Education
Sailing Class Details
Cost for Youth & Adult Sailing Classes in 2026 is
$250 plus a GCYC Membership
Total Price covers the following:
Free boat use as GCYC Membership allows
US Sailing "Learn Sailing Right" Book
Training Handouts
30 Hours of Instruction and UNLIMITED FUN!!!
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Youth sailing classes are for 8 thru 17 year olds
PARENT ORIENTATION, KNOTS and SWIM TEST
on or before the first date of each session.
On The Water Training each day from 9:00am - 4:00pm
These classes are taught by certified US Sailing Small Boat Instructors with American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Certificates. Sailing instructors are US Sailing Certified and Safe Sport trained.
Class size is limited and set by instructor. Students will learn the skills necessary to care for and sail the club's Sunfish sailboats single-handed.
Contact the Education Coordinator education-coordinator@gcyc.net for more details.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
Youth & Adult
Summer Sailing Class Schedule
June 5–7, 2026 (Friday–Sunday) - Adult Beginner Sailing Class
Designed for adults with little or no sailing experience. This three-day course covers basic sailing terminology, rigging, sail trim, points of sail, boat handling, and on-the-water safety. Emphasis is placed on hands-on learning and confidence building.
June 15–19, 2026 (Monday–Friday) - Youth Beginner Sailing Class (Ages 8–17)
An introductory course for youth sailors. Students learn sailing fundamentals, knot tying, water safety, boat handling, teamwork, and confidence on the water. This class builds the foundation for continued sailing progression.
June 29 – July 3, 2026 (Monday–Friday) - Intermediate Sailing Class (Youth or Adult) - !!! SOLD OUT!!!
For sailors who have completed a beginner course or have equivalent experience. Focus includes advanced boat handling, sail trim, upwind/downwind performance, docking, safety procedures, and increased independence on the water.
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Contact the Education Coordinator education-coordinator@gcyc.net for more details.
REGISTRATION FORMS
Adults Register Here: Adult Registration
Youths (ages 8-17) Register Here: Youth Registration
Youth & Adult Sailing Classes
Heeling
Swimming Test
Swimming Test
Capsize/Right Exercise
Capsize/Right Exercise
Learning the Ropes
Fun with Friends
The GCYC Fleet
Sunfish
The club maintains a fleet of Sunfish sailboats. The Sunfish is a small sailing dinghy utilizing a pontoon-type board-shaped hull with a lateen sail mounted on an un-stayed mast. Developed by Alcort, Inc. around 1952 as a wood hull design improvement of their Sailfish, it was changed to fiberglass a few years later. Having a lateen sail with its simple two line rigging makes the Sunfish simple to set-up and learn the basics of sailing.
In 1995 the Sunfish was recognized by The American Sailboat Hall of Fame for being “the most popular fiberglass boat ever designed, with a quarter million sold worldwide”. Today, the Sunfish remains the most popular sailboat of its type and has served as the classroom for several generations of sailors, including some club members.
Flying Junior (FJ)
In 2013, the club bought and restored several Flying Juniors (FJ) at the request of youth sailing graduates looking for the next step in their sailing development. The FJs will be used as the platform for the Level II class now being offered.
The FJ was originally designed in 1955 in the Netherlands to serve as a training boat for the then Olympic class Flying Dutchman. With a beam of 4'11" and an overall sail area of 100 square feet, the FJ is an ideal class for young sailors. Today the FJ is sailed worldwide with a International FJ-Class World Championship held annually. It is still popular in High School and Collegiate programs across the United States.