PNW AYSC
Pacific Northwest Asian Youth Sailing Club
Youth Sailing Syllabus • Ages 8–14 • 4 Classroom + 4 On-Water Sessions
| Class | Format | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indoors | Boat & Safety Basics |
| 2 | On Water | Boat Familiarization |
| 3 | Indoors | Points of Sail |
| 4 | On Water | Points of Sail Practice |
| 5 | Indoors | Tacking & Jibing |
| 6 | On Water | Tacking & Jibing Practice |
| 7 | Indoors | Rules of the Road |
| 8 | On Water | Final Skills Review |
This class covers the fundamentals every sailor needs before stepping into the boat. Sailors will learn to identify the major parts of a sailboat, tie the handful of knots used most often on the water, and read basic weather cues like wind and cloud patterns before heading out. The class also introduces how to rig the boat from the ground up and the clear, calm communication habits that keep everyone safe once they're on the water.
This class introduces how sailboats move relative to the wind, which is the foundation for everything else in the program. Sailors will learn how to find true wind direction, understand why the no-go zone makes some directions impossible to sail directly into, and work through each of the five points of sail one at a time. Along the way, they'll pick up the trim rule for adjusting sails and practice calling out wind direction clearly to their crew.
This class breaks down the two maneuvers sailors use to change direction — tacking and jibing — and why getting them right matters for both speed and safety. Sailors will focus on clear crew communication and readiness before each maneuver, understand how roles are divided between crew members, and learn how to control the boom safely as the boat turns through the wind. A dry-land walkthrough lets sailors practice the sequence of steps before trying it on the water.
This final class covers the right-of-way rules and collision-avoidance skills sailors need to safely share the water with other boats. Sailors will learn how sail and power vessels interact under right-of-way rules, work through realistic on-water scenarios to practice avoiding collisions, and revisit the points of sail covered earlier in the program to reinforce those skills. By the end of this class, sailors should feel confident applying what they've learned across a full day on the water.