Dedicated to making the sport of sailing accessible to all New Orleanians, the Community Sailing New Orleans team supports a number of programs to help people of all ages and abilities get out on the water. The team focuses primarily on using sailing as an educational platform. They offer general learn-to-sail courses for adults, a female-focused sailing course (Women in the Wind), and programs designed specifically for veterans. Private sailing lessons are available as well.
Their fleet includes everything from two-person dinghies to Capri 26s and Freedom Independence 20s. They are all well-suited as vessels for those who are learning to sail, and the Freedom Independence 20s also offer accessible equipment for people with disabilities. In fact, these keelboats are designed for accessibility, purpose-built for wheelchair users and other adaptive needs.
The Community Sailing New Orleans’ Director of Development and Communications, Lynn Spearman, spoke with Avenue about the team’s innovative approach to increase sailing’s accessibility. Given her background in the communication and development department at Audubon Schools, Spearman was a natural choice for the role. Although sailing is new to her, she enjoys the water and helping others find joy on the lake as well.
Sailing Youth Programs
Introducing young people to the sport of sailing is one of the organization’s biggest goals, and they are looking to expand their two youth programs. First, the STEM Design + Build + Sail program is free for middle-schoolers, and it aligns with state educational standards. Students study concepts relating to geometry, buoyancy, and the wind all while learning to sail throughout the semester. The program takes real-life sailing skills and ties them back to classroom concepts. They even build model boats to race on the lake, further reinforcing these skills.
Meanwhile, the Crew to Captain Maritime Career Development Program for high schoolers teaches students how to sail on a variety of vessels. They earn multiple certifications over three years, which allows them to pursue a variety of careers. Sailing instructors, members of the Coast Guard, and marine engineers all benefit from these types of certifications, so those who complete the program have a solid entry point for many jobs in the maritime industry.
Adaptive Sailing Opportunities
In addition, Community Sailing New Orleans’ adaptive programs provide opportunities for people with physical or mental impairments to enjoy sailing as well. Spearman noted that this is a well-loved, popular program, and the team is consistently overwhelmed with the demand for these opportunities. Both individuals and groups are welcome to join in for a safe, joyful introduction to the sport of sailing.
Successes
For a program that began serving the community during the pandemic, Community Sailing New Orleans has found tremendous success within five years. They have not only served about 1,200 individuals, but they have also built a state-of-the-art sailing center that is now their home.
The team just completed work on the new building and acquired many new boats within the same year, so they are excited to share all these resources with the community.
Future Plans
Now in their fifth year of operations, the Community Sailing New Orleans team is responding to the great demand for their programs. In fact, they are already looking to expand more, with plans to extend the STEM program through second grade. In addition, they want to expand the Captain program to vulnerable populations and people looking for new careers, because the certifications can open a lot of doors.
Spearman invites anyone interested to check out the team and their many programs. “We are everyone’s connection to the water, and we want people to experience that,” said Spearman. Because the programs are primarily free, there is a low barrier to entry.
Get Involved
Donations are crucial to keeping the organization’s many programs afloat. Everyone is welcome to visit the facility – even those who do not care to get in the water. Plus, the facility itself can be rented out for birthday parties and more events.
The team also needs more people who are interested in helping them with instruction, as this is their biggest capacity issue. Lastly, anyone who has enjoyed watching the boats on Lake Pontchartrain and considered giving sailing a try is more than welcome to contact the team and start learning to sail.
Community Sailing New Orleans
101 N Roadway St, New Orleans, LA 70124
nolacommunitysailing.org
info@nolacommunitysailing.org
