I started sailing when I was very, very young. My parents owned a boat in Loch Lomond Marina right next to a carpenter who lived on a sailing boat.

She, her husband and her son, had traveled all the way around the world on their sailboat. She was originally from England and settled here in the Bay Area. The woman, Frances, also owned a small sailboat that she would attach to the back of her bigger boat. A few times a year she would offer to take me out on this small boat. Though I was too young to remember the kind of boat it actually was, I still had fun every time I went.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Eventually Frances went off to explore the globe again and I, left to my own devices, remained here in California. My parents did not give up so easily, however.

Following increased demand for our summer camps, Ben and Head Counselor Ryan Fugate met with Mark this weekend to work on boats at the Marin Yacht Club.
We fixed a laser boom and got 3 picos ready to be splashed on Monday.  Our impossible to find rudder cheeks have finally arrived from New York - With the help of Hyde Sails small boat expert Judy, Mark has sourced some bulletproof, all-aluminum cheeks from the Force Five fleet out of New York - they should withstand the toughest beating our kids can mete out.

We now have 10 picos and 2 lasers ready for action and expect over 25 kids this week.  Our camps have been full and we are running at a record numbers for the season greatly due to the fantastic efforts Ryan Fugate and our excellent counselors and junior counselors. I particularly like to thank Ryan Fugate for stepping up this year and doing a fantastic job as we improve our safety standards and make the experience for the campers better each year.

We continue to focus on getting parents jazzed about their kids experience and this year we've added Friday barbeques, photographs on the wall and online photos for parents to pick out. So far everything is working smoothly and excepting for a couple of bumps, parents have been extremely happy and have the kids.

I've always been drawn to the water, so when my friend and I decided that we were going to do a camp together in third grade, sailing seemed like the perfect choice!  Since then, we've changed boats, instructors, and even yacht clubs, but we have sailed together every summer for the past 10 years.  It began as a way for us to hang out during the days, but now we both just love sailing!

I think my favorite part about sailing is the freedom that comes with it.  I realize that's cliché, but it's also very true.  When you drive a car, you have to stay in one lane on one side of the road and follow that line for as far as you want to go; when you drive a motor boat you have a bit more freedom to go places, but you are still very dependent on your gas.  A good sailor, on the other hand, can go anywhere he wants.

I've been sailing for 10 years now, every summer and often during the school year as well. I think the Marin yacht club and surrounding areas are probably my favorite place to sail consistently- the wind is great for beginners, and once in a while we get lucky with some higher wind that the advanced sailors (and counselors) can really enjoy.  The water here is amazing, hands-down the nicest temperature in the bay, and it's sunny almost every day! I came to SEA because one of my close friends was sailing with the camp in San Rafael, and he recommended it so highly.  I remember going to visit him at camp on day and absolutely loving it.  That summer, I switched sail camps and I've been an SEA boy ever since.

I started sailing when I was a baby onboard my parents Cape Dory 25 in Tomales Bay. My father has sailed since he was eight and sailing has been a family tradition.

The thing that I enjoy the most about sailing is that it can really be done anywhere around the world, providing that you have wind and water. It’s also a lot of fun in high winds.

I have had a lot of fun sailing the entire San Francisco Bay on my parents’ Catalina 30, as well as the coastal waters off Wales, and the Aegean Sea near Turkey and Greece.

I was first brought to SEA by a friend of mine who also sails and told me that the program was a lot of fun. We both ended up becoming counselors at the Youth Camp.

My favorite sailing experience would be the second sailing holiday in Turkey and Greece, stopping by whichever anchorage looked nice at the time. It allowed me to see a different part of the world and experience new cultures.

I love music and I have been playing the piano and singing for the last 11 years. I have also just recently started playing the guitar. I love most sports and I am on my university’s rugby team.

I would love to spend a long time sailing the Pacific, finding remote and unspoiled places.

Alex Carter was first introduced to sailing on Picos in Bordeaux, France. He said he had a wonderful time; however the instruction and the atmosphere were a little unsettling. When he arrived at SEA's Youth Camp, he was just out of our harbor and his sailing partner freaked out when the boat started to heel. His partner dropped the main sheet and started screaming to be let off, and Alex had to single hand the Pico back to the safety boat. According to him, while scary, that was also extremely exhilarating, and made him wanted to do it more and more. Just the feel and the knowledge that he could maneuver a boat completely by himself was astonishing and made him want to sail again and again.

For Alex, the most enjoyable part of sailing is, without a doubt, when you are in high winds and hiking out all the way, hearing the water rush under the boat is awesome. He first got on a Pico in 2009. So this makes his third year of sailing. Just like the others, his favourite place to sail is around the Marin Islands and out towards the Richmond bridge.

Day Schedule For Counselor Day 6/19/11

Date: Sunday, June 19
Time: 09:30-16:00
Location: Marin Yacht Club
Cost: Free
Category: Youth Camp

Join us for our season opener and get ready for summer!

9:30AM Meet and greet/paper work/job descriptions and responsibilities/proceedures. Feedback from years past/ overview for the year.
10:00 - 11:00  SR Police and local USCG Aux discuss safety procedures and emergency responses. Past experiences.
11:00 - 12:00  Counselor and JR discussions on sail camp emergency procedures/past emergencies/ power boat and Pico assembly including final inventory of the fleet/ organize dock boxes and PFDs/new yellow PFDs for couselors and jcs only. All boats will be etched with a number so we can track each boats progress. Set up tool boxes and 1st aid kits for patrol boats/radios and radio procedures/patrol boat procedures/discuss instructor sail days and events/ brainstorm upcoming season/ Mark and Wayne discuss overall sail camp safety/fun philosophy.
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Rig and sail test boat to boat communications using proper radio protocols. Set up emergency scenarios and reactions. Discuss pros and cons of responses including mast stuck recovery, bad weather, plan b, personal safety and responsibility including gear and physical conditioning.
1:30 - 3:30 Sail and sail games
3:30 - 4:00 Derig final discussion on schedules and other teaching opportunities, time sheets, reiterate overall sail camp season goals and philosophy.