Hey Campers!

This summer, campers of all ages

can learn boating skills

The Annapolis Maritime Museum and Annapolis Community Boating will join forces this summer to run two Maritime Heritage day camps for children ages 11 to 14. Kids will earn their Maryland Boater’s Certification while exploring the creeks and waterways in kayaks, canoes, small motorboats and sailboats. Campers will get the chance to sail, paddle and motor with their counselors in Annapolis Community Boating’s fleet of small boats. The camp will be based at Annapolis Maritime Museum’s headquarters in the old McNasby Oyster House in Eastport.

Sessions start June 21 and July 19 with classes running two weeks. Lessons include swimming safety, basic boating classes, navigating, instruction for the Maryland boating license, and a day of fishing and crabbing. Visit amaritime.org for details or to download an application.
Sea Sense, the boating school, is well known for its instructional courses aboard sail and power boats in which the focus is learning while doing. Recently, Sea Sense has added single-engine trawler training on Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis, Maryland. These new courses include traditional scheduled classes for women as well as customized instructional charters for couples, families, and groups. Training is conducted aboard a new, 47-foot Selene. Summer sessions in the Chesapeake are set for June 7-11, July 19-23, and August 16-20. If you’d rather beat the heat, there are also five-day liveaboard courses in New England June 21-25 and July 12-16. In Anacortes, Washington, there will be a class August 19-15. For those women who want to learn to sail instead, there is a seven-day liveaboard course in New England  June 21-27 and in Bellingham, Washington, beginning August 1. Visit seasenseboating.com for details.
Florida Sailing and Cruising School is offering a 10 percent discount on all summer classes, power or sail. These classes are held at  Southwest Florida Yachts’ homeport in North Ft. Myers,  or on Charlotte Harbor, Florida. They have regular classes, but will create a schedule for groups of two or more. Learn everything from the basics to overnight coastal navigation. Contact them at flsailandcruiseschool.com or at 239-656-1339.
SeaTrek is a tropical summer boating and scuba program for teenagers held in the British Virgin Islands. Students live and learn aboard a Moorings 4500 sailing catamaran. The two or three-week camps are set up to group children of various experience levels and the counselor to student ratio is 1:3. Programs run June through August. Call 810-487-1616 or visit seatrekbvi.com.
Outward Bound takes its summer sailing programs to Wheeler’s Bay in St. George, Maine. Outward Bound has challenging two- and three-week sailing expeditions designed for younger teens. One session in July for teens 16-18 combines sea kayaking and sailing. For those who want multiple adventures, kids 12-13 are invited to a 9-day backpacking, climbing and canoeing program at Delaware Gap. For details, check outwardbound.org or call 866-467-7651.
Eckerd College in St, Petersburg Florida, has one of the largest collegiate watersports programs in the southeastern U.S., so it stands to reason they will have classes for the public, too. During summer months, a Watersports Camp is held for children and teens. Classes include kayaking, boardsailing, wakeboarding, water skiing, saltwater fishing, exploring marine life, and multiple levels of sailing instruction. Check it out at eckerd.edu/waterfront.
The Chapman School of Seamanship, in Stuart, Florida, has summer youth programs to teach basic powerboat handling to kids 11 to 17. This five-day, program prepares them to take the Florida State Boating Basics Exam. A four-day advanced program for children 14 to 17 include vessel maintenance, navigation and advanced seamanship. Finally, a voyager program builds on those skills and teaches them the skills required to safely plan and navigate a coastal offshore voyage. Visit chapman.org or call 800-225-2841.
Families can learn to sail  together through several programs available through Steve and Doris Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School. There’s a vacation-based three or five day Family Learn to Sail Course available at either Captiva Island, Florida, or in the B.V.I., and a Family Fast Track to Cruising that combines the basic course with a Bareboat Preparation course or a Live Aboard course. For the competitive minded, there’s a performance sailing course. Call 888-454-7015 or visit offshoresailing.com for schedules.
Finally, for the really competitive, there’s J World: The Performance Sailing School. Courses are held either on San Francisco Bay or at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Starting and Tactics Weekend would be a great drill for most weekend sailors. Advanced Racing is a five-day workout. Check out sailing-jworld.com