Our Mission:
"To Provide an Opportunity in Our Community to Learn and Grow Through Sailing"
Let's Build A Strong Future for SGB Sailing School!
Our team at SGB thanks you from the top of our sails! How To Use The Sail Canada Donation Portal: Under "Affiliation", select "My Home Club". Under "I Would Like This Gift to be Directed To" scroll down and select "Sail Georgian Bay Capital Campaign" at the bottom of the drop-down menu. Gifts over $25 will receive a tax receipt issued by Sail Canada. SGB gratefully acknowledges the support of Sail Canada and Ontario Sailing for this important fundraising project. Our safe, happy space for coaches and athletes, known as Rhoda's Boathouse, and all of our fleet, have served our community and hundreds of children over many years. Now; however, there is an urgent need to upgrade our facility and equipment. Your donation will help Sail Georgian Bay continue to provide amazing experiences on and off the water for our community youth and everyone interested in learning how to sail. OUR HEARTFELT THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION! History
It all started with the Georgian Bay Sailing Association in 1995. The organization brought the Ontario Sailing Association BOOM Mobile Learn to Sail program to Meaford, Thornbury, Collingwood, Owen Sound, Midland and Tobermory. It was recognized that a school was needed and would also be a great asset to the community. It would provide an opportunity for a new generation of young people to learn to sail.
In 2001, Sail Georgian Bay was founded with help from the Georgian Bay Sailing Association, Ontario Sailing, community members and a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Many past presidents and members of the Georgian Bay Sailing Association got the school up and running with their hard work and dedication. One of those people was Rhoda Ironside. Rhoda was tenacious and worked tirelessly to grow the school. She loved providing this opportunity for children and teens in the community and cared deeply about the sailing program. Local families, yacht clubs, businesses and service clubs have all contributed to the success of the school over the years. The school started with just eight little Mango Escape sailboats, a coach boat and space at the Meaford Harbour. In 2007, Sail Georgian Bay became incorporated as a not-for-profit sailing school. Rhoda sadly passed away in 2011. However, the school is still going strong and continues to grow and flourish. |
The School Today
Each year during the months of July and August you will see the dinghies out in the Meaford Harbour and the sounds of children having a great deal of fun. Not only are they learning to sail, they are learning the value of teamwork, fair play and hard work to achieve a goal. The school follows the CANSail program, developed by Sail Canada, and currently offers the WetFeet programme for our youngest sailors, aged 7-9; and Level 1/2 for 10 yrs and up; as well as Advanced Level 3/4. SGB also offers Adult Sailing two evenings per week (Tues & Thurs) for two weeks (4 evening lessons total), based on CANSail Level 1/2.
Race Nights: We also have an introduction to racing program that runs one night a week for students who want to try competing in a fun and supportive environment. Young sailors learn the rules of a regatta and enjoy some friendly competition with their sailing friends! CANSail programming means lots of time on the water in a safe, fun and active learning environment with CANSail certified instructors delivering a standardized curriculum. Sailors learn new sailing skills and have fun and challenging experiences suited to their age and level of skill. The programming is designed to get - and keep - sailors excited about sailing for life! 
Employment & VolunteeringThe school provides summer employment for students who have obtained the necessary credentials from Sail Canada. Most of our instructors have gone through the school themselves and return as instructors who are passionate about sharing sailing with new students. We also have a junior instructor program whereby students who are considering becoming instructors themselves can volunteer their time at the school and work directly with a certified instructor to obtain experience and also to decide if they would like to pursue their instructor status. Our instructors have to continually upgrade their skills through courses at Ontario Sailing in order to remain certified, giving us a very highly qualified staff.
The school also provides great opportunities for anyone interested in volunteering and we have been blessed with the best! These wonderful people, both children and adults, help to set up the boats and docks in June and clean, varnish and repair equipment and take inventory before taking everything to storage at the end of August. Volunteers run our annual regatta, supervise children, distribute information, write news releases, help raise money, help with registration, bookkeeping and anything else that needs doing. There is never a shortage of work to be done but it is happy work and the smiles at the end of the day make it more than worthwhile. Click Here to Return: Home |
How To Get Involved
Visit other pages on our website for more information about the school and to register students for the summer season.
Class sizes are limited so register early to avoid disappointment. If you have any questions please reach out with an email to: [email protected], and we will be happy to help.
Sail Georgian Bay - Get out on the water - Make some memories with us!
Class sizes are limited so register early to avoid disappointment. If you have any questions please reach out with an email to: [email protected], and we will be happy to help.
Sail Georgian Bay - Get out on the water - Make some memories with us!