The CCYC
Junior Fleet was re-established in 1996 to develop knowledgeable
youth sailors and instill in them a love of the sport of boating
that will serve as a foundation for their futures and for the club.
CCYCJF was
established in July of 1996 by a group of volunteers interested in sharing their love of
sailing with the children of Montrose Harbor. We started our first season with no money
and no boats. Using frostbite dinghies lent to us by members of the CCYC Frostbite Fleet,
we began teaching sailing one night a week to interested kids. If they could show up with
gym shoes and a life jacket, we took them sailing.
Since the
first season, we have grown tremendously. We currently have 40 members ranging in age from
7 to 21 years old. We hold formal classes each week during the sailing
season. During the
off season we meet once a month for classroom sessions using the US Sailing Start Sailing
Right program, and periodically for sailing related field trips.
Several
members of our fleet have acquired enough skills to become racing crew members for our
offshore and one design fleets. This season we started to compete against other yacht
clubs in the area.
On-water
sessions are held by instructors who have completed the US Sailing teaching
certification program. The safety and rescue craft are manned by
parents of fleets members. All the administrative and fund raising activities are
performed by volunteers.