Ready to join the fun?
Registering for our sailing programs is quick and easy! Simply visit the website below and select the program you're interested in from our list of offerings. From there, you'll be prompted to fill out a registration form with your personal and contact information, as well as any additional details related to the program. If you have any questions or concerns about the registration process, our team is always available to assist you. Don't miss out on the opportunity to experience the joy of sailing - register for our programs today!
General Program Information
*ATTENTION*: All JULY CANSAIL 1&2 courses are full with long waitlists. This goes for the Kidsail courses as well. Thank you for your interest in our courses!
Sailing School Location
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All courses/sessions are conducted at the South Port Sailing Club, 210 Brighton Road, Tecumseh Ontario
Instructors
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All instructors at South Port Sailing School are trained and certified by both Sail Canada and Ontario Sailing Associations.
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South Port is proud to be the home club to several members of the Ontario Sailing Team, and encourages our sailors and instructors to compete at the highest levels.
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During a course, certified instructors may be accompanied by Instructor Trainees, or "I.T.s". These volunteers are qualified sailors working toward their teaching certifications and contribute their time, effort and experience to assist the sailors and the instructors when possible.
Safety Requirements
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Each sailor must have his or her own approved vest type lifejacket. This will be worn at all times when on the water. Note that lifejackets must be approved by either Transport Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, or Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
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Sailing is an active pastime. Each sailor must be able to swim a minimum of 50 feet within a reasonable time.
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Each sailor must be able to swim underwater.
(Note that sailors may be tested to ensure they meet above swimming requirements.)
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Each sailor is requested to dress for the weather, considering both temperatures (hypothermia) and sun (UV) for any given day. Sailors should also bring sunscreen as necessary for their own use.
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Sailors must bring proper footwear that can be worn on a boat and in the water.
Course Dates
The duration of our courses are from the beginning of July to the end of August of this year (2024). Please visit our registration website listed below for more information.
Register here:
Registration for all programs can be made using our online registration system, https://southportsailingclub.checklick.com. If a session has no spaces available, you can register on the waitlist. Any openings will be filled by those on the waitlist. Payment is due in full at the time of registration. All payments are made during registration with a credit card. A $50 administration fee will be deducted from the refund for any cancellations prior to the start of a session. No refunds will be issued once a session has started unless that space can be filled from the waitlist.
Additional Information
Other Requirements:
Each sailor must bring their own refillable water bottle, with their name indelibly marked. Disposable water bottles will not be allowed. A means of clipping the bottle to a boat is preferred if sailing in a dinghy.
Lunches should also be "garbage-free", and packed in reusable containers with their name indelibly marked.
(refer to www.sailorsforthesea.org)
Valuables should not be brought to class (ie: phones, cameras, watches, jewellery). These items can be too easily dropped overboard or damaged by the water. Also, SPSS cannot be held responsible for valuables left unattended in the buildings or on the dock during a class.
Sailing lessons are a chance to enjoy the outdoors and spend time learning new skills and meeting new friends. The staff request that students refrain from using any electronic device during class time. Please leave devices at home or in your bags while at South Port.
CANSail Levels:
CANSail Levels were introduced in 2012. Full details are available at the Sail Canada website. Levels are accomplished when a skill level is achieved. Everyone learns at their own pace, and weather can play a big role. Our instructors stress fun over achievement for young children. If level achievement is important, tell your instructor and they will give you progress reports.
Advancing Sailors: Questions and Concerns
SPSC Sailing School has set a high standard of achievement for its sailors to insure they move through the levels with confidence and the required base skills. Many of the instructors frequently required repeated levels to meet the program requirements.
In the past, instructors have felt parental pressure to advance sailors who had not achieved the required competence to advance. Obviously this would create serious concerns if, while in advanced levels, the sailor was unable to demonstrate the required skills — especially when some were necessary to sail independently on the Great Lakes.
Please accept and appreciate that not all sailors will achieve the required skills on the first attempt. It is our goal to insure sailors can demonstrate consistently the required skills of the level being undertaken — a sailor that does not consistently demonstrate the required skills does not fail — the sailor has simply not completed the level. Please contact your child's instructor if you have concerns about your child's advancement. In most cases extra help can be arranged if you wish.
Questions? Feel free to reach out!
Visit our chat box to place your questions or feel free to email the following representative: