Program Overview

Brightly colored sail boat

2024 Swim/Sail Schedule
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The Hyannis Yacht Club Swim/Sail program is sponsored by the Hyannis Yacht Club Foundation. The summer program, offered to children six years of age and older (four years and older for the swimming program), is scheduled for eight weeks in June, July and August.

Learning to swim and sail safely while having fun is our program’s goal. Children spend their summer outdoors in a supervised environment with others their own age. They develop an understanding and respect for sailing and boating, improve their swimming skills, and have the opportunity to participate in local and regional competitive events. We have designed and implemented a curriculum, taught by qualified swimming and US Sailing certified instructors, to develop skills and provide appropriate resources for our participants. They enjoy a myriad of activities including: organized games, racing events, regattas, swim meets, and all kinds of supervised fun in and on the water. This creates an atmosphere of safety, fun, self-reliance, and good sportsmanship.

Children growing up through this program make life-long friends, and many return as instructors. Using the skills developed in our program, participants often sail or swim on their high school teams as well as compete at the college, national, and international level. We know that not all children are naturally competitive, so we make sure that there are always opportunities to just join in and have fun with friends in a safe learning environment. Many of our club’s current active members grew up through the program, and the connections go back through multiple generations. We make space in the program for new participants; it’s the only way to grow our club and make it stronger.

In addition to our Youth Program, we also offer an Adult Sailing Program for anyone who would like to learn to sail, begin to race, or improve upon their basic seamanship knowledge.

Youth Registration opened online in March 1st, 2024. Registration for nonmembers will begin March 25th 2024. Parents with general or class placement questions should contact Emily Mezzetti, General Manager, 508 778 6100, Ext. 350; gm@hyannisyachtclub.org, prior to beginning the registration process.

SPRING SAILING CLINICS!

C420 Clinics

C420 Fleet Racing Clinic

Get ready for a fantastic season of competition ahead!  Sign up as a team or an individual; we will pair you up and get you some time on the water!  Everyone from beginners to experienced racers is welcome.  The group will be divided by years of experience and skill level.

C420 Team Race Clinic

Get ready for Team Racing!  This clinic will help our sailors develop some of the skills that make for great team racing.  Sign up as a pair or an individual; we will get you matched up and assigned to a team.  Join our 420 group and have some fun while preparing for a successful summer of team racing.

C420 Clinic

Get a great start on the season by participating in the early spring clinics.  These clinics are open to new C420 sailors as well as experienced racers.  You are welcome to come as a pair or individually, and we will do our best to help you find a sailing partner for the day.  Sailors will be grouped by skill level; everyone will leave with “tuned-up” skills!

C420 Clinic

Continue your skill development or start fresh, either experience will be beneficial.  Once again, come as a pair or individually, but let’s get out on the water and get a jump on the season!  Everyone is welcome, beginning sailors through experienced racers.  Groups will be developed by skill level, and you are guaranteed to improve your skills in preparation for a great season!

Optimist Clinics

Optimist Beginner Clinics

These clinics are open to sailors who have some experience (Optimist 2) and those who have never sailed an Opti (Optimist 1).  The goal is to increase the sailors’ confidence prior to the start of the summer season by learning how to rig completely on their own, review basic boat handling, and create excitement about being in the Opti program.  Both sessions will review rigging and independent sailing, so participants can choose one or both sessions.

Optimist Advanced Clinics

These clinics are for Optimist sailors who plan to participate in regattas this upcoming summer in the Championship Fleet including those who only have prior green fleet experience.  There will be a review of technical rigging, starting strategies, rules of the road, and noticing wind shifts and other factors that impact a sailor’s racing success.  At each clinic session there will be an end of day mini-regatta for sailors to apply their knowledge.  Sailors can choose to participate in one or both sessions, but each clinic will focus on different skills. 

Laser Clinics

Introduction to Lasers

HYC will provide boats for these introductory Laser experiences.  Skill development will include rigging and points of sail.  These clinics will jump start our sailors who have chosen or will choose to participate in our Learn to Sail Laser Class.  Sailors may choose to participate in one or both clinics.

Other HYC “Preseason” Experiences

Trailer Driving

It’s easy, but there is skill involved.  Join Bob Rogers, Dock Master and Joe Stanley, Assistant Dock Master, at the Hyannis Yacht Club Warehouse, 211 Mid-Tech Drive, West Yarmouth, and learn how to drive a car with a trailer attached. 

Wing Sailing Demonstration