Sailing has grown significantly as a sport on the college level and Long Island has produced many accomplished sailors, including several recent Collegiate All-Americans. Our area has the waterfront available, but it has not had, until now, a High School Sailing Program or venue that is open to everyone.

High School Sailing provides a bridge for junior sailors to college sailing, local racing (such as District 8 regattas), frostbiting, yacht club membership and teaching sailing, and promotes the love of a life-long sport. The WFC, the dock and floats at Oyster Bay’s Western Waterfront, Beekman Beach and West Harbor combined with great coaches provide the perfect venue. The WFC aims to advance the scope and access to sailing, collegiate sailing and keel boat racing through means of a low cost, vibrant and inclusive High School Sailing Program.

The Plan
This fall the WFC will provide the venue and equipment for all Long Island High School students to sail. Multiple High Schools can form their own sailing teams, and teen age sailors, who do not have a school team but wish to continue to train or compete in the off-season, will now have the opportunity to do so at the WFC. We will welcome High School sailors from 7th to 12th grade of all abilities to fleet, team and match race. The WFC will provide coaches, Club 420s, Pixels, Sonars, safety boats, and facilities.

Schedules
Availability is Monday through Friday after school - 3:30 to 6:00 or dusk. Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm. Some teams may choose to meet MWF and others, TTH. Exact schedules will be arranged to meet demand and availability. The fall season extends from Labor Day to November, and the spring season runs March to June.

Cost to Participants
The WFC will charge individual participants $35 per session, or $300 for ten sessions, or $500 for the season. For participants sailing Lasers the cost will be $20 per session, $175 for ten (10) sessions or $300 for a full season. There will be special pricing available if full teams already formed choose to commit to our program. This includes use of WFC boats (except Lasers), coaching, facilities, safety boats, scheduling and team support.

Coaches
Erik Storck (Olympic hopeful)
David Waldo
Alicia Martorella

ISSA (Interscholastic Sailing Association)
The Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA) is the governing body of independent and public secondary schools on the national level. Nevertheless, forming a team and joining ISSA is not required to compete in non-national level events. Competing and attending local/regional regattas with no support from a High School is perfectly acceptable. Entry into the High School sailing arena is very easy, and if students are unable to gain support from the High School they attend, they can sail at local events under the WaterFront Center’s name.

Commitment
The WFC requires participants to consider the WFC as their partner in sailing. In signing up to use WFC boats, everyone, whether on a High School team or not, must assure that WFC equipment remains in good shape and is respected as their own. Additionally, sailors sharing the WFC facility must recognize that all competitors are bound by common goals and experiences, and therefore mutual respect and integrity is expected. For this venture to succeed, every participant must help maintain, promote and, where possible, contribute financially toward its preservation.