PYC JUNIOR SAILING: BUILDING THE FUTURE
PYC Junior Sailing, now a 501c3 non-profit corporation, has a rich history with decades of dedication to inspiring a love of sailing in our most important generation….the next one.
In the past three seasons, our program has been creatively reimagined, reinvigorated, and we could not be more excited about the future. Starting with a capital investment in 2023, which massively upgraded the junior fleet, we then made a commitment to attracting the best coaching talent possible. This was a worthwhile challenge, and we were able to hire passionate coaches not only from New England, but from around the world. The results speak for themselves. Here are just a few milestones:
- Proper equipment for sailors and coaches alike
- World-class coaches who bring a national and even global sailing experience/expertise
- Full/near full enrollment in Basic Youth Sailing novice classes
- New digitized and mission-oriented curricula for all youth sailing classes
- More participation/engagement in our non-race Adventure sailing program
- In 2023, PYC did not have an Optimist Race Team. In 2025, PYC’s 9-person Optimist team took seven of the top ten positions (including 1st) at the Maine State Optimist Championship.
- After over a decade of distant finishes, PYC 420 Race Team has won the Maine State 420 Championship the last 2 summers in a row, and has developed a full, talented roster for 2026.
- Introduction of a basic foiling program, including WASZP and Ifly-15 instruction
- Development of high school/collegiate-style sail training with a fleet of 12 Flying Junior sailboats
This has not been easy, but it has been very worthwhile. Simply put, we are only just beginning, and we have so much more to accomplish. Below are a few campaigns that we believe will help us continue on our path toward becoming a world-class junior sailing program.
With the formation of our non-profit organization, we now exist and thrive on donations and contributions from our generous benefactors, so we ask that you join hands with us! For more information, naming opportunities, and more, please contact the PYCJS Board: junior.director@pycme.net
CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS
Right now, here are campaigns we are working to fulfil:
- FLYING JUNIOR FLEET REPAIR/UPGRADE $20,000
FJ’s are the default sailboat for high school and college sailing. They are very tactical, maneuverable, and are used especially for team racing, which is a very important part of institutional sailing. Furthermore, these boats are perfect for basic sail training. The fleet was donated to the Club, and the boats need various fiberglass repairs to make them all up-to-speed. PYC has already invested in new sails for this fleet, and we hope to engage adult members in team racing with this fleet of boats!! - PYC VISITING COACH VEHICLE $10,000
Along with housing, our visiting coaches need a vehicle to get to PYC, and for all sorts of normal-life errands. We seek to purchase and insure a used, practical vehicle for summer coach use. - 2026 PYC JUNIOR SAILING SCHOLARSHIPS $5,000
We are committed to offering sailing lessons at all levels to those who want to learn, and the ability to offer scholarships and grants is a key part of our mission. - FLOATING DOCK PROJECT $50,000
This project would inject an incredible amount of functionality and sailing-time-on-the-water boost. The idea is to be able to store some of our junior sailboats on a floating, mobile dock, so that the kids would not have to make the arduous, time-consuming trek up and down the ramp, along with the sail out of the mooring field. - PERMANENT VISITING COACH HOUSING $1,000,000
A great youth sailing program is a direct reflection of the talent of its coaching staff. The challenge is that attracting and retaining top-level sailing coaches for summer youth programs has never been more competitive. Economic and demographic changes over time have made it much more difficult to find qualified, local applicants, and in fact it has become more challenging simply to find US citizens to fill the roles we seek. One hiring difference-maker is the ability to offer housing for our coaches. Every year, PYC gets coaching applications from highly qualified adults who need housing. Our ideal world would include owning a property that could house the next generation of world-class coaches. - I420 PURCHASE $15,000
The International 420 is a much higher-performing version of the 420 sailboat, and the club now owns 3. The i420 is the boat used in the US Youth Championship, and globally, it is the only 420 that is sailed. We feel that the i420 provides superior performance, Olympic-Race-Training type sailing.
There are 3 simple and easy ways to support us with a direct cash donation:
- CREDIT CARD PAYMENT: Click
to make a contribution by credit card. - MAIL A CHECK: Please feel free to mail a check to PYC Junior Sailing / 40 Old Powerhouse Rd. / Falmouth, ME 04105
- BANK TRANSFER: Zelle Bank Transfer (if your bank has this service). For Zelle, send payment to: manager@pycme.net
New to Zelle? Use this link to learn more about this easy, free, payment option.
There are other ways to contribute:
BOAT DONATIONS We also accept donations of watercraft and sailing-related gear/items! For more information, please contact Sailing Director Tom Sitzmann (junior.director@pycme.net). Check out our current list of Boats For Sale!
