S.A.I.L. Sailing Adventures Inspiring Leaders

S.A.I.L. (Big Bear Lake)
There are very few leadership experiences that match being at the helm of a sailboat directing the actions of four others on board.  That's why we've introduced S.A.I.L. (Sailing Adventures Inspiring Leaders).  S.A.I.L. is an older camper (high school aged) group challenge and individual leadership "camp-within-a-camp".

S.A.I.L. teaches participants leadership, the importance of teamwork and and mentadetermination through a physically lly demanding week of sailing.  S.A.I.L helps build communication, decision-making, and planning skills while improving a participants sailing and aquatic skills.  Through their developed teamwork skills, open-mindedness in their own abilities, and eagerness to take initiative with the direction of their own lives and the lives of those surrounding them, participants will return to their communities as stronger leaders ready to overcome a multitude of obstacles.

Afternoons are devoted to sailing on Big Bear Lake. Each camper (Sailor) plays a vital role as part crew of four sailors and one Skipper (a well trained UCLA UniCamp Sailing Instructor/Counselor).  To ensure a personalized experience, our sailing camp students are placed into groups of no more than 4 per instructor.  Each group sets sail on their own 22-foot sailboat with a qualified instructor on board at all times.  The 22-foot Pearson Ensigns sailboats are "sloop rigged" keelboats that have been chosen because they are safe, stable, and they don't tip over!

We have four 22' full keel Pearson Ensigns, www.ensignclass.com that each crew sail.  The Ensign sailboat is the largest class of full keel boats in North America. It was designed by Carl Alberg and built by Pearson Yachts of Portsmouth, Rhode Island who manufactured nearly 1800 boats from 1962 through 1983.

This a week long program in which participants spend the night at our Classic UniCamp site and are then driven to Big Bear Marina Monday through Friday.  While much of the first couple days are spent at the lake learning the basics of sailing so that participants have enough knowledge and first hand experience to crew their boat safely, other mornings are spent on the challenge courses and climbing wall.  Working together as crews on the Team Challenge Course will build the trust and working relationships the crews will need on board their Ensign.

Our sailing camp includes dock side and on the water instruction.  Your camper will learn basic sailing techniques, nautical terminology, crew emergency procedures, basic knots, and rules of the lake.  With each member of the crew rotating through handling the jib and main halyard sheets, as spotter, and at the helm...each and everyone needs to know that every crew member is a leader.  To add a little variety, we also include sailing games and other fun activities such as our ceremonial Friday Sailing Regatta (Race).