Andre Caban, of Holmdel, hiking out during a Junior Sailing program race on Raritan Bay. JESS GREGORY KEYPORT — Located at water’s edge on Raritan Bay, the Keyport Yacht Club 111 First St., offers several programs to make it easier for everyone to experience the joys of sailing.
For youngsters ages 8 to 17, the club offers a summer Junior Sailing program with basic and advanced instruction on a number of kinds of sailboats, including the enduring, square-bowed Optimist — a classic craft for learning to sail. Students can graduate to the more advanced 420s, which can skim along thewater at excitingly high speeds, have a full complement of sails and require fast reflexes and a nimble mind to reach the highest performance levels. Junior Sailing is open to anyone, and classes are filled on a first-come basis.
For adults who want to test the waters, the club offers two options. The first is expert instruction open to the public. In seven Saturday morning classes you’ll learn the theory of sailing, then experience it by taking out sailboats and practicing the three basic skills of sailing — running (downwind), reaching (across the wind), and beating (into the wind) — to your heart’s content. The cost is $475.
The second opportunity is an innovative program where you can reserve or charter a sailboat for a shared number of days during the summer. The cost for the season is $150. This plan requires a skill check and membership in the club. For details, visit www.keyportyachtclub.com.