About the SMWYC Juniors

In the Spring of 2014, the SMWYC Juniors were reinvented with the mission “to provide sailing opportunities for the next generation in affordable, safe and fun programs tailored to the community and driven by the desires of our students” with a fleet of nine well-used Sabots and two 8-foot inflatable coach boats.  We accomplish this by functioning more like a community sailing program than a private yacht club with a constant commitment to teaching kids to learn to sail while providing a wide variety of options for continuing students to choose how to enjoy the pastime of sailing in program-owned boats. Tera Roll Tack

Currently the program owns over fifty-five boats for kids to enjoy including the US Sabot, practice Optimists, race quality Optimists, RS Teras, an RS Feva, Lasers, CFJs, C420s, a 29er, two Nikki Foiling Craft and a pair of matched Santana 20 keelboats providing a broad spectrum of adventure sailing experiences.  Learn to Sail classes run year-round with 35% of available spots reserved for first time sailors during Summer Sail Camp and in monthly, three session classes restricted to four students per class during the school year.  We estimate that, since 2014, over 1,050 kids have learned to sail during Summer Sail Camp and over 150 have learned in our monthly Learn to Sail programs.

Upon learning to sail, we offer After School and Saturday Open Sailing classes on a pay as you go basis.  While we do not maintain a “race team” we do encourage sailors to give racing a try, we support those who take to racing with regatta support and coaching and assist two independent race coaches who use our facilities at virtually no cost.  When a sailor develops the ambition to get serious about his or her racing we counsel them on their options for coaching or which other youth program is a good fit for them.  Our 2021 rates are affordable ranging from $300 to $335 per week of full time Summer Camp while pricing on our Open Sailing sessions is effectively $10 per hour with no charter fees for the use of our boats. santana and fishermans village

We reach out to the community and provide opportunities primarily through schools.  Each school program is custom designed.  We arrange grants in many cases to assist families in need.  School programs have been instituted with the Westside Global Awarenes Magnet School, the Realm Academy, Coeur d’Alene elementary school and the Geffen Academy.  Additional outreach is achieved by providing or arranging scholarships for underprivileged families during Summer Sail Camp.Drake flying

The addition of the RS Feva in 2020, the Nikki Foiling Crafts and the 29er Skiff in 2021 has opened entirely new adventures for young sailors as they discover the thrill of fast skiff sailing and foiling and we look forward to bringing more fast and exciting boats to the program’s fleet while not losing focus on the key factors that have made us the most participated program in Marina del Rey in less than eight years.