By Airwaves Writer Jon Meyers
Courageous Sailing – Boston, MA
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Number of Members: 350+
Fleets: Laser, Club 420, Rhodes 19, J-22
Sailing Opportunities: Youth Program, High School Sailing, Adult Program, Adaptive Sailing, PHRF Racing
Mission and History
Located on historic Boston Harbor, Courageous Sailing is a non-profit community sailing center dedicated to serving the Greater Boston community. Named after the two-time America’s Cup-winning yacht Courageous, the sailing center boasts an impressive array of youth, adult, and adaptive sailing programs designed to foster personal growth and develop life-long skills through sailing.
Courageous Sailing was founded in 1987 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department and local sailing enthusiast Harry McDonough. Since then, it has become a large-scale operation, boasting three different sailing venues and employing more than 65 coaches and instructors in the junior sailing program alone. Courageous not only teaches the sport of sailing, but also encourages the development of leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills in the process.
Courageous Sailing now offers programs for children, adults, and individuals with mental and physical disabilities, in addition to a wide variety of affordable membership options.
“Our mission is inclusion,” said Executive Director Dave DiLorenzo. “It’s about getting people together who would not otherwise have the opportunity to go sailing.”
After 25 successful years the organization is still rapidly expanding with nearly 350 current members. However, membership is but a small piece of the organization’s impact. By their numbers, Courageous estimates that they play host to well over 2,000 guests each year, getting them out on the water and enjoying the sport of sailing.
Sailing Opportunities
Whether you are new to sailing or have grown up with the sport, the opportunities to get out on the water here are limitless. As one of the largest sailing centers in the Boston area, Courageous offers opportunities for individuals of all ages. Beginning with the youth program, children ages 8-16 have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of sailing from some of the most knowledgeable and qualified instructors in the industry.
The adult program also offers lessons ranging from beginner level to advanced racing and cruising. The adult program features a year-round race series utilizing the center’s fleets of Rhodes 19’s, J-22’s and Lasers. During the winter months, Courageous hosts a highly competitive frostbite series, giving individuals access to the boats and harbor year round.
Commitment to Sailing
Courageous Sailing has long been a leader in offering sailors of all ages access to boats and the water. Founded on the model of equal access for all, Courageous still strives to serve anyone in Boston who has a passion for sailing. That commitment is best exemplified by the youth sailing program. The youth program serves nearly 1,000 Boston children each year and teaches them not only the sport of sailing, but works to develop critical life skills in the process.
“This is a community that not only promotes sailing itself as a sport, but also takes a lot of pride in the process of learning to sail and bettering ones skills,” explained Kate Henderson, Director of the Youth Program. “I think that it’s both a strength for the organization and for our sailing programs. It’s what unites this community, rallying around the idea of being here to learn and helping each other to learn.”
The program is divided into five steps, beginning with Sailing 101 and ending with the Instructor in Training program. Many of the children who grow up sailing with Courageous move on to become youth program coaches. During the 2012 season, 79 percent of the Courageous Sailing staff were youth program alumni, many of whom have enjoyed successful high school and college sailing careers.
In 2012, Courageous Sailing partnered with Boston Public Schools to launch a new summer program designed to reduce summer learning loss, and bolster academic performance, of course, to get kids out on the water. This five-week long, free program combines academics with sailing instruction. When the students aren’t enjoying their time on the water, they are introduced to important marine topics such marine science and conservation and learn new ways in which they can protect the world’s oceans.
Courageous Sailing’s strong commitment to safety makes it both an industry leader and a model for success. Located on one the busiest shipping ports on the east coast, hands-on instruction and a high instructor-to-student ratio is essential. However, their strong commitment to safety is perhaps the greatest challenge facing the organization, notes DiLorenzo:
“Sailing is expensive and our venue is expensive. We are on a busy shipping channel, which requires us to have a higher instructor-student ratio. When it comes down to it, it costs more to run a safe sailing program.”
Looking to the Future
In 2011 US Sailing ranked Courageous Sailing fifth on their list of the top community sailing centers in the country. In the coming years Courageous hopes to strengthen their commitment to the Boston community and maintain their position as one of the leaders of the sailing industry.
“We’re really happy with how our programs have been developing over the last five years and we feel that we deliver some of the strongest programming there is in the youth and community sailing world,” said DiLorenzo. “We want to continue to be a leader and invest in the highest levels of instructor training and we want to see our fleet develop to keep up with innovations in the industry so that we are providing our kids with every opportunity that we can.”
Through their dedication to the community and youth empowerment, there is no doubt that Courageous Sailing exemplifies a true commitment to furthering the sport of sailing. With many new projects already in the works, the future of this organization is sure to be bright.
To learn more about Courageous Sai
ling or to support their mission please visit www.courageoussailing.org.
To see what professional opportunities Courageous Sailing is offering, go here:
Courageous Sailing
Pier 4, Charlestown Navy Yard
Boston, MA 02129
http://www.courageoussailing.org/
617-242-3821
Leave a Reply