyla Lum started with ACSC in 6th grade and is now an instructor showing the way.
Beyond sailing, Treasure Island Sailing Center has been a pioneer with their Set Sail Learn STEM training program for 4th graders. More than 6,000 San Francisco Unified School District fourth graders have been given the chance to sail on and learn about San Francisco Bay through TISC's one-day SSL STEM program. Sailing combines with environmental stewardship for maximum fun and impact in the protected waters of Clipper Cove. To support its efforts to broaden the base with more inclusive sailing access, TISC offers an extensive scholarship program with scholarships offered for up to 80% of past participants. Sailing Education Adventures In Marin County, Sailing Education Adventures (SEA) is a nonprofit community sailing club dedicated to environmental and sail training. SEA launched in 1976, but their youth programs began
in 1984 and have been popular from Day One. SEA is based out of Loch Lomond Yacht Harbor at the mouth of San Rafael Creek. They serve North Bay dwellers, mainly from Marin and Sonoma counties, who are looking for access to the water. Since 2012, SEA founder Jane Piereth has worked to revitalize their youth programming, and to make sure SEA is a safe place for families to come together and learn. Board members take an active role as sailing camp parents, and sail campers' parents can come and help run the youth sailing camps. Piereth noted that many times parents fall in love with the sport from seeing the joy and satisfaction their kids experience during camp. "I can't tell you how many times we had kids who were reluctant to come to camp the first day," explains Piereth. "By the end of the week, they want their parents to buy a boat!" But camp is more than being a fine technical sailor. Each camp ends with a sort of graduation ceremony. Piereth remarks, "We do three awards: most improved, best sailor, and best shipmate, which is described as the person in camp with whom you'd feel comfortable sailing to Hawaii in a leaky Laser. It's about having good sailing skills, but really more about being a good person to sail with." Their summer programs fill fast, announced in the spring ahead of the peak summer season. Sail camp kids get access to the SEA fleet: Catalina 16 keelboats, 14-ft RS Quest dinghies, and sometimes the "wanna-be tall ship," the Kitty Sark. JOSHUA LEIHE
ummer is coming — and the Bay is waiting for your kids! Whether you live in the North Bay, or right on the water in Alameda County, summer youth sailing is at the heart of Bay Area sailing.
San Francisco Yacht Club If you're looking for sailing with a more competitive focus, the San Francisco Yacht Club (SFYC) in Belvedere is a great spot. SFYC has a strong history of competitive sailors, with graduates sailing in national, international, and Olympic competitions. It's big — the biggest junior program in the Bay and the secondlargest on the West Coast, according to Abby Featherstone, SFYC's youth program director. Last summer, even with COVID-19, SFYC saw almost 90 kids a day for their land school and Opti team programming.
