About
Nagawicka Sailing School offers sailing classes that include parent & child sailing, competitive Opti team racing, Teen 420 sailing classes, and adult sailing classes. The program includes racing experiences such as regattas, a club race series, a Learn-to-Race class for Nagawicka Lake Yacht Club members and crew, and a Rules and Flag Session. It also offers a WOWWW (Women on Water with Wine) sailing class and supports high school sailing competition.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Adult classes meet on either Monday or Wednesday evenings from 6–8:30pm; WOWWW (Women on Water with Wine) is a 1-day class.
Nagawicka Sailing School is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to teaching children and adults lifelong skills of sailing, good sportsmanship, teamwork, and camaraderie. The youth coaches are US Sailing Level One Certified and are active members of the racing community, and all classes are coached by sailors who have extensive sailing experience. The program is led by Sailing School Director Jana Petersen-Pingel and Adult Coach and Nagawicka Sailing School president Sharon Kraklow, with Jana serving as VP for the newly formed school. Nagawicka Sailing School was founded in 2023 as a 501(c)(3), and Sharon has taught the adult classes since 2005.
Nagawicka Sailing School is part of the Nagawicka Lake Yacht Club, which has a social calendar with events geared towards families and some events for adults only. The school highly encourages membership to the yacht club for the full sailing and socializing experience, and the sailing school program is run by volunteers. Donations support the school in offering its education and in remaining one of the top programs in the community, and the program invites people to attend fundraisers throughout the summer. The junior sailing program feeds into adult sailing when the children age out at 16 in the calendar year, and the school supports local high school sailing.
The program uses Optimist (Opti) boats, which are small boats with one sail intended for one child, or two if very young, and are sailed around the world. It also uses the X boat, which is unique to the Midwest and sailed on inland lakes in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa, and the 420 boat in Teen 420 classes, which is the same type used for college racing, is made for two sailors, and is 16 feet long. There is a parent & child class for ages 5–9 as a gentle introduction to sailing, and Nagawicka Sailing School offers classes for ages 6 through adult at the beginner level and for those who want to improve skills up to the advanced racer level. WOWWW (Women on Water with Wine) is for women by women and is described as laid back, fun, and designed to spend time on the water.
Last updated February 28, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Adult classes meet on either Monday or Wednesday evenings from 6–8:30pm; WOWWW (Women on Water with Wine) is a 1-day class.
Nagawicka Sailing School is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to teaching children and adults lifelong skills of sailing, good sportsmanship, teamwork, and camaraderie. The youth coaches are US Sailing Level One Certified and are active members of the racing community, and all classes are coached by sailors who have extensive sailing experience. The program is led by Sailing School Director Jana Petersen-Pingel and Adult Coach and Nagawicka Sailing School president Sharon Kraklow, with Jana serving as VP for the newly formed school. Nagawicka Sailing School was founded in 2023 as a 501(c)(3), and Sharon has taught the adult classes since 2005.
Nagawicka Sailing School is part of the Nagawicka Lake Yacht Club, which has a social calendar with events geared towards families and some events for adults only. The school highly encourages membership to the yacht club for the full sailing and socializing experience, and the sailing school program is run by volunteers. Donations support the school in offering its education and in remaining one of the top programs in the community, and the program invites people to attend fundraisers throughout the summer. The junior sailing program feeds into adult sailing when the children age out at 16 in the calendar year, and the school supports local high school sailing.
The program uses Optimist (Opti) boats, which are small boats with one sail intended for one child, or two if very young, and are sailed around the world. It also uses the X boat, which is unique to the Midwest and sailed on inland lakes in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa, and the 420 boat in Teen 420 classes, which is the same type used for college racing, is made for two sailors, and is 16 feet long. There is a parent & child class for ages 5–9 as a gentle introduction to sailing, and Nagawicka Sailing School offers classes for ages 6 through adult at the beginner level and for those who want to improve skills up to the advanced racer level. WOWWW (Women on Water with Wine) is for women by women and is described as laid back, fun, and designed to spend time on the water.
Last updated February 28, 2026.
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