2010 YMCA Community Sailing Camp Graduates 21 Sailors
on Tuesday July 13, 2010 06:03PM
This past week, twenty-one area youth participated in the Middlesex Family YMCAs junior sailing camp hosted by the members of the Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville. Throughout the week-long camp, participants balanced instructional sessions with practicums on the water. Junior sailors developed a myriad of skill sets that included rigging and derigging of sail boats, windward and leeward sailing, trimming the sails, and recovering from capsized boats.
The highlight of the week involved FBYC members Ted Bennett, Alex Alvis, and Ric Bauer escorting the junior sailors to the edge of the Chesapeake Bay on their 40-50 foot length yachts. While enjoying lunch, the children learned the similarities and differences between yachts & the smaller craft being utilized at Fishing Bay Yacht Club. FBYC is such a tremendous resource for our young sailors, ranging from eight to fourteen years of age. It is gratifying to see so many local youth take interest in an activity that is prominent in our area. Through the generosity of the FBYC membership and staff, our junior crew had a great time learning how to sail, making new friends, and sharing a memorable and unique experience that will last a lifetime, commented Buzz Lambert, YMCA Director.
The collaboration between FBYC and the YMCA is a major initiative on the Clubs behalf to provide an impactful outreach service to local youth. The Club owns a number of small one design sailboats used for training and competition, including a fleet of 420s, Optis, and Lasers. In addition to the YMCA junior sailing camp, the Club hosted its own Junior Week in June. Additional Junior Race Team practices are held throughout the summer and the Race Team travels to regattas up and down the Bay where its members are leading competitors. Lud Kimbrough, past Commodore of FBYC, spoke briefly to the youth and their parents at their closing ceremony saying, Junior Sailors are the future of our sport. The confidence that builds from sailing ones own boat is a foundation that pays benefits throughout life. We encourage everyone interested in the sport to talk to us about how they can stay involved and improve their skills, and we will continue to reach out and try to broaden community participation in the sport.