Youth Sailing Programs
The RNSYS has the top Sail Training Programs in the Maritimes!
Following the CANSail Program with certified instructors, our programs teach sailing skills in a safe, fun-filled and active environment.
In our programs, your child will enjoy full days of learning and improving in the sport of sailing and swimming, along with an incredible skill set of how to work as a team, make new friends, and how to safely challenge themselves to achieve great things.
2026 Sailing Programs
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Wet Feet
Age: 5 to 7 years
Duration: 1 week
Cost: Senior Members $275 | Non-Members $305
Prerequisites: None
This program introduces young children to sailing, swimming, and water safety in a fun, activity-oriented environment. Participants will become confident around boats of all sizes while learning about the water around them. The Sail Canada Wet Feet program is the basis of this program with the inclusion of lots of fun activities that develop water safety skills.
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Intro to Optimist (Opti)
Age: 7 to 9 years and less than 115 lbs.
Duration: 2 weeks
Cost: Senior Members $600 | Non-Members $680
Prerequisites: None
This program is an introduction to Optimist sailing. Sailors will learn basic boat handling skills, knots, and theory through sailing oriented activities. The CANSail 1 and 2 curriculums will be used in this program. Sailors will be encouraged to develop their skills and build towards their CANSail levels.
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Intermediate Optimist (Opti)
Age: 9 - 15 years and less than 115 lbs
Duration: 2 weeks
Cost: Senior Members $700 | Non-Members $750
Prerequisites: Successful Completion of the CANSail 1 Level, or Coach Recommendation
For sailors who have prior Optimist experience. This program is designed for sailors to become confident sailing independently. An emphasis will be on developing more advanced boat handling skills and theory through on-water activities. CANSail levels 2 and up will be accredited where appropriate.
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Advanced Optimist (Opti)
Age: 9 - 15 years and less than 115 lbs
Duration: 2 weeks
Cost: Senior Members $700 | Non-Members $750
Prerequisites: Intermediate Opti & Completion of CANSail 2
For sailors who are interested in sailing faster, this program introduced elements of Optimist racing while refining boat handling skills and theory. Sailors will learn about racing rules, tactics, sportsmanship, and teamwork while training at the RNSYS. CANSail levels 3 and up will be accredited where appropriate. Sailors will have the opportunity to participate in several club regattas, although regatta attendance is not mandatory.
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Intro to Sailing
Age: 7 to 13 years
Duration: 2 weeks
Cost: Senior Members $600 | Non-Members $680
Prerequisites: None
Embark on an exciting journey where learning and fun go hand in hand! Through interactive lessons and hands-on practice, sailors will discover how to sail, steer, and work with a crew on various boats. It's the perfect mix of adventure and skill-building in a safe and supportive environment. Specifically designed to be a low-pressure introduction to sailing for any sailor regardless of past experience. CANSail levels will be provided to those who are keen to pursue them, where appropriate. The Intro To Sailing course is a great next step for sailors who participated in adventure camp and enjoyed the sailing elements.
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Intermediate Sailing
Age: 9 - 15 years
Duration: 2 weeks
Cost: Senior Members $700 | Non-Members $750
Prerequisites: Intro to Sailing
For sailors interested in broadening their sailing knowledge and skills, this program progresses single & double-handed sailing and will look at developing sailing skills with Sail Aways, Seamanship Skills & some Racing. Sailors will have the opportunity to try sailing different boats, FEVAs, C420s, ILCAs, J22s and other boats where appropriate.
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Advanced Sailing
Age: 12 - 16 years
Duration: 2 weeks
Cost: Senior Members $700 | Non-Members $750
Prerequisites: Intermediate Sailing
For sailors who are interested in sailing faster, this program is designed to offer participants the ability to develop more complex sailing skills on a variety of boats. Sailors will learn on FEVAs, C420s, ILCAs and J22s where appropriate and will learn more complex skills such as spinnaker sailing, trapeze, keelboat teamwork and racing skills - all where appropriate. All registrants aged 14 and over are subject for HST.
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Intro to Foiling
Age: 10 to 15 years
Duration: 1 week
Cost: Senior Members $275 | Non-Members $325
Prerequisites: None
For sailors who are interested in learning an exciting new element of the sport this course will teach them the basics of how foiling works. Participants will learn about foiling on boards and on boats. The primary goals of this course will be to help participants develop balance so that they can get up and foiling on a board behind a motorboat, learn how to use a Wing and get up and foiling on a Waszp sailboat.
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Intro to Windsurfing
Age: 10 to 15 years
Duration: 1 week
Cost: Senior Members $275 | Non-Members $325
Prerequisites: None
Discover the thrill of windsurfing in our Learn to Windsurf Camp! Throughout this program, you'll learn the fundamentals of windsurfing, including how to sail upwind and downwind, as well as how to execute a variety of turns. Our goal is to provide you with the practical techniques needed to navigate with ease, allowing you to build a strong foundation for continued practice and exploration.
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Intro to Keelboat Sailing
Age: 14 to 17 years
Duration: 1 week
Cost: Senior Members $390 | Non-Members $450
Prerequisites: None
For sailors who are interested in learning how to sail keelboats, this program introduces elements of bigger boat sailing in J22s, while refining boat handling skills and theory. Sailors will learn skills for sailing keelboats, practice extensively on the club's J22s, and have the opportunity to participate in a club Wednesday night race as a part of the course (with instructor supervision). This course is designed to help develop skills of sailors and show them the variety of pathways available to them in sailing through keelboating.
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Junior Instructor Program
Age: 15 to 18 years
Duration: 2 weeks
Cost: Senior Members $700 | Non-Members $750
Prerequisites: None
For sailors who have sailing experience and are passionate about sharing their love for the sport, this year we are offering a Junior Instructor program. This program is designed for those sailors interested in becoming an instructor in the future who have yet to complete any of their instructor qualifications through Sail Canada/Sail Nova Scotia.
As part of this course, sailors will receive the following courses:
Sail Canada Coach Boat Safety
Standard First Aid with CPRC
Both of these are requirements to become a Sail Canada instructor. Sailors will also receive instruction from experienced coaches on how to structure a lesson, teach on the water, and manage different groups. This will be a mixture of classroom learning, on-water sailing skills practice, and participation the courses above.
Program FAQ’s
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Youth programs run Monday to Friday from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm and are supervised throughout the day
Drop off and pick up can occur 15minutes prior to and after start and end of the day. Supervision is not offered outside of these times.
Sailors, paddlers, windsurfers and adventure camp participants must provide an approved PFD
Lunch programs are available for purchase
Priority registration is given to RNSYS Senior members
We offer a pick-up and drop-off tender service, pick-up and return to Jubilee or Oakland Road Docks. See below for registration!
All registrants aged 14 and over are subject to HST Participants do not need to be members or children of members to register for our programs!
General inquiries can be answered at sailnow@rnsys.com
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Sailors will learn skills following the Sail Canada National Standard CANSail program. Sailor progress will be tracked through the online checklick system - for more information on sailor levels please email sailnow@rnsys.com
Swimming at sailing camp: sailors in the Wetfeet and Introduction to Opti sailing programs will participate in a daily swimming safety lesson. This will be to support them in their sailing and is not a Canadian Lifesaving Society levels lesson.
Sailors do not need to demonstrate a particular level of swimming skill to participate they must be able to tread water while wearing a lifejacket and we encourage that sailors are comfortable with being around water before attending.
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$50 + HST per week
The lunch program is served Monday through Friday for program participants. Please note that this covers food during lunch hour only. There are no additional snacks during class time.
The lunch program is served Monday through Friday for program participants. Please note that this covers food during lunch hour only–there are no additional snacks during class time.
The lunch program is available for participants in the Adventure Camp, Sailing Programs, and Paddling Programs. The lunch program is NOT available for participants in swimming programs or race team.
Lunch program sample menu: Mac and Cheese, Chicken Salad Wrap, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Veggie Pasta Salad, Chicken Fingers, Fish & Chips, BBQ Burger
All lunch program meals come with fruit, a juice box, and a side snack.
Items listed above are examples of past lunch program meals and are not necessarily reflective of what participants will receive each day.
The lunch program only provides one option each day (unless specifically requested and confirmed for an allergy).
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$60 + HST per week
Participants may take a tender from either the foot of Oakland or Jubilee Roads for the duration of the program. This service picks up participants in the morning and drops them off in the afternoon via one of the RNSYS tenders
Location Pick up Drop off
Jubilee Road 8:30 am 4:15 pm
Oakland Road 8:45 am 4:05 pm
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Cancellation Policy
1. A confirmation email will be sent to all applicants upon receipt of registration. Once this confirmation email has been sent, participant interest in attending the course is assumed unless the RNSYS is informed otherwise.
2. If, upon receipt of registration, a course is full the applicant will automatically be waitlisted. A waitlist email notice will be sent out to applicants who have been placed on a waitlist.
3. If space comes available, waitlisted registrants will be automatically notified of the availability.
4. Once confirmed, all registrations are subject to a 25% cancellation charge. Cancellations received within two weeks prior to the course are subject to a 50% cancellation charge. No refund is provided following the start of the course unless in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the RNSYS sailing director.
5. Any registration credits provided are non-transferable and must be used by the participant's family.
Registration Policies
Membership discounts are available to SENIOR members only.
Discounts are applied by participants inputting their membership status into the online system. Those found to have misrepresented their membership status will be required to pay the discount balance or will forfeit their registration and fees.
Registrations may be processed through your member account. Reach out to programming@rnsys.com for more information.
When adding tender service and lunch program it is the responsibility of the registrant to adjust the number of weeks for which they want these services.
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We are required to charge HST on all instructional courses and race programs offered to individuals 14 years of age and over at the time of the course, unless the individual is disabled. When HST is applicable it will be noted in the course profile. When payment is received without HST included, but it is applicable, the sender will be contacted to remit the HST.