Sailing

Sailing is a great way to rediscover your hometown and adopt a new perspective. Everyone from elementary schoolchildren to grandparents and even great-grandparents can learn to sail! The sailing community is welcoming, and you’re bound to meet wonderful sailors no matter where you go!

Adult sailors / junior sailing parents - join our DRSSC Spond Communication Hub to connect with sailing friends, Sailing instructors, and keep up with our activities & news! Spond is a fantastic (and free) app for sports clubs & can be accessed from a smart phone or a desktop.

Anchor 1

JUNIOR SAILING

Junior Sailing School

Introduce your kids to the joy of sailing!

Junior sailing lessons are for ages 8 to 17. Students aged 18+ are encouraged to enroll in adult sailing lessons.

Summer Sailing Program Starts July 1st & ends August 16th
Full-day junior sailing sessions are offered by the week, Monday - Friday.
Lessons are 9 am - to 4 pm, with a supervised lunch 12-1 pm.

Junior sailing students spend a lot of time on the water and should expect to get wet! Basic swimming skills and comfort in the water is required.

The DRSSC Sailing program follows the national CANSail curriculum and is delivered by fully qualified sailing instructors. Students learn to sail through on-land training and on-water experiences in dinghies (small sailboats).

Students start in CANSail 1 and can progress up to CANSail 4, learning core sailing skills in a safe and fun environment.

Students interested in becoming instructors with the club are encouraged to discuss this with the Head Instructor or Sailing School director - it offers a great development path & an unbeatable summer job!

Equipment required:

Properly fitting PFD (life jacket) that meets Canadian government standards and has a pealess whistle attached (ie Fox 40 from
Canadian Tire)
Appropriate clothing for all types of weather, including a hat, windbreaker, and warm layers.
Closed-toe sandals, water shoes, or old running shoes that can get wet.
Towel, sunscreen, water bottle, and sunglasses (personal eyewear should be secured with a strap)

Junior Sailing Fees

We offer multi-week discounts as outlined below.

One week $325

Two weeks $585

Three weeks $875

Four weeks $1170

Five weeks $1463

Six weeks $1755

Free DRSSC Junior Membership Required for Sailing School

Junior Sailing Lesson Registration Contact:

Ashleigh Anne Cluff email or 343.369.3055

If you need a helping hand with lesson fees, our Don Clements Bursary Program is here for you. Please don't hesitate to reach out for more information. DRSSC is committed to making sure everyone has the opportunity to be part of our sailing community and join in the fun!

Anchor 2

ADULT SAILING

Give sailing a try!

Sign up for a 2 day Adult Learn-2-Sail Weekend!

Cost: $250 / weekend (includes Sailing Membership!)

(maximum 10 students - we sold out last year - sign up early!)

Dates: July 13-14 or August 10-11

Pre-Requisites:

No previous sailing experience is necessary
A high level of fitness is not required, however participants should be capable of moving about freely in a sailing dinghy and should expect to spend some time in the water, as righting a capsized dinghy is one of the safety skills that will be taught.

Skills Acquired:

At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to rig and sail a sailing dinghy in light to moderate winds.

Equipment Required:

Properly fitting PFD (life jacket) that meets Canadian government standards and has a pealess whistle attached (ie Fox 40 from Canadian Tire)
Appropriate clothing for all types of weather, including a hat, windbreaker, and warm layers.
Closed toe sandals, water shoes, or old running shoes that get wet.
Towel, sunscreen, water bottle, and sunglasses (personal eyewear should be secured with a strap)

Should you wish to continue to practice your sailing skills after the course, graduates are encouraged to join our sailing community at DRSSC. Sailing course graduates have their fees go towards the annual sailing membership - for $75 you can become a 2023 DRSSC sailing member!

Once you are a member we really encourage you to put your new skills in action and join our Tuesday night race program below!

If you are unable to join the lesson program on the date it is held, or would just like to try sailing, several of our members would be happy to take you out for an introductory sail. Contact the Sailing Director John Wills at 613-584-2879 or via email to be matched up.

Adult Learn to Sail

Register Now!

Anchor 3

Racing

Become a DRSSC sailing member and join us every Tuesday and Thursday evening for friendly racing and socializing! (you must be a member to participate).

Tuesday races are held on a marked course within sailing distance of the harbour with first gun at 6PM. We will try to have three races each evening (depending on weather conditions). Dinghies and keelboats are welcome to participate; if numbers are sufficient, keelboats will have a separate start.

Thursday races are a long distance race to an upwind mark and return to the start line. Dinghy sailors are encouraged to join a keelboat crew for this event.

A sailing membership includes use of a club dinghy on race nights. The sailing school will be open at 5:00 PM on race night to provide access to sails and rigging.

The race committee is provided by instructors from the sailing school, who are all trained in emergency water rescue.

Boats are handicapped using the most recent RYA Portsmouth Yardstick system, so all boats have an equal chance to place well. Race results are calculated and recorded using Sailwave software. The results will be posted and updated weekly.

Club instructors, and DRSSC Sailing members who are graduates of the adult sailing course and senior sailing students (with the approval of an instructor) are encouraged to come out and join the fun. After the last race, join your fellow sailors at the Hexagon for some after-race socializing!