What should my child bring?

Bring closed-toe shoes (required), a hat, sunscreen, and a refillable water bottle; life jackets (PFDs) are provided.

Can parents participate in the boats?

No. Parents are welcome to observe from the beach but may not join instructional boats.

Yes. Each participant receives a boxed lunch from Millie’s and a complimentary T-shirt after the session.

Are language options available?

Spanish and Portuguese instruction preferences are available by request during registration.

What happens in bad weather?

Programs may be postponed or canceled for unsafe conditions; registrants will be notified and offered alternatives when possible.

Free Fourth-Grade Sailing at Nantucket’s Jetties Sailing Center

Q: Who can sign up for the program?

The program is open only to incoming Nantucket resident fourth graders (third grade graduates). Registration is required.

On a bright island morning at Nantucket’s Jetties Beach, the Jetties Sailing Center runs a cheerful, free program that introduces incoming fourth graders to small-boat sailing. Located on the eastern shore near the Whaling Museum pickup at Broad Street, this two-hour session combines hands-on instruction, safe on-water time with an instructor in every boat, and a boxed lunch from Millie’s. The setting is classic Nantucket: a low dune-backed barrier beach with wind-scoured sand, bay water that ripples under steady harbor breezes, and the sweep of sail rigs cutting along the horizon.

The program is offered to incoming Nantucket resident fourth graders (third grade graduates) on select summer Saturdays and begins with a 10:00 a.m. WAVE shuttle from Broad Street/Whaling Museum to the Jetties launch. At the sailing center staff fit each child with a life jacket and review safety procedures; parents are welcome to observe from the beach but are not permitted in the instructional boats. Sailing instruction starts at 10:15 a.m., with an instructor in every boat guiding learners through basic points of sail, steering, and teamwork. After the on-water session participants are served a boxed lunch and receive a complimentary T-shirt before the WAVE returns them to town around 12:15 p.m.

What sets this offering apart is its focus on access and community: it’s free for eligible local sailors, staffed by experienced instructors who prioritize safety and confidence, and run from a compact maritime campus that sits just over the dune where the island’s coastal processes shape a classic barrier-beach profile. That proximity to town—Broad Street, the Whaling Museum, and the WAVE shuttle—makes the program easy to reach for families without a car.

Practical notes: closed-toe shoes are required; life jackets are provided and must be worn. Spanish and Portuguese language options are available during registration. The program does not include swimming and enforces a strict no-swimming policy during sessions. Dates typically run on Saturdays in summer; registration is required and open only to incoming Nantucket resident fourth graders.

Registration is required and limited to Nantucket resident fourth graders; sessions include June 27, July 11, July 25, and August 1. Check-in happens at the Jetties Sailing Center on arrival where staff fit PFDs and review rules. Families should plan to catch the 10:00 a.m. WAVE shuttle from Broad Street/Whaling Museum or drop their child at the site. Closed-toe shoes, curiosity, and patience are simply all you need.