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Grades 4, 5 and 6 students sail away with Bowen Island Yacht Club

For a number of years Learn 2 Sail has been offering a School Sailing Program on Bowen Island at Tunstall Bay Beach. The L2S program is dedicated to providing youth leadership opportunities and opportunities for kids to try out the sport of sailing.
Katherine Gish
optis
Lara and Grace sail the Bowen Arrow II, one of eight Optimist sailing boats.Peter Walters

For a number of years Learn 2 Sail has been offering a School Sailing Program on Bowen Island at Tunstall Bay Beach.  The L2S program is dedicated to providing youth leadership opportunities and opportunities for kids to try out the sport of sailing.  

Mentor coach Chris Carberry from BCSailing added 8 Optimist sailboats to the BIYC fleet to accommodate the number of sailors. Ben Shapland, Derek Zandvliet, Samuel and Sarah Holm, Keona Wishart, and Sophie Walters from BIYC also supported the effort. Ann Walters, BIYC L2S Membership Manager and parent volunteer worked tirelessly to make this program happen. “There’s a great volunteer quote which Ann and the entire BIYC Board embody:  Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. 

From May 7 – May 14 the Learn 2 Sail  Program provided a sail opportunity for approximately 85 BICS and IPS kids in Grades 4, 5 and 6 to get on the water.  The weather cooperated, the seas and winds were stellar for learning the basic skills of sailing and all had a fantastic time.

This year the Bowen Island Community School Association awarded a Community Initiatives Award to the BIYC Learn 2 Sail program. Their generous donation will be used to help fund our School Sailing Program. We love how the CSA Mission of “Spirit of Community” is reflected in the L2S Mission of “Growing our Community of Sailors.”  

Thank you CSA!

The Tunstall Bay Community Association is another organization that has played a vital role in the success of BIYC L2S programs. For over 25 years L2S has run our programs out of the TBCA Boathouse and dock. We would like to express our gratitude to the TBCA Board of Directors and, in particular Richard Underdown, President, Richard Helm and Ian Thomson Watership Directors for their flexibility and support of our Sail Programs.

On a final Sail Away note: Come on down to Tunstall Bay Beach on Sunday May 24 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm for our FREE Open Sailing Day for anyone new to sailing. Guaranteed fun for all ages!

For further information on the Learn 2 Sail Summer Programs please go to:

http://www.biyc.bc.ca/