Important Information

Safety/Supervision

Stage Harbor Sailing School is dedicated to ensuring the safety of your child during their participation in sailing classes. When exercising general supervision, our instructors are immediately accessible. They are alert for potentially hazardous conditions and will react accordingly. If an instructor has to divert attention from the overall supervision of a class, to make a rescue, administer first aid, or to effect a repair, another instructor will watch the class. Instructors practice proper emergency procedures throughout the course of the season. All are CPR & First Aid trained.

Rules of Safety

  • Personal Flotation Devices (PFD’s) must be worn by all students/racers and instructors at all times when on the water for sailing lessons and races.

  • Parents shall not leave a child age 12 or under unsupervised at the Club for any period of time. This includes the hours between 12:00-1:30pm when classes are not in session, unless they are registered for Lunch @SHYC, and any time between lessons.

  • Jumping off the Club pier is not permitted.

  • SHSS is not responsible for items left on the property.

  • Students must strive to develop competency in safety drills, capsize drills, towing and rescue procedures. 

Equipment Check/Maintenance

All equipment is checked periodically; the safety of our boats is checked daily. If a piece of equipment is broken, we repair it immediately and keep a maintenance report. If you or child notices something wrong with a boat, please let a Steward know.

Safety Boat Skills

All instructors are required to pass a safety boat test before they are allowed to operate a club motor boat for instructional purposes.

Radios/First Aid

Each SHSS motor boat is equipped with a radio and a first aid kit.

Weather/Class Cancellations

Sailing School will operate regardless of weather, unless parents are otherwise notified. Any notices about closure will be made by email. If conditions do not allow students to be on the water, staff will conduct classes and activities inside the Sailing Center. While on the water, if instructors hear, or see, any lightning, all sailors will take shelter as soon as possible.

What to Bring

Students should come to Sailing School each day with the following:

  • US Coast Guard approved PFD (life jacket)

  • Closed-toe shoes (Crocs, old sneakers, Keens, etc.) - NO FLIP FLOPS

  • Swimsuit

  • Dry wick t-shirt/rashguard & shorts

  • Foul weather gear, depending on conditions

  • Sunblock

  • Hat and sunglasses are recommended

  • Refillable water bottle

  • Towel

Put your name on all personal belongings with permanent ink. Please put your child’s last name in large letters on the back of his/her life jacket to help with identification when they are in the water.

Photography and Videos

By registering for participation in the Stage Harbor Sailing School or otherwise participating in Club activities, parents or guardians grant permission for films, video recordings, slides, photographs and other media representations (collectively, “Photograph”) to be taken of their child or grandchild during SHSS and other SHYC club-related activities. SHYC is then authorized to use any such Photograph in its publications, press coverage, promotional materials, website or other media outlet at any time.

If you do not wish any such photographs/videos to be used for such purposes, please inform the Commodore no later than the first day of sailing of Session 1 of the summer.

Drop Off & Pick Up

Drop Off & Pick Up will take place by car or bike down by the Sailing Center as a single point of entry. Families will queue up in cars along Champlain Road (in front of the main Club house) and wind down the road toward the Town parking lot where the Sailing Center is located. There, you will be greeted by Staff who will check in students and accompany them on campus. Please do not drop off children along Champlain Road or in the Town parking lot as it poses a safety risk.