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Youth Sailing Education Programs

The Austin Yacht Club is a leader in youth sailing education in Central Texas. The Junior Sailing Program provides the opportunity for youth to develop the skills and confidence necessary to spark a life-long love of the sport. Our Junior Sailing Program runs all year with course offerings for junior sailors of all ages and levels of experience.

Click HERE to register for Spring Classes

These are the classes being offered during the Spring of 2024:

  • Opti 1: Learn to Sail (Saturday 8-12)
  • Opti 1: Learn to Sail (Sunday 8-12)
  • Opti 2: Introduction to Green Fleet (Saturday 1-5)
  • Opti 3 Advanced Green/WBR (Wednesday 5-dark and Sunday 1-5)
  • Middle/High School Learn to Sail (Saturday 8-12)
  • High School A Team (Wed/Friday 5-dark)
  • High School B Team (Thursday 5-dark and Saturday 8-12)
  • ILCA Racing Team (Sunday 8-12)
  • AYC Travel Team (Opti, ILCA, HS): Refer to calandar for planned regattas this Spring.

Click HERE to register for Spring Classes

Please see the website calendar for all practice times!


Junior Sailing Summer Camps

The Austin Yacht Club offers multiple summer programs for kids ages 5-16. The Summer Sailing Camp is a five-day day camp that provides a unique summer sailing experience on Lake Travis that teaches 8-16 year olds to sail small boats. The PB&J Summer Sailing Series is four weekly lessons for younger children to get comfortable on the water and learn the simple basics of sailing.

More Information

Middle/High School Sailing

for students 6th – 12th grade

AYC has a robust and energetic high school program! This high school program is open to everyone in 8th-12th grades. 

The focus for our team is twofold. Most importantly the sailors will learn the basics of sailing, rigging, and racing. Once the sailors have mastered these skills, the curriculum will switch to advanced racing tactics, boat handling, and an intense knowledge of the racing rules of sailing. There is no sailing experience required to join this program! 

At the beginning of each season, sailors are sorted into three groups based on ability level. Our A team practices on Wednesdays/Fridays, B team on Thursdays, and our Intro to Sailing on Saturday mornings (combined with B team). 

High School Schedule 2024:

  • Winter Session #2: January 6th – March 9th
  • Spring Session: March 14th – May 23rd
  • Fall Session/Tryouts: August 7th – November 10th
  • Winter Session #1: November 23rd – December 14th
Register for High School Sailing

The following ISDs have approved the Austin Yacht Club for Off-Campus PE credit: LTISD, EISD, and DSISD. Please contact your school counselor for information on how to get PE credit through high school sailing.

The Austin Yacht Club High School Sailing Program serves any and all high schoolers. The following schools have Sailing Teams that compete at regattas and travel to other yacht clubs to race.

  • Lake Travis High School 
  • Westlake High School 
  • Anderson High School
  • Cedar Park High School
  • Sterling Classical School 

Opti Programs

Opti I, Opti II, Opti III

Opti I: Beginner

No sailing experience necessary! This introductory program is designed to teach sailors ages 7-13 the basics aboard our fleet of Optimists. Curriculum emphasizes the basics of sailing terminology, seamanship skills like knot tying, rigging, and boat handling. Sailors will be considered ready for Opti II when they are comfortable sailing on their own, and can work independently to get around a green fleet race course.

Spring Session
March 15th – May 19th

Saturdays (8-12pm)

OR

Sundays (8-12pm)

Fall
Session
August – Early November

Saturdays:

OR

Sundays time TBD

Opti II: Intermediate

The course curriculum focuses on refining boat handling, an introduction to racing, seamanship, introduction to sailing tactics, and regatta preparation and coaching. Opti II has ranging skill levels from recent Opti I graduate to experienced green fleet sailors. 

All registrants for Opti II must have approval from the AYC Coaching Staff. 

Winter
Session # 2
January 7th – March 10th

Sundays (1-4pm)

Spring Session
March 16th – May 24th

Saturday (1-5pm)

Opti III: Advanced

Opti III practice is for those sailors who are interested in the highest level of competition. This class is geared towards sailors placing in the top 10% of green fleet or ready to move onto white, blue, and red fleets at TSA regattas. Practice schedules are structured around TSA regattas. Because of this the focus of our Opti III team is preparation and improvement on the TSA regattas.

All registrants for Opti III must have approval from the AYC Coaching Staff.

Winter Session #2 
January 6th – March 9th
Saturdays: 1:00 – 4:00pm

Spring
Session
March 14th – May 24th

Wednesdays 5-dark
Sunday’s (1-5pm)

AYC ILCA Team

The ILCA Team is your gateway to the exhilarating world of competitive ILCA racing, where the thrill of the race takes center stage. This course is tailored for aspiring sailors who are eager to not only master the ILCA boats but also become proficient racers.
 
Participants will dive headfirst into the adrenaline-pumping world of singlehanded ILCA racing, perfect for those who crave the intense competition of the sport.
 
Our ultimate goal is to foster a ILCA Team, ready to take on the challenge of Texas Sailing Association (TSA) regattas along with HS Singlehanded events during the HS sailing season. During the months leading up to the 2024 Spring Session, sailors will prepare for the Austin Yacht Club Roadrunners Regatta/ILCA State Championship.
 
Sailors must provide their own boat for this course or reserve one of our club ILCA’s
 

ILCA Practice Schedule:

2024 Winter Session #2: January 7th – March 10th

2024 Spring (March 17th-May 24th): Sundays (8-12pm)

Laser Class Registration
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