The New York Harbor Sailing Foundation is offering its second annual Omega Teen Sailing Program. Based in the North Cove Marina in Battery Park City, the free summer program consists of ten sessions of five days each and will run from June 28 to September 3.
Michael Fortenbaugh, secretary/treasurer of the Sailing Foundation, says that “things are moving well. The first session is already full and next Wednesday we’ll be featured on ‘Good Morning New York,’ ” generating interest in the program, which is open to children to have completed 7th grade and up.
The students will sail on J/24 sailboats and, taught by three qualified instructors, will hopefully be able to achieve Basic Sailing certification from the American Sailing Association at the end of their course. While the A.S.A.’s course materials were employed last year, this is the first time that students will take the sailing test.
“Last year was just a pilot program, a learning program. This year we’ve expanded from three day sessions to a week,” says Fortenbaugh, who is optimistic that students will be able to pass the A.S.A. exam.
The program has space for 80 students, and all sessions but the first, which runs June 28-July2, still has openings. The program is free, but to insure commitment, a $100 registration fee – refundable at the end of the course – is charged. Instructor biographies, registration forms and enrollment information are available at www.nyharborsailing.com.
—Erica Stein
WWW Downtown Express
