Whether you choose a two- or five-day course (Course 505, 625, & 635), KidShip is a great way to introduce kids to the fundamentals of sailing at their own level.

What’s a normal week like at KidShip? The first day is like the first day at school; nobody knows anybody and there is a mix of excitement and trepidation. Kids get out on the docks and friendships start to form. They pair up once they get on the water, groups start to form and they want to sail together. “Kids are like sponges,” says Kidship Director Jed Kling. “They soak everything up and learn very quickly. They also keep you on your toes.”

For the first couple of days, there is one instructor for every two to three children, and each boat has an instructor on board to ensure a safe, fun, and secure experience. This also allows each instructor to identify and address each child’s fears and apprehensions.

Monday - The morning class begins with emphasis on safety, wearing PFDs (lifejackets), and getting familiar with terms and equipment. The class is then broken up into groups to practice rigging our different types of sailboats. Using boats rigged without sails, kids develop balance and steering skills while paddling around the docks. Later, capsize drills off the end of the dock help them get over their fears early on. The goal is to make kids comfortable with the water environment and bring out their confidence about being on a boat.

Tuesday - is spent learning how to steer. Tacking and jibing are discussed in class and sailing time is spent tacking and jibing and sailing upwind and downwind around speed marks.

Wednesday - the topics cover docking, rafting up to a safety boat and how to tie a bowline and tie figure 8 knots. Kids get to practice their docking skill before lunch. Wednesday is also Pizza day with a supervised beach party to follow!! The afternoon teaches man-overboard drills and the differences between a dinghy and a keelboat.

Thursday - is an all-day adventure that utilizes the skills they have learned through the week. The kids are introduced to charts and basic navigation and plot their course for a day trip. By now, most kids are eager for the chance to handle their boats without an onboard instructor, and are allowed to do so if they choose. A safety boat keeps a close eye as the kids make their way up the Severn River for a picnic lunch and swim before sailing back to school.

Friday - is KidShip Regatta day. The morning is given to learning procedures and an “informal race,” allowing them to test their new skills against their peers. After lunch they learn towing procedures, review docking, and take off for an afternoon sail to City Dock where the objective is rafting up and enjoying a celebratory ice cream in the downtown Historic District. Later they return to the school to receive their diplomas and medals.

Enroll today!