With a new name and some new boats, Powell River Yacht Club is preparing to introduce new opportunities for youth to learn how to sail and have the ability to practice.
Over the last four years the yacht club, which changed its name from Powell River Sailing Club last year, has brought in the Mobile Optimist Sailing School to teach community youth the basics of sailing. The first year 22 students participated, prompting the club to run two programs the following year in which around 50 students took part. Enthusiasm for more classes is high and the club has been working on a way to start a local program.
Inspired by a youth sailing program in Comox, the Powell River club decided to establish its own. It has purchased three optimist sailboats and is in the process of developing a summer sailing program. It realized involving parents in the program would be essential for its success, otherwise, as club commodore Gerard Nachtegaele put it, it would just be a “bunch of old guys standing on the dock waiting for the kids to come.” The club decided to make a deal: if young parents were interested in helping out with running the program, the club would buy the boats.
Starting in the first week of July, the club will offer optimist sailing courses in conjunction with Comox Bay Sailing Club and Hornby Island Sailing Club. The three clubs have arranged to share two instructors for the whole summer. The first course will be an introduction to optimist sailing, followed by a course for youth with advanced skills who have already taken previous courses. A third course for adult sailing training will take place in the third week of July. All of the courses take place on Powell Lake.
Learning by trial and error can be a scary and discouraging experience, said Nachtegaele. Taking the course, he said, will provide new sailors with all the tricks and hints to make sailing a safer and more pleasurable experience. If people know what they are doing, sailing can be a smooth, relatively simple experience, but practice and knowing the ropes is essential.
“If someone shows you how then it’s just a matter of practicing, not trying to figure out how to do it,” said Nachtegaele. “Anybody I’ve met who’s had any interest can go out and spend a week on the water. If you’re really interested and open to learning you’re going to be able.”
Emily White, 13, has taken the mobile classes before and is excited to have regular access to the boats. She likes the relaxing aspects of sailing as well as the challenge of being in total control of her boat. She said having an alternative sport available in Powell River is great for youth who may not be into team sports.
“It’s a whole new opportunity for kids,” said Emily’s mother Cindy Mitchell. “It’s another sport that these guys can get into beside hockey and soccer, a sport that’s full of leadership and camaraderie.”
“When you see the kids come off these boats they just have this phenomenal feeling of achievement when they’ve managed to get the boats going,” said Nachtegaele. “It builds team spirit, team work. It builds being able to communicate. And it builds their self confidence knowing they can get in a little boat like this and go sailing by themselves.”
Born of the same enthusiasm, a parent, while buying a larger sailboat, a 420, for his family lined up the sale of two more for the club to allow it to teach older youth and adults. With them, the club plans to offer adult dinghy sailing training in the early summer for club members to learn how to use the boats. The 420s can be raced as well, something the club hopes to do around Mowat Bay due to the area’s consistent winds.
Nachtegaele describes sailing as the perfect sport for this area because of the world of opportunities on Powell River’s doorstep. An immense amount of time can be spent exploring the islands and inlets and should fresh water be desired just turn around and the lake is right there.
“It’s the power, the natural power. You just sit there and the time goes like that,” said Nachtegaele. “And it’s always pleasant because people, when you’re on the water, their demeanour and everything is so much more relaxed. So it’s always a good time.”
The name change happened as the result of a desire to be more inclusive with the community and allow power boaters to join the club and take part in social events and cruises. The club decided that having a common interest in getting out on the water is more than enough reason to include more boaters. Club members will have access to the dinghies after taking the training course.
Regular club events such as socials, cruises and the annual Canada Day long weekend barbecue will also all be ongoing this year. A fixed-keel race from Powell River to Comox will take place on the Victoria Day long weekend.
Club members have priority for taking the sailing courses. If any spots remain open the general public is then welcome to sign up. For more information or to join the Powell River Yacht Club interested readers can email [email protected] or visit the club's website.
