OCEAN CITY YACHT CLUB
ESTABLISHED IN 1901
39°17'34.4" N 74°33'54.0" W

Junior Sailing Program   

The mission of the OCYC Junior Sailing Program is to provide a fun and educational program for youth interested in sailing and racing. We seek to impart a love of sailing as a life sport while providing the fundamental skills necessary for participants to advance in the sport of sailing as far as their desire, skill, and hard work may take them.

The Ocean City Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program is a summer season sailing program that emphasizes fun, friendship, learning, knowledge, safety and competition for young sailors ages 8 to 19. The OCYC Junior Sailing Program offers an instructional program that follows a specified sequence, with various tracks to meet the different skills, needs, and interests of our Junior Sailors.

The Optimist (www.usoda.org) is the club’s official instructional boat, and the only boat used for our introductory “learn-to-sail” instruction. Once a junior sailor masters a specified set of sailing skills on the Optimist, he or she may choose to participate in the “racing program”.  Junior sailors choosing to follow the racing track advance through a series of Optimist classes designed to prepare the “Racers” for higher-level racing when they advance to larger boats. When Racers “age-out” of Optimists and have met all of the requirements to participate in our advanced boat program, they may choose to sail either the Radial Laser or the Laser 4.7 (www.laserinternational.org) as their advanced single-handed boat, and they may also choose to sail the Club 420 (www.club420.org), the club’s official double-handed boat.

All members of the junior sailing program must be members of the Yacht Club either through their family membership or through their junior membership.

2023 Junior Sailing Program

Welcome to the Ocean City Yacht Club 2023 Junior Sailing program! We have made some changes and improvements for this coming season:

We are offering 2 options for the season along with the Minnows program:

• All day Sailing program (Sea Squirts) from 8:45 AM to 3:15 PM which will run 5 days a week Monday thru Friday for 8 weeks: June 19 - August 11 (Full Description). Cost $2,000.

• Racing program for 8 weeks: June 19 - August 11 (Full Description). Cost $950 per class $560 (420).

• We are offering a new program this year- Intermediate Opti Class, in addition to laser, 420, and sunfish lessons.  The Intermediate Opti Class is for sailors 10 years and up who have mastered all skills taught in the Sea Squirt Opti Class, ages 8 and 9, and who are seeking advanced sailing knowledge of the Opti. Racing instruction will be more advanced than that covered in the beginner Opti Class. The intent of the class is to offer the sailor the racing skills needed to win races when competing both at home, and on the regatta circuit.
  

Fridays will be for post-MAYRA review and racing both morning and afternoon for all sailors; no private lesson sign-ups.

• We are excited to share that again there will be two sessions of Minnows for which children 5-7 years old may be registered.  Each child may be registered for one session only.   The first week of registration will be open only to children ages 5-7 who have not previously had the opportunity to participate in this program.  After the first week,  registration will be open to all children 5-7 years old.

• Minnows program is a 5 day program open to 5-7 year olds to introduce them to sailing, the yacht club and the sea. The program will run 5 days beginning at 9:00 am until noon. Two sessions will be offered: July 10-14 and July 1-August 4 (one session per child). (Full Description). Cost $225. All Participants must have an appropriately sized US Coast Guard approved life jacket. Parent, grandparent of club members only. Children must be 5 years old by July 1st, 2023 and no older than 7 years old to enroll. Note: Parent, Grandparent or Guardian must accompany on 2 of the 5 days (power boat ride and park visit siblings welcome).

Boat Ownership

We are encouraging everyone to buy their own boat prior to the start of 2023 season. Whether you have a new or used boat, owning a boat guarantees that your child will have a dependable boat for the season.

If you wish to call a boat company to discuss the purchase of a boat, please consider the following. They are located in South Jersey.

M&M Sailing, 1-609-518-0100, Info@mandmsailing.com.

OCYC Boat Rentals:

• The cost of renting a boat for the 2023 season from available inventory at OCYC is $440 opti or laser and $560 420 (per boat).

• In addition, if renting a boat a damage a deposit of $400 is required and will be refunded at the end of the summer if the boat is returned in a similar condition. 

• Rental boats may be used for away regattas, as long as an OCYC coach is attending the regatta. Rental boats are limited to two years in boat.

• C420 racers who are renting MUST register together as a team (see form). No rental will be considered until both sailors have paid. Rentals will go first to the completed and paid registrants.

Scholarships:

Scholarships are available through the Ocean City Yacht Club Foundation at www.ocyc.org/foundation.

• Scholarships may be offered to persons 5 to 18 years of age for membership, sailing lessons and / or equipment at the Ocean City Yacht Club or another sailing organization or institution up to $1000 per year per individual.
  

SJ Summer Series Transportation

• Parents are strongly encouraged to drive their sailors and boats to Regatta's. If you require OCYC to transport your sailor's boat, there will be a prepaid fee of $400 (see registration form) to guarantee your son/daughter's boat transportation to and from the six SJ Summer Series Regattas for the 2023 season. This applies to Optis, Lasers, and Sunfish.  Please include this amount with your registration fee to guarantee that your son/daughter has boat transportation. Parents are responsible for transporting their sailor or arranging with another parent. Parents are strongly encouraged to stay and enjoy the regatta experience. More information on what to expect at regattas will be provided for new sailor parents later in the spring.

Please complete forms for registration as early as possible to ensure your child gets placed properly in their class. Registration forms are due no later than May 15th 2023. Season Kick-Off Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, June 18th.

If you have any questions about the upcoming season or the enclosed materials, please contact us at kgoddard@ursinus.edu.

Please be sure to note the registration deadline of May 15th. Link to registration process.