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A ten-week, school-year sailing program in New Orleans for 9th and 10th graders that builds small-boat handling, safe-boater licensing, and industry mentorship. Year Two focuses on dinghy skills and real-world marine career pathways.
A ten-week, school-year sailing program in New Orleans for 9th and 10th graders that builds small-boat handling, safe-boater licensing, and industry mentorship. Year Two focuses on dinghy skills and real-world marine career pathways.
Book with Community Sailing New Orleans
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Operated by Community Sailing New Orleans · New Orleans, Louisiana
On the water outside New Orleans, Louisiana, Crew to Captain • Year Two takes teenagers from curious novices to confident small-boat operators. This ten-week program, offered in fall and spring for students in grades 9 and 10, is the middle year of a three-year Maritime Career Development sequence that builds sailing skills, certifications, and real-world mentorship.
Year Two concentrates on small-boat handling and safe-boating credentials. Participants practice sail trim, tacking and close-quarters maneuvering in dinghies and dayboats, and prepare to earn a state safe boater’s license while reinforcing seamanship learned in Year One. Classroom time ties STEM concepts to real conditions: weather basics, navigation markers, charts and engine fundamentals. Local maritime professionals visit as guest speakers and mentors, giving students a window into careers on lakes, bays and the Mississippi River and offering tangible advice about next steps in maritime trades.
What makes this program special in New Orleans is its urban-waterfront classroom. Students learn on the same waterways that sustain local fisheries and commerce, from Lake Pontchartrain’s shallow flats to sheltered river channels. The program emphasizes lake stewardship and responsible vessel operation around estuarine marshes and bird habitat, so learning boat handling comes with an ecological context unique to the Gulf Coast. The practical pace—frequent on-water drills, hands-on rigging and timed capsize drills—turns theory into muscle memory.
For families looking for more than weekend lessons, Crew to Captain creates progression: Year One introduces keelboat basics and US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification; Year Two refines small craft skills and licensing; Year Three centers on instructor training and US Sailing Level 1 goals. That pipeline makes this offering a standout for teens aiming at summer work on charter boats, marina jobs, or formal maritime schooling.
Instruction alternates on-water practice with targeted classroom labs: knot-tying, chart plotting, basic engine troubleshooting and weather briefings. Each week ends with a skills checklist and video review so students track progress toward the boater’s license and US Sailing prerequisites. Small cohorts keep coach-to-student ratios low and prioritize safe capsize recovery, line handling and radio communication. Industry mentors evaluate final projects and provide references for summer internships. Families receive progress reports and suggested next steps, including local youth regattas and summer crew placements.
Expect group sessions that balance low-stress instruction with safety briefings and teamwork. The program accepts students new to the series but requires enrollment in grades 9 or 10. Gear needs are minimal—life jackets, appropriate footwear and layered clothing—and the schedule suits school-year extracurricular planning.
This program is more than a set of lessons: it’s a practical apprenticeship threaded into New Orleans’s working waterfront. Students leave with certificates, hands-on experience, industry contacts and a clearer path toward maritime careers or continued recreational sailing.
moderate.
10 weeks (weekly 2-hour sessions).
Moderate — participants should be comfortable moving on small boats, handling lines, and being active on the water.
Students must be in grades 9 or 10 to enroll in Crew to Captain • Year Two; the program accepts participants new to the series who meet that grade requirement.
Year Two focuses on small-boat handling and preparation for a state safe boater’s license while supporting US Sailing prerequisites from Year One.
Instruction occurs on local New Orleans waterways — including sheltered bays and lake areas — paired with onshore classroom labs for navigation and systems work.
No prior certifications are required, but basic comfort in water and a willingness to learn practical seamanship accelerate progress.
Local maritime professionals join as guest speakers, evaluate final projects, and offer guidance and references for internships and summer work.
The program provides weekly skills checklists and periodic progress reports, plus suggested next steps like youth regattas or summer crew placements.
New Orleans’s waterfront has long supported fishing, shipbuilding and commerce; this program ties youth training into that living maritime tradition.
The curriculum emphasizes lake stewardship and responsible operation near marshes, minimizing disturbance to bird habitat and reducing fuel and litter impacts.
Community Sailing New Orleans delivers accessible sailing education and community-focused programs on Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana. The organization offers expert-led experiences for adults, youth, women, and veterans, using stable keelboats and dinghies to teach practical seamanship, safety, and navigation. Programs include Adult Learn to Sail, Women In the Wind clinics, the three-year Crew to Captain sequence (Year One, Year Two, Year Three), a middle-school STEM Design Build Sail series, and the Tolmas Veteran Sailing course. Curricula cover knots, rigging, small-boat handling, racing fundamentals, and boat maintenance. High school participants earn boating licenses and industry-guided certifications while gaining leadership and STEM skills. Classes emphasize hands-on learning, lake stewardship, and instructor mentorship. Sessions are suitable for beginners through advancing sailors and focus on confidence-building, teamwork, and safe on-water decision-making. Veteran and active military participants can access a free 10-hour Tolmas Veteran Sailing course delivered across five weekend sessions. Community Sailing New Orleans partners with local schools and maritime mentors to create pathways to maritime careers and recreational sailing. Safety protocols, certified instructors, and stable training boats reduce risk and improve learning outcomes. The organization’s programs are practical for students, adult newcomers, and individuals seeking structured training for racing or certification. Featured on The Adventure Collective, Community Sailing New Orleans is recognized for community impact and inclusive programming. For residents and visitors to New Orleans, the organization provides structured, credible sailing instruction and opportunities to explore Lake Pontchartrain with experienced guidance. Registration and schedules are available online, by phone, and email.
Book with Community Sailing New Orleans