MMA’s Summer Sailing School provides a mix of activities both off and on the water for kids age 10 through 18.

Sailing is one of very few sports that can be enjoyed for a lifetime and the same is true for the skills inherent in sailing. Three vital life skills become practiced and familiar habits when one spends time on the water in a sailboat:

TEAMWORK. Learning how to work in a crew is a key component of sailing. Every member of our staff has competed in intercollegiate regattas and many also have international race experience. They know the importance of communication for safety and success, but also appreciate having fun and making friends.

RESPONSIBILITY. As a sailor gains skill, coaches step back and allow the sailor greater decision-making opportunities. Confidence and independence are fostered through peer instruction and hands-on learning.

LEADERSHIP. A skipper’s ability to appropriately communicate directions is vital to leading a successful crew. Sailors are paired (and sometimes tripled) in boats and given many opportunities to compete against one another.

For sailors of every level, from those who have never been on a sailboat to those who have sailed competitively, the possibilities for learning are endless. Our talented staff teaches the mechanics of sailing (from the basics to racing strategies), water safety, nautical terminology, and navigation.

MMA offers a Multiple Session Discount of 10% for the Half and Full Day programs and a 20% discount on the Overnight program. “Multiple Session” is defined as either one sailor attending multiple sessions or multiple sailors attending one session together.

SAILING FACILITIES

The Massachusetts Maritime Academy sailing program has built a tradition of excellence during its long and storied tenure. That success continued last year with impressive performances at both the regional and national levels under the tutelage of Chuck Fontaine, our veteran Sailing Program Director, and his staff.

The Summer Sailing School staff is led by Coach Fontaine and includes MMA Sailing Team coaches, Academy personnel, and members of the Cadre of Cadets. The Cadets who will be teaching your children are all experienced sailors who have competed at the collegiate level in both dinghies and yachts. They have been chosen to teach sailing because of their experience as sailors and as mentors, as well as for their leadership skills.

Classes are held at MMA’s Keith Hartford Sailing Center on Great Herring Pond in South Plymouth. The Center consists of nearly nine acres of land and has more than 350' of shoreline. It is located fifteen minutes from the Academy’s Buzzards Bay campus and ten minutes from the Sagamore Bridge.

Great Herring Pond is part of the Buzzards Bay watershed, covers approximately 376 acres and has just over five miles of shoreline. It is a natural warm-water pond with an average depth of 20 feet. The water is clean and clear, with underwater visibility of about eight feet.

The Center’s boathouse has an indoor classroom, restrooms, and male and female locker rooms. Outside, there are grassy areas for group activities in both sun and shade. There are four docks and a small sandy beach. The Summer School’s fleet consists of eighteen Vanguard 420s, six Optis, fifteen Jibe Tech dinghies, and three Landing School 20's for students, and four Boston Whalers for coaches.

For more information, please call us at 508-830-6423.