Helping sailors for more than 50 years
Many have received their start at the Northern Yacht Club
The Northern Yacht Club has had the junior sailing program in one form or another for more than 50 years.
The program goes from July1 to the second last week of August, ending this year on August 25. Approximately 100 young people are involved, from beginners to Level 4 of the Cansail Program.
While Richard Devoe is the present director and was also director from 1989 to 1991, there were many others over the years including Denis Astephen and Paula Smith.
The beginners in level 1 are those who have never been on a boat before and they range in ages from 8 to 18. Even though they go in prams on the water right from the start, they have instructions on basic boat handling skills, terminology and safety practices; on the water, they are always in the presence of coaches and experienced sailors.
Devoe explained that the program runs four sessions hosting approximately 30 youth per session which means approximately 120; however, some attend multiple sessions and some sessions don’t sell out so this leads to about 100 participants.
Besides the coach, a previous student might accompany a new, inexperienced learner on the boat.
As their skills improve, they advance from prams to the optimist which is a boat similar to the pram but with a little more sail area, making them faster and more responsive. An optimist is an international fleet boat where the student begins to participate in racing, and acquires the skills that one can learn through competition.
Once the students have outgrown the pram and the optometrist, the next boat offered is the club 420. The club 420 is double-handed, meaning two sailors, and it’s in the 420 that they learn how to handle the spinnaker, as well as more advanced racing skills. It’s through the 420 that the students can acquire the skills and levels necessary to become an instructor coach.
I asked some of the parents what they thought of the program.
“People would ask me, does it make you feel nervous to see your child out there sailing? I reply, no, not all,” says Rachelle Brown. “I know that she is safe in the care of her instructors, and she feels safe being on the water with them.”
“I think it’s a great confidence builder for the students on the water,” said Janice Downey. “It gives them some building blocks as an introduction to the water for later sailing
experiences.”
Devoe says their coaches’ training includes Cansail coaching Levels 1 through 4, first aid, Pleasure Craft Operator, coach boat safety and all are CAWD certified (Coaching Athletes With Disabilities).
“Our coaches this year are head coach Georgina Hatcher, Jeff Devoe, Ashley Anthony, Alex Mizier-Barre, Brandon Anthony, Jake Oake, Adam Carmichael, Liam Currie and our Sail Able administrator
Maggie Bunbury,” said Devoe.
The junior executive sailing board is comprised of Devoe, the director, plus Northern Yacht Club executive members Walter Pelley, current commodore, John Astephen, rear commodore, Dave Buis, past commodore, Dean Baldwin, vice-commodore, Sandra MacLeod, entertainment chair at the NYC, Denis Astephen, John R. Mac Donald and Kim Hatcher.
A separate program, the NYC Sail Able program is offered to physically and intellectually disabled members of the community. It is run by junior sailing instructors with the help of a Sail Able administrator Maggie Bunbury who organizes and books the participants for the program. This year the program was very successful.
Devoe says the chase the ace program has given them a needed boost since they wouldn’t be able to carry out their junior sailing program without fundraising. They have a 30-boat fleet to maintain with logistics and staffing. Chase the ace has allowed them to purchase the necessary equipment, allowing them to carry out the sailing program for years to come.
Gordon Sampson founded the North Sydney Historical Society on January 7, 1980, and selected the library as the centennial project out of 10 possible projects in 1985. He was an educator and administrator for 38 years, the last 28 at the Canadian Coast Guard College. He can be reached at gh.sampson@ns.sympatico.ca