Sail Salem Youth Sailing Programs

Sail Salem Youth Sailing Programs offers summer sailing camps and sailing lessons that include educational programs for children. The program also runs Adult Learn-to-Sail programs using 23-foot Sonar keelboats, as well as Tuesday evening sailing programs for adults. Participants can experience activities such as fishing, traveling along a coast with a crew, and opportunities for racing sailboats.

• Schedule: Summer sailing camps and other sailing programs are offered; specific session lengths and times vary by program.
• Price: Scholarships and financial aid are available for Sail Salem programs.

Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Sail Salem is a community sailing program that focuses on fun, safe and accessible sailing and has introduced the sport of sailing to thousands of children from Salem and its surrounding North Shore towns. Its mission includes educational programs for children and a focus on leadership, empowerment, and respect for the environment through sailing. The program teaches teamwork by having participants work with a crew through varying wind and environmental conditions and introduces them to the world of being on a boat, fishing, or traveling along a coast with a crew of many personalities.

The youth sailing programs are supported, in part, by generous donations, by the Sail Salem Pursuit Regatta sponsored by the Boston Yacht Club, and by the Snowflake Regatta, a fun ski race for sailors and powerboaters. Sail Salem also runs events such as the Sail Salem Pursuit Regatta, the Snowflake Regatta, and the Snowflake Ski Race. Leadership for the program has included Keegan Whitehair, former Director of Sail Salem.

Parent feedback includes comments that Sail Salem is a favorite camp for returning children, that beginners camp has been described as well liked and affordable, and that visiting families have found the program well organized, safe, and fun, with instructors described as doing a superb job.

Last updated January 27, 2026.