Sail Camp Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat should my sailor wear to camp? Camp occurs outside as much as possible. We rarely use the clubhouse, except for minimal activities and for occasional bathroom breaks. We recommend sending your child with layers and extra clothes appropriate for the weather that day. Swimsuits, UV shirts, and swim shorts are very commonly worn during the summer. If the weather is forecasted to be rainy, please ensure your child has clothing that will keep them dry. Close toed shoes are required at camp, and any student not wearing appropriate footwear will not be allowed on the CYC docks until they have acquired the correct shoes. Aquasocks, tennis shoes, and keens are all great options. Head to Fisheries Supply for great options for PFDs (life jackets) and more! Do I have to be a member for my child to join camp? Yes. Due to US Tax Law, CYC Seattle REQUIRES membership to participate in any of our youth activities. This membership only need last the month your child attends camp- if you register for camp the week of July 11, membership is required for the month of July. When you pay for membership, that fee gets held until the month of your child's camp. It also covers your whole family! No need to pay for more than one month if you are enrolling multiple children. If you'd like to extend, we'd love to have you! We offer membership at the low rate of $55/month with no initiation fees or interview process. To find out more or to join, head to the Join us page of our website and get all the information. Otherwise, apply easily as part of your registration information. If you apply with your registration, you do NOT need to submit an application through the club. Will you cancel camp with adverse weather? We do our best to keep camps running in whatever the Pacific Northwest throws at us! If there is lightning or sustained windspeeds over 15 knots, we will utilize the clubhouse space of CYC to run onshore activities and games. If it is raining, we recommend students wear rain jackets and rain pants, and bring extra clothes to keep dry in the clubhouse, but we will not cancel class. The only time we fully cancel class is if the air quality is at an unsafe level (AQI higher than 150 for more than two hours or if the AQI reaches more than 200 at any point during the day), and we will prorate a refund for the days we do not run. What should my sailor bring to camp? Your sailor should bring the following items, labeled, and able to fit into one bag:
My child is not comfortable swimming without a life jacket. Can they still participate? Yes! The swim test we conduct on the first day of each session is a check to make sure your child is comfortable in the water. We require your student to wear a life jacket at all times while on the CYC docks, but if they want to do the swim test with out a life jacket, they may. The check consists of them getting into the water and swimming/doggie paddling/ flutter kicking their way along the dock, about 20'. If your child chose not to wear their lifejacket, the instructor tosses it to them and they put it on in the water. If they are in the guppies class, their swim test is done and they may hop on out. For all other classes, students must complete a capsize (boat with the mast in the water instead of upright) recovery so they know what to do if it happens when we are sailing during normal class. Instructors and the sailing director will work with students who are nervous about this process, but we cannot and will not force your child into the water. Students who do not complete the swim/capsize test will not be allowed to sail. This must be completed at the beginning of every class they take. Can I drop my child off early or pick them up late? The time before and after class is your child’s instructor’s time to plan and prepare for the day, and clean up and debrief with the rest of the staff. Please do not drop off or pick up your child more than 7 minutes before the start of class as there will be no one supervising students at that time. If there is an emergency, please call 206-789-1919 and inform the office of your delay. If we do not hear from you and you pick up your child more than 15 minutes after the scheduled end of class, a warning will be issued. If it happens again, we will begin to charge $1/minute for every minute you are late outside of the 7 minute window. My child wants to have their cellphone with them. Is there a safe place for them to leave it? We recommend your sailor does not bring any technology with them to class. Part of the CYC Sail Camp experience is full immersion in activities. If you need to contact your student during the day, please call our office at 206-789-1919. There is always someone near the phone. Our docks, though they have a locked gate, are accessed by members of the boating community and the public regularly, and we cannot guarantee security. If your child must bring their cellphone and you are worried about theft, they may keep their device in the office for the duration of their class. |
Can my child walk home or can someone other than their legal guardian pick them up?
If you would like your child to walk home or be picked up by someone other than their legal parent or guardian, you must submit a written note to CYC, or speak to the Junior Sailing Director directly, authorizing your child to leave after class in the manner of your choosing. Carpools are encouraged!
Where can I park when dropping off or picking up my camper?
Guest parking at Shilshole Bay Marina is available on the street side of the parking lot directly outside CYC, and to the North on both sides of CYC. Guest parking is outlined by white paint only, while permit parking has blue on it. Occasionally, Shilshole Bay Marina will close off entrances along the marina to reduce the amount of spaces taken up by non-tenants and their guests, and you will have to enter at the Port of Seattle office where Jibe Cafe is located. This typically happens on Fridays, or in August as Golden Gardens gets busier.
What is CYC’s discipline policy?
When you register your child for camp, you agree to a rules and regulations clause. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. Behavior that is disrupting the learning environment or threatening the safety of others is considered inappropriate. If the code of conduct is violated or if inappropriate behavior continues after the child has been warned, the instructor will remove the student from the situation and refer the offender to the Director who will determine the necessary action. If necessary, the Director may ask the CYC office to contact the child’s parent for immediate pick up. Upon infraction of the code of conduct, the student may be warned, suspended, or dismissed from the program, depending on the discretion of the Director. Class fees will not be refunded in these situations.
What is CYC’s Code of Conduct?
- Whistles are to be used in case of emergency ONLY.
- No glass containers are allowed anywhere on yacht club grounds or in the boats.
- Do not ride bikes, roller blades or skateboards on the dock.
- No running on the docks, pushing into the water or unauthorized swimming. No one shall swim under docks or near docked boats.
- No climbing or playing on or around boat hoists.
- No one shall jeopardize the safety of others or themselves.
- Parents are not allowed on the dock while class is in session.
- No one shall board private boats without prior permission.
- Swim check must be passed before getting in a boat.
- Sportsmanlike conduct is expected from all students at all times, on or off the water. Foul language, harassment, intimidation, and other disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. Repeat offenses qualify as grounds for removal from the program.
- Borrowing anything without prior permission from the owner is stealing, and therefore prohibited.
- No littering, anywhere. Make a mess, clean it up!
- Any student unwilling to participate in the program activities will be sent home. Neither the instructors nor CYC can be responsible for students who are not participating in the available sailing program activities.
- Each student is responsible for his/her own belongings. All personal belongings should be labeled with your name and confined into a bag. CYC is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property or equipment of the student.
- Students will return boats and equipment to proper storage areas in appropriate condition at the end of class every day.
- Students are required to remain at the club during scheduled program hours.
- CYC bathrooms should be kept neat and orderly.
- As in our schools, there will be a zero tolerance policy regarding any student possessing and/or using any harmful weapon, alcohol, controlled substance, or any tobacco products.
- Instructors are NOT responsible for sailors after class. Instructors are only responsible for sailors during class.
- Sailors are expected to show up on time for all classes, rain or shine.
