The mission of the Coral Reef Youth Sailing Program is to be the leading club-based youth sailing program in the United States for the Optimist and Club 420 classes. The Club seeks to teach young sailors to have fun, learn lifelong boating skills, develop good personal character, and compete at the highest levels.
Our year-round sailing program is based on beautiful Biscayne Bay in Miami, FL and ranges from introductory two-week summer camp sessions for beginners to weekly sessions during the Fall (September to December) and Spring (January to May) for more advanced sailors.
Our advanced programs have an emphasis on racing and, in the last decade, have produced numerous national champions, US National Team Members, and US participants in qualifying regattas around the world. We also offer private lessons and clinics for those sailors in our program interested in more advanced and personalized one-on-one or small group instruction.
The program utilizes the single-handed (solo crew) Optimist (“Opti”) dinghy for our younger sailors (ages 8-15) and the double-handed (dual crew) spinnaker-equipped Club 420 for our teen participants. Our talented and experienced coaches and coaching staff - many of whom compete on the national and international stage themselves - represent the best racing coaching talent in the US and beyond. During the Fall and Spring seasons, practice is held on weekends with an optional Wednesday afternoon practice and sailors attend local, regional, and international regattas throughout the year.
into two fleets:
and the advanced
Like many sports, your participation in sailing can help your chances of gaining admittance into the college of your choice. Today, colleges are looking for students who are equally academically qualified and who have demonstrated a passion for something and followed through on it over time. Sailing can be that passion. Being a great sailor is no substitute for academic achievement. However, being an accomplished sailor can help set you apart from the crowd.