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Sailing Academy

For more than 50 years, The Key Biscayne Yacht Club’s youth sailing program has been dedicated to coaching and empowering the next generation of competitors and sailing enthusiasts. We offer a spectrum of individual and team training programs for kids from grade school through high school. We are proud of our "alumni" who have gone on to compete and win at national, international, and Olympic levels. 

Obituary, in Memoriam of Kevin Burnham,

Honorary KBYC Member, Three-time Olympic Sailor, and two-time Olympic Medalist for Team USA.

Registration for 2023 Spring Sailing is now open

  Register Now
 

Below are the programs we offer for Members and Non-Members

Our Hobie Explorers class is an introductory program for the little ones into the sport of sailing.  We have a dedicated instructor that will teach the sailors the basic concepts of sailing, navigation terms, and proper seamanship.  Class is limited to 20 sailors.  Sailors are required to bring their own life jacket to wear at all times during the class and will be sailing as a group with their instructor in the proximity of the yacht club in our ‘Hobie Wave’ club boats. Note: The Hobie Explorers program requires a minimum of 5 sailors.

Coach: Millie McCormick

Dates:   This program runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 6 consecutive weeks.

Hobie Explorers Session 1 / Jan 17 - Feb 23

Hobie Explorers Session 2 / Feb 28 - Apr 6

Time:    3:30 p – 6:00 p

Price:    Member $300

Non-Member $375

If your sailor loves to spend the day out on the water and would like to learn how to sail, this is the right program for him/her.  Our optimist Learn-to-Sail is specifically for those sailors that have none to some previous sailing experience (summer camp participants) and would like to learn more about the sport of sailing.  Sailors MUST bring their own life jacket and sailing attire. 

Having your own boat/opti is not a requirement; a club boat will be assigned to each sailor at no additional cost.

Coaches:  Ella Allocco 

Sundays LTS OPTI (Friday & Sunday)

Dates:   Jan 20 - Apr 30

Time: Friday 4:00 p - 6:30 p, Sunday 10 a - 3:30 p

Price:    Member $800 

Non-Member $1,000

Note:  If you are still not sure about commiting for a full season but would like to give your kid an opportunity to try it out (4 weeks) please contact Juan at juan@kbyc.org

We are super excited to introduce this new adult program to offer the opportunity to learn how to sail on a Hobie Wave!  To join this program and learn this life skill you are not required to have any previous sailing experience, and there is no age limitation. You just need to know how to swim, wear a lifejacket at all times when out on the water, and be prepared to be amazed by what Biscayne Bay waters has to offer.

This is a 6 week program that runs on either Wednesday morning, Thursday Morning, or Friday Afternoon class.  We have limited the number of participants to 10 per class.

Hobie Adult Morning Class (Thursday) 

Coach: Roberto Porter

Dates: Feb 23rd - Mar 30th

Time: 10 a - 1 p

Price:  Member $300

Non-member $375

Racing Programs

  ILCA Calendar Opti Calendar

A step up from our Opti Learn-to-Sail program.  Our Lime-Green Fleet program has been designed for summer campers and sailors with previous experience and would like to pursue sailing as their year round sport.  This program’s curriculum teach LTS Opti graduates all the different components of sailboat racing. During the season we encourage all our team sailors to travel to some of the local supported regattas.  To check out our fall sailing practice/regatta calendar click here.  Sailors are not required to have their own boat; a club boat will be assigned to each sailor at no additional cost for the 1st season (Sept-May).  For more information please email Juan Carlos at juan@kbyc.org 

Coach: Marina Geilen

Dates:   Jan 14 - Apr 29 

Time:    Fridays 3:30 p - 6:00 p & Saturdays 10:00 a - 3:30 p

Price:    Member $800

Non-Member $1,000

Our Green Fleet program has been designed as an introduction to racing platform to teach our new sailors the different components of sailboat racing.  Sailors with little experience can join this program and learn from one of the best opti coaches in South Florida.  Sailors are not required to have their own boat; a club boat will be assigned to each sailor for their first fall, or spring sailing season at no additional cost.

Coach: Hernan Peralta

Dates:   Jan 14 - Apr 30

Time:    Wednesdays 3:30 p - 6:00 p & Weekends 10:00 a - 3:30 p

Price:    Member $1,100

Non-Member $1,400

Our Optimist Racing Team is continuing to build strong and recruiting sailors from all over the country that join us for our regular scheduled practices and regattas.  We count with world known US Optimist National Team Coaches which makes our racing programs one of the best in the area. 

Sailors MUST have their own boat.

Coach: Edgar Diminich & Javier “ Foco” Figueroa 

Dates:   Jan 14 - Apr 30 

Time:    Wednesdays 3:30 p - 6:00 p & Weekends 9:30 a - 4:00 p

Price:   Member $1,800

Non-Member $2,250

 

Spring  Season Regattas

  • Optimist Team Race Midwinters (Sarasota, FL. January 14-16) *UNSUPPORTED

  • Buccaneer Blast Regatta (Key Largo, FL. February 4-5)

  • Valentine’s Day Regatta/TTQ (St. Pete, FL. February 11-12)

  • Sunshine State Championship/TTQ (Jensen Beach, FL. March 11-12)

  • Miami Sailing Week (Miami, FL. March 18-19)

  • Optimist Team Trials (St. Pete, FL. April 29-May 7) *UNSUPPORTED

This program has been created, offered to sailors that would like to participate in our Optimist program but can’t commit to a full season and would like to join us for some scheduled  practices, or events.  Having your own boat is required, however the club can charter you a boat for a daily charter fee.  Please email Sailing Director, Juan Carlos, at juan@kbyc.org to secure a boat.

Coaches:    Edgar Diminich & Javier “ Foco” Figueroa 

Dates:         Jan 14 - Apr 30 

Time:          Wednesdays & Fridays 3:30 p - 6:00 p & Weekends 9:30 a - 4:00 p 

Club Opti Charter Pricing:      $500 (season); $50 - $70 p/day (priority for KBYC members)

Coaching/Practice Fee:           Member $90 p/day    Non-member $125 p/day (Wednesday at Half Rate)

Boat Storage Monthly Fee:     Member $35       Non-member $50

In addition to the daily coaching fee, a regatta fee to cover non-local events coaches’ travel expenses will be assessed and prorated among the participants. 

Price:        $50 Non- Member Registration Fee

We are really excited to offer this program to our sailing community!  The laser program requires sailors with previous sailing experience.  This program will have a dedicated and experienced coach(es) running sailing practices on the weekends for all 4.7, radial, and standard fleet sailors.  Having your own boat is required however the club can charter you a boat for the season based on availability (limited to 1 season).

The season fee includes supported events in our Laser Regatta Calendar. for those that will join our program on a daily basis we will have in addition to the daily coaching fee a regatta expenses fee to cover the coach travel expenses among the participants.

Coach:  Roberto Porter / Agustin Vidal

Dates:   Jan 14 - Apr 30 

Time:    Saturday & Sunday 10:00 a – 4:00 p 

Price:   Member Full Season $1,600

             Non-Member Full Season $2,100

Spring  Season Regattas

  • LOCR (Fort Lauderdale, FL. January 14-16) 

  • COCR (Clearwater, FL. February 2-5)

  • MidsEast (Clearwater, FL. February 16-19)

  • Miami Sailing Week (Miami, FL. March 18-19

This program has been created, offered to sailors that would like to participate in our Laser program but can’t commit to a full season and would like to join us for some scheduled  practices, or events.  Having your own boat is required, however the club can charter you a boat for the season based on availability (limited to 1 season).  Please email coach Roberto at roberto@kbyc.org to secure a boat.

Coach:  Roberto Porter

Dates:  Jan 14 - Apr 30 

Time:    Saturday & Sunday 10:00 a – 4:00 p 

Coaching/Practice Fee:          Member $90 p/day      Non-member $125 p/day

Boat Storage Monthly Fee:    Member $35       Non-member $50

In addition to the daily coaching fee, a regatta fee to cover all event coaches’ travel expenses will be prorated among the participants.

Non- Member Registration Fee: $50

NOTE: For those sailors interested in joining any of our sailing programs in the middle of the season we will prorate the ‘season fee’ accordingly. If you have any questions about our program please don’t hesitate to contact Juan Carlos Romero, KBY Sailing Director, via email at juan@kbyc.org