Getting Started

Community Boating’s Junior Program serves everybody from total beginners to lifelong sailors. This guide will help new and returning JP families choose the right classes and sign up for memberships.

My child is new to sailing

Welcome to Community Boating! Novice sailors should start with Beginner Sailing, a two-week introductory class. Families of new sailors can sign up and purchase a membership in just one step at this link. See below for membership info and additional programming.

My child has sailing experience, but is new to CBI

Most of our students progress through our class structure from beginner to intermediate to advanced offerings, but we also encourage experienced sailors to join Community Boating and jump into our junior program at the appropriate level. If your child has extensive sailing experience outside of CBI, please contact our Junior Program Director Jacob for assistance. Please note that these requests often take longer to process in-season. See below for membership info and additional programming.

My child was a junior member before

Welcome back! Returning families can purchase an all-inclusive membership, and then add the right classes by logging onto your parent account at this link. The appropriate class for returners might depend on your ratings, as well as previous classes taken:

My child took Beginner Sailing last year

Students who completed Beginner Sailing last year and received their green rating are ready for Intermediate 1. This class instructs students on the finer points of sailing, as well as reefing and may introduce using a jib. It aims to prepare sailors for their yellow and red tests.

My child took Intermediate Sailing last year

Students who took Intermediate Sailing in 2021 and don’t have their yellow rating are best served by our one-week Intermediate 2 class, which includes a refresher along with instruction, lessons and games designed to challenge and support them. They may also take advantage of Open Sailing, testing, and Mercury Clinics.

Sailors with a yellow rating, but not a red (or yellow-plus) rating, have five great options:

Test for their red or yellow-plus rating during appropriate wind conditions during JP hours
Free-sail if unable to test. A yellow-rated sailor may go sailing any day we are open, either open sailing in light to moderate breeze or testing in windy conditions. This is the best way to improve at sailing, and also a core benefit of our Junior Membership.
Enroll in Mercury Clinics designed as a supervised practice environment. Instructors will also attempt to assess sailors for new ratings during these clinics, wind-permitting.
Enroll in Windsurfing (requires Mercury yellow rating).
Take Intermediate 2 as a refresher and to prepare for the yellow-plus and red tests.

A red or yellow-plus rating is required in order to sign up for advanced offerings such as high performance and keelboat classes. See our class description page for more info.

Membership Information

To complete registration, you’ll need

Parent/guardian contact (including email address) and consent
Child’s name and contact info
Income information (optional — for discount calculation)
Credit card (in person we accept Visa/MC, or cash)
Child’s swim proof (see below)

Who is eligible?

All youth who turn 10 before August 31 and do not turn 18 before the first day of the Junior Program. Youth must also be able to swim 50 yards (two lengths of a standard pool).

How much do membership and classes cost?

We strive to make Junior Membership affordable to all. Our fee is on a generous need-based sliding scale from $1 to $395 and includes membership, classes, and boat usage; everything we offer! During registration, our fee calculator offers discounts based on household income and family makeup.

Memberships are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Will there be a swim test? What swim proof do I need?

We don’t administer a swim test, however we require that all junior members, if asked, be able to produce a swim proof stating they can swim 50 yards without stopping. You are not required to bring your child’s swim proof unless asked. Your child can take a swim test at any YMCA by appointment. We also accept

YMCA Fish Level or above certificate
Red Cross Level V swimming certificate
a Boy/Girl Scout swimming merit badge
US Sailing Level 1 Small Boat Instructor certificate
a letter stating swimming ability signed by a lifeguard on pool or school letterhead
this form completed by a reputable pool/lifeguard

Please keep your swim proof on file at home, as we may request it at any time.

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