Frequently Asked Questions
What do i bring?
1. Closed-toe shoes (think sneakers, not flip flops). Water shoes are ideal.
2. USCG approved PFD (life jacket) — we have a limited quantity available for students to borrow.
3. Swimsuit or clothes you don’t mind getting wet. Water temperature is usually 70-83F, increasing later in the season.
4. Sunscreen
5. Beach towel
6. Water bottle (water is available on site, but it is best for students to have a water bottle available while sailing)
7. (Optional) a change of clothes
Is there still class if it rains?
Yes; we have class rain or shine! If there is a threat of lightning, we won’t go out on the water but we have plenty of sailing related activities to do inside.
On rainy days, students should bring a rain jacket or spray top. A wetsuit could also work.
How do our instructors instruct?
For youth lessons, our instructors begin the day with a familiarization exercise so everyone knows each other. Then, on-shore instruction teaches basic skills/ideas and the sailing drills that students will run later. Next, they receive their sailing partner assignment and rig their boats. On-the-water coached drills are followed by de-rigging and a group debrief.
If a student is nervous about sailing we will pair them up with a more experienced student or one of our junior instructors.
What are skill sheets?
At CLS we use skill sheets to keep track of our students progress. All new students begin at Seamen 3rd, which covers the basics: knot tying, rigging a boat, capsize recovery, etc. Once a student has shown a mastery of each skill on their skill sheet they will move to the next rank.
What are instructor Qualifications?
Our Senior Instructors maintain US Sailing Level 1 Small Boat Instructor Certificates. Junior Instructors have demonstrated strong sailing competence, and are present to assist Senior Instructors.
More information can be found here.