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Below are descriptions of Nantucket Community Sailing's Programs at Polpis Harbor. Please click on the links below to view our schedules for the 2010 season!
Polpis
Harbor is the site of the NCS youth programs for those sailors whose ages range from 5-12 years. Classes are held rain or shine, although sometimes, in the case of inclement weather, they will be moved to a predetermined indoor meeting area. Students are placed in one of three classes based on appropriate age and/or skill level. If after reading the descriptions below if you are still unsure where your young sailor(s) might fit, call us at the NCS main office (508 -228-6600) and we will be happy to help!
Students who are brand new to sailing or have little prior sailing experience are placed in our Hunter 140 class. This class, taught in 14' Hunter 140s (which include a main sail and a jib), allows students to learn the basics of sailing with the comfort of 2-3 peers and an instructor on-board. Focus is mainly on having fun while learning basic sailing skills, boat parts, points of sail, water safety, seamanship and sportsmanship. Students in this class have the benefit of close peer and instructor interaction in a safe, stable boat, until the student feels comfortable handling the tiller and sailing themselves in a relatively independent manner. When the student's individual instructor, as well as the lead instructor of the Hunter class, feels that the student understands the rudiments of sailing, the student is invited to move into the Opti class. The Hunter 140 Class is held Monday - Friday mornings from 9:15am-11:45pm and Monday - Friday afternoons from 1pm-3:30pm. Click here for a printable view of the scheduled dates and times.
Students who have progressed through our Hunter 140 class, or who have a skill and interest level sufficient for single-handed sailing, are placed in our Opti Green/Blue class. This class, taught in a combination of Optimists (or "Optis"), Prams and Bugs, gives students the opportunity to try sailing either alone or with the company of one other student, but without an instructor. The small sail plan of these boats, coupled with their durability, allow students a basic environment in which to learn how to sail alone. Focus is on expanding the concepts of the Hunter Class, introducing the basic concepts of racing and building confidence through both games and basic drills.
When the lead Opti Green Instructor feels that the student has sufficiently achieved these goals, he /she will be invited to participate in our more advanced Optimist Blue Class. The Optimist Blue class will allow students the opportunity for truly single-handed sailing, and will focus on more advanced sailing and racing techniques (such as starting and stopping, landings, capsizing, upwind strategies, tacking and gibing, etc.) Self-sufficiency will be promoted in the Optimist Blue class, although instruction will remain a key component.
At times, these two classes will be taught as a single class, depending on the skill level and volume of sailors participating. If the lead Optimist instructor feels that the student has successfully achieved the goals of the Green and Blue classes, he/she will be invited to participate in our Optimist racing program. If the student is not interested in participating in the racing program, he /she is invited to remain in the Optimist Class until the age of 12 years old. Upon turning 13 years old, students will be invited to participate in the Teen Green Program, located at our
Jetties
Beach location. The Optimist Green and Blue classes are held Monday - Friday mornings from 9:15am-11:45pm and Monday - Friday afternoons from 1pm-3:30pm. Click here for a printable view of the scheduled dates and times.
Upon completion of our Optimist Green/Blue class, students who are interested in participating in a racing-oriented team setting are  invited by the Optimist racing coach, to participate in our Optimist racing class. Previous sailing instruction at NCS is a prerequisite and team-members are encouraged to participate on the team for a minimum of two weeks. The Optimist racing team focuses on the more advanced aspects of racing, such as performance boat handling, acceleration, upwind strategies, mark-rounding, downwind and reaching tactics, advanced tacking and gibing techniques, tactical finishes, sailing rules, etc. Students are both invited and expected to travel with the team to compete in a number of on and off-island regattas, which will be scheduled by the Optimist racing coach. On-island events include the Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin Cup and Jobson Cup in July and Nantucket Race Week in August. Students from the NCS, Nantucket Yacht Club and the Great Harbor Yacht Club Opti Race Teams will compete against each other in an all-island series each Thursday held at a mutual on island sailing location. Travel expenses for off-island events will be the participant's responsibility, although group rates for ferries, etc. are available. All travel arrangements will be made by the coach, who will travel with the team. The Optimist racing class provides team-members with a unique and enjoyable environment for continued learning and competition. Students who are interested in keeping with Optimist racing until they "age-out" (sailors must be under 16 years of age, per Optimist class rules), may continue to participate in the Optimist racing team at Polpis Harbor, even if they are older than 12 years old. The Optimist Racing Class is held Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1:00-4:00pm and from 1-5pm on Thursday afternoons. Click here for a printable view of the scheduled dates and times.
Private lessons are offered in Hunter 140s or an equivalent boat at
Polpis
Harbor every Monday through Friday from 10:00-11:30am and 1:30-3:00 pm. Depending on availability and interest, private lessons may be available in Optimists or Bugs. No more than three consecutive private lessons can be booked at one time, with no more than seven throughout the summer. Click here for a printable view of the scheduled dates and times.
 Open to any participant of
Polpis
Harbor youth program sessions, the "Coffin Cup" is a mini regatta held annually in memory of Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin who founded the very first teaching/training vessel, Clio, for nautical studies in the
United States. The regatta consists of a full-morning of short races with an emphasis on sportsmanship and having fun. Parents, guardians, siblings and friends are encouraged to attend the regatta to watch. Spectator boats are almost always available on a first come, first serve basis to enable parents and friends to get out on the water where the action is!
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