KidShip 2023 Course Offerings
KidShip offers a variety of basic and advanced sailing courses. Each course is designed on a model of safe, fun learning using creative techniques. All of our courses are taught by carefully selected, kid-friendly sailing instructors. This allows campers to develop a love for the water, sailing, and all that sailing involves, especially having fun. Safety comes first at KidShip, so all sailors and instructors wear life jackets on and around the water. The student-to-instructor ratio is 3:1 or lower in all beginner courses.
During their time at KidShip, your child will learn, apply, and master the knowledge and skills of boat parts, boat handling, sailing mechanics, rules of the road, boating safety, and basic navigation. In addition to all these sailing skill sets, your child will have time to build social ties with other students at our private beach, our Wednesday pizza party, and our Friday ice cream party.
Full-Day Courses
Week-long sessions Monday through Friday
Level 1: Junior Sailing Essentials (Ages 8-11)
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Our most popular kids’ program! Now, explicitly tailored for campers ages 8-11.
Junior Sailing Essentials is a full-day program where your child will learn the fundamentals of sailing including terminology, knots, rigging, capsize recovery, and man-overboard procedures as well as the basics of anchoring and charting. All of these topics are taught through fun activities such as“H2 Whoa,” an epic water throwdown, or Down the River Day, when kids plan a day trip to another location where they anchor their boats, swim, and have lunch. After four days of hands-on learning with an instructor in each boat, sailors will be challenged to sail without an instructor on Friday. This last day helps to build confidence and serves as a skills test to know if your sailor is ready for the next level class.
Time: 9 am-3 pm. Ages 8-11. Price: $595.
Students may choose to take Level 1: Teen Sailing Essentials, Level 2: Hobie sailing, OR Level 3: Intermediate Sailing after completing 1-2 sessions of Level 1: Junior Sailing Essentials
Level 1: Teen Sailing Essentials (Ages 11-15)
A brand new offering as of 2023. This course is designed for beginner sailors ages 11-15. No sailing experience is required. Campers will learn basic sailing skills utilizing our new Pico Lasers and Zests. Campers will be two to a boat. Unlike Level 1: Junior Sailing Essentials, sailors will not have an instructor in the boat; instead, the instructor will follow in a coach boat. This course is a full-day program where your child will learn the fundamentals of sailing including terminology, knots, rigging, capsize recovery, and man-overboard procedures as well as weight placement in a sensitive dinghy, rules of the road, boating safety, and basic navigation. All of these topics are taught through fun activities such as“H2 Whoa,” an epic water throwdown, or Down the River Day, when kids plan a day trip to another location where they raft up their boats, swim, and have lunch. Campers MUST meet the weight requirements.
Time: 9 am-3 pm. Ages 11-15. Weight minimum 75 lbs. Price: $595.
Students may choose to take Level 2: Hobie sailing OR Level 3: Intermediate Sailing after completing 1-2 sessions of Level 1: Junior/Teen Sailing Essentials.
Level 2: Hobie Sailing
With the basics of sailing down, it’s time for your kids to have even more fun.
Climb aboard the fastest youth program boats in Annapolis. Students will spend 5 days aboard our Hobie Getaways. These family-friendly Hobie Catamarans are simple and safe for kids. The campers will spend the week breezing by the other boats on the bay having fun on and off the water. To ensure our priorities of safety, fun, and learning are met, there will be an instructor aboard each boat helping your camper progress and grow their skills.
Time: 9 am-3 pm. Ages 11-15. Price: $645.
Weight minimum 75 lbs. Must have completed 1-2 sessions of Level 1: Sailing Essentials.
Level 3: Intermediate Sailing
Looking to advance your skills? 
Our Intermediate course is a great next step for sailors who have mastered the skills from Level 1 and want to be more independent. Utilizing our RS Zests, this course is designed to develop young sailors’ skills in a non-competitive, team-based environment. Sailors will learn about rigging, advanced tacking, managing weight placement in a sensitive dinghy, and advanced sail trim. Unlike Level 1: Junior Sailing Essentials, sailors will not have an instructor in the boat; instead, the instructor will follow in a coach boat. This is an important step in becoming an independent sailor while also getting closer to single-handing our Laser Radials in Level 4: Advanced Sailing.
Time: 9 am-3 pm. Ages 11-15. Price: $595.
Weight minimum 75 lbs. Must have completed one session of Level 1: Sailing Essentials.
Level 4: Advanced Sailing
Advanced Sailing is the perfect course for students who want an introduction to racing without the pressure and time commitment of a summer-long or multi-week program. New racers learn basic racing tactics including starts, mark rounding, right-of-way rules, and boat speed techniques. Sailing solo on 12-foot Laser Radials, students develop single-handed sailing and racing skills with the guidance of their instructor. As skills develop, the instructors switch to a coaching role allowing each student to develop at his or her own pace while maintaining a healthy sense of competition. Class size is small to allow a maximum amount of personal coaching for each student.
Time: 9 am-3 pm. Ages 12-15. Price: $595.
Weight minimum 100 lbs. Must have completed one session of Level 3: Intermediate Sailing.
Half-Day Courses
Week-long sessions Monday through Friday
Half-Day Li’l Sailors
The perfect course for your young sailor-to-be! The morning is split between activities on land and on our stable American 14 sailing dinghies with an emphasis on getting out on the water. There is an instructor on each boat and a maximum of three sailors per boat, giving everyone plenty of opportunities to learn. Our focus in this course is being safe on the water and having fun. The instructors are chosen for their love of sailing and their rapport with kids so everyone has a great time!
Time: 9 am-12 pm. Ages 5-7. Price: $350.
Half-Day Sailing Adventures
Sailing Adventures is an introductory course for sailors ages 7 through 9. The half-day format is a good choice for kids who want to see if sailing is for them. Basic sailing vocabulary, water safety, rigging the boat, and lots of hands-on learning are the core of this class. Sailors will gain confidence and develop teamwork skills on the American 14s. Completion of Sailing Adventures will also help prepare younger sailors to succeed in the full-day Level 1: Sailing Essentials course.
Time: 1 pm-4 pm. Ages 7-9. Price: $350.