About the Humber Sailing Club
So you have completed your CYA Basic Cruising Standard course or you have some previous sailing experience and would like to enjoy keelboat sailing on Lake Ontario but you don't own a boat - the Humber Sailing Club is the best place for you!
The Humber Sailing Club was established over 20 years ago to provide sailing opportunities to enthusiasts who do not own a boat. The Club provides the boats and we offer extensive sailing on a wide variety of keelboats at a fraction of the cost of boat ownership. With a strong commitment to safety, a positive learning environment supported by year round clinics, racing, and flotillas, and frequent social events, the Club offers a wide range of positive sailing experiences.
This is a year-round club that allows unlimited sailing on our club boats from May 1st to late September and offers related sailing events throughout the winter months. It allows you to enjoy, and improve, your sailing skills while meeting other Club members and, subject to Club policies, you may bring guests with you. There are a large number of optional skills-enhancement clinics scheduled throughout the season.
OUR MEMBERS
The members organize and direct the activities of the Club. There is a member-elected club executive which works closely with the Sailing Centre Director to ensure the smooth running of the Club. All members receive a copy of the Club Handbook, which communicates the operating policies and procedures of the Club, and a Calendar of Events is published detailing all of the Club activities for the season. Members are also kept informed of activities and announcements via the weekly Club Newsletter, by e-mail, and through the Centre and Club web sites. The club web site is maintained as an up-to-date reference source for all the Humber Sailing Club activities.
EDUCATION & MENTORING
One of the Club's most popular programs is our Mentoring program that is intended to help members improve their practical sailing skills and develop themselves to become qualified as skippers of our fleet of boats. We dedicate two evenings a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), placing members with mentors or instructors to practice specific aspects of sailing. Throughout the year we also offer our members a wide range of educational clinics covering topics such as diesel engine maintenance, preparation for chartering, spinnaker flying, and docking clinics to name a few.
RACING
Another popular aspect of the club is our Racing Program. In 2010 we will be racing our fleet on Friday evenings. Participating in our racing activities offers a great opportunity to improve your sailing, and we offer clinics in racing skills and racing strategy. No prior experience is required for you to join in on Friday evenings and it is a great way to meet other Club members. We start at 6:00pm, race until dusk, then wrap-up with a barbeque and post race analysis. Race results are posted weekly and race-offs are held at the end of the season. Everyone gets involved regardless of their level of experience.
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
The Club offers a variety of social activities including both weekend and midweek Flotilla sails to various destinations across the lake, dinner cruises, and various parties througout the season. At the end of the season we have a dinner dance to highlight and celebrate our year of sailing, enjoy our friendships and plan our winter activities. Some members get together to charter sailboats in the Caribbean, and there are sailing seminars and social activities through the fall and winter in our Clubhouse.