Frequently Asked Questions

Please keep in mind that students will be getting wet! Students will practice capsizing and swimming while wearing life jackets. Swim check is intended to acclimate students to the cold, murky water and observe their comfort level in the water. The capsize drill will familiarize them with safe capsize recovery. Swimming in the river presents new circumstances and is not like swimming in a pool. Safety is first and foremost in the minds of the instructors.

On the first day of all classes, instructors will conduct swim checks and capsize drills for all participants to ensure that the student is comfortable in the water. All students are required to complete the swim check and capsize drill in order to participate in classes. To pass the drill, students are required to swim 10 yards, climb into a youth sailboat and purposely capsize the boat. The student then swims around and rights the boat, and swims back to the dock. This is done under the supervision of our trained instructors and the students will be coached through the entire process. Students are given on-land instruction and time to practice so they can successfully complete the drill.

Be aware of your child’s swimming ability and get lessons ahead of time if he/she is not a strong swimmer. A practice session in the river prior to class can also be helpful!

Minnows students are NOT required to do the swim check and capsize drill, however students are encouraged to participate in a fun “life jacket float test” in the water alongside the dock.

NOTE: No one shall swim under docks or near docked boats.

All of our instructors maintain the following:

• US Sailing Small Boat Level 1 Sailing Instructor Certification.

  • 4-day, 40-hour course. Topics covered in the course include: classroom and on-the-water teaching techniques, risk management, safety issues, lesson planning, creative activities, ethical concerns, and sports physiology and psychology.

• Boater Education Card.

  • Oregon State Marine Board & NASBLA approved boater safety & education course.

• Current U.S. First Aid and Adult/Child CPR certificates.

• Yearly CDC HEADS UP Concussion in Youth Sports course.

• SafeSport Training.

  • Educational and awareness program focused on safe, respectful sporting environments, free of abuse and harassment. Developed by the US Olympic Committee, SafeSport is now required training for all US Sailing Level 1 certified instructors.

• Current US Sailing membership.

  • As the National Governing Body for the sport of sailing, US Sailing’s mission is to provide leadership for the sport of sailing in the United States.

Unfortunately, due to liability, Gorge Sailing Center cannot allow guests in sailing classes. Medical reports, swim tests, enrollment fees, life jackets, knowledge of the water, and boat availability all prevent guests from attending classes. Instead, encourage your friends to sign up and bring your friends and family to Monday Night Open Sailing!

Please keep in mind that parents on the docks and on the water can be a big distraction for new sailors (they’ll watch you instead of paying attention to class!) For safety reasons it’s very important for new sailors to focus entirely on their coach and the instruction.

If you’d like to watch your child’s class, we recommend watching from afar, there are several vantage points of the marina along the paved path that wraps around the entire marina. We respectfully request that you do not hover and interfere with the class instruction. Thank you for your understanding.

A great opportunity for watching your child sailing up close is during Monday Night Open Sailing. You can even get in a boat with your child and let them show you first hand what they’ve learned!

Sailing is unique because simply taking a course does not automatically qualify them for the next in sequence. Specific skills must be mastered before advancing to the next level.

Our instructors track students' skills and readiness to advance. Our priority is to keep sailing fun and safe for all the kids in our program. There are many important skills and concepts to learn in Beginners, before moving up to the Intermediate class. Most of our students take Beginner and Intermediate classes at least twice. Sailing in the Gorge can be quite windy and challenging. Advanced classes will sail in more challenging winds and waves. For safety reasons, and to maintain the child's interest, we only advance students to the next level when fully ready. Putting a child into Intermediate or Advanced class too early can often turn them off of sailing, rather than boost their interest level.

We also offer private lessons. Often one-on-one attention can help kids master a particular skill or cover concepts that they may have missed in the group setting.

Our priority is for everyone to have a successful and fun sailing experience!

All of our classes are geared for a specific age, weight range and experience level to properly sail the boats and have fun in class. Please take the time to read through the class descriptions before signing up.

Yes! We recommend a few sessions of each class before moving up to the next level. The curriculum will be similar, but changes in weather and wind conditions from week to week shape the same class in different ways. Also, if your child started as a beginner crew and takes another week of beginner camp, maybe they move to skippering the second week. Classes tend to be dynamic based on the wind conditions and the skill levels of the students.

Meeting place for classes is at the Hood River Yacht Club, located on East Port Marina Drive. Instruction takes place outdoors on the marina green, next to the Hood River DMV office and on the south basin dock. Sailing takes place in the Hood River Marina and on the Columbia River.

Hood River Yacht Club: located in the SW corner of Hood River Marina, across from the History Museum of Hood River County. Drive past the museum and find the entrance to HRYC on the right. 310 East Port Marina Drive is the best address to use for Google Maps or smartphones.

Sailing classes will begin at the scheduled time regardless of the weather conditions. All classes will be held rain or shine, heavy winds or no wind. If weather prevents sailing, appropriate onshore instruction and activities will be conducted. Classes will not be canceled or rescheduled due to weather. Refunds are not provided due to weather or lack of wind. Thank you for your understanding.

(Please be sure to label belongings with name and phone number! Instructors are not responsible for loss or damage to personal property of the student.)

• Properly fitting Type 3 US Coast Guard approved life jacket (PFD).

• ***Minnows parents need their own life jackets too!***

• Closed-toed shoes that can get wet. No flip-flops please!

• Clothing that can get wet and appropriate for water temp/weather conditions.
  (Rashguards, wet suit – shorty or wetsuit shorts or top, etc. Avoid cotton!)

• Sunscreen

• Water bottle

• Sunglasses, hat/visor

• Towel and change of clothes

• Snack