Youth Pgms

School Year, Aftr School, Summer Pgm, & One Day
Afterguard Youth Sailing Academy!
Youth programs first began with ‘Swift Sailing,’ in Benicia in 1987. Though successful the courses were discouraged from growth by those worried about inner city youth in a marina. In the intervening years youth, high school and college programs have been a part of. Mary SwiftSwan has owned or been part of the development team for professional, non-profit, city and college programs. Afterguard started in 2003 and expanded to it’s current location at Central Basin in 2008.
Afterguard has a dual program. Adult and family classes are available. Our for profit school combines resources with the non-profit inner city youth programs for mutual support. The school and youth program courses take place mostly during week days. Adult and family courses for the community are open to when people want courses but primarily courses for adults and community take place on weekends or evenings. It works.
Afterguard Youth Sailing Academy began as a Sea Scout host and youth group maritime instruction facility. This non-profit portion of our business is supported by Afterguard Sailing Academy, Oakland School District, The Black Police Officers Association and the attending youth groups to the best of their abilities. Donations help to fill in the gap for more kids to attend.

Programs available are:
School Year: Minimum 3 maximum 20/25 students per time-slot.
1st year course: Basic Sailing and science 4-hr pr wk
2nd year course: Skipper Skills and math 4-hr pr wk
3rd year course: Racing and Strategies to reach goals.
Alternatives are available for more concentrated learning. Option for a small boat sailing team, includes participation in regattas. Students can test to advance at a faster pace or/and get certified by ASA for 110 - Small Boat or 101 Basic Keelboat.

After-School Practice
Options of Wednesday for cruisers and/or Saturdays for racers.

Summer Camps:
Water Safety - Learn to float with a lifejacket 1 day
Sailing Introduction - Go for a ride on Oakland Estuary 1 day
Sailing for Treasure - Sail to Treasure Island - pirates welcome 1d
Basic Sailing 1st Mate- 9-12noon Week long camp in Keel or FJ
Basic Sailing Skipper Intro - 1-4 pm week long camp
Introduction to Racing - 1-4 week long camp

All sailing courses teach youth powerful lessons in the importance of; leadership, cooperative teamwork, individual responsibility plus respect for self and others. Sailing builds self-confidence as youth take part as crew or lead as skippers. Participants develop more effective communication skills as a sailing team. They begin to translate their world into 3D by awareness of the wind, sea, land and weather. Many have said that math and/or science concepts finally makes sense after working through a navigation exercise or just learning to apply the simple physics of a block and tackle to harness the wind to reach a desired destinations. Sailing helps them make sense of lessons. It helps students walk taller.

This part of Afterguard is not-for-profit. Fees to be able to provide the courses is a stretch for youth groups. We have begun to accumulate scholarship funds and matching fund sources for scholarships. These funds can make it possible for Alternative High Schools, youth after-school and summer programs to participate. Donations make it possible to say ‘yes’ if a young person wants to learn about things marine. All donations are greatly appreciated.

To arrange for sailing program for your youth group - contact:
Email Afterguard or just call (510)535-1953