Junior Sailing Schools Around Lake Michigan
While sailing is for everyone, sailing is one of the best sports for children.  It builds confidence and it allows youth to show off a skill to their parents they learned on their own.
All youth are required to wear life jackets full time around the water for safety.  Small boats are provided.  Your child needs minimal gear – hat, sunscreen, gloves, life jacket, and a windbreaker.  They'll take turns being in command of their own sailboat.
Be confident you don't have to go far to find a sailing school for your children.  Beware:  programs fill quickly!  While our programs are continuing to add capacity, more and more kids are signing up. 
These "day camp" like programs based on the water are affordable.  We continue our campaign to let people know that sailing is accessible to and affordable for all.  Check out these programs in the Lake Michigan area and join in the fun! 

Kudos to Glenn McCarthy who created v.1 of Learn to Sail in 2014 in his blog on Chicago Now:  Junior Sailing Schools.

Key:  ASA:  American Sailing Association; USCG:  United States Coast Guard; USN:  United States Navy; USSA:  United States Sailing Association
Illinois
City	School (clicable link)	First Sail	Youth Lessons	Race Team	REACH Certified	Private Lessons	Certified By	Timeshare	Rentals	Charters	Adaptive
Arlington Heights	Arlington Heights Park District		√
Chicago	Burnham Park Yacht Club		√				USSA
Chicago	Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club		√				USSA
Chicago	Chicago Park District		√				USSA
Chicago	Chicago Yacht Club		√	√		√	USSA
Chicago	Columbia Sailing School		√	√		√	USSA
Chicago	Jackson Park Yacht Club Foundation		√				USSA
Evanston	Northwestern University Sailing Center		√							√
Glencoe	Glencoe Sailing Camp		√			√	USSA			√
Johnsburg	Community Sailing School @ Pistakee		√				USSA
Kenilworth	Kenilworth Sailing Club		√			√
Lake Bluff	Lake Bluff Park District		√
Lake Forest	Lake Forest Sailing		√	√			USSA
Peoria	Illinois Valley Yacht and Canoe Club		√
Springfield	Island Bay Yacht Club		√				USSA		√
Waukegan	Waukegan Yacht Club Youth Foundation		√				USSA
Weldon	Clinton Lake Sailing Association		√				USSA
Wilmette	Sheridan Shore Sailing School		√	√		√	USSA
Wilmette	Wilmette Park District-Gillson Sailing		√			√				√
Winnetka	Winnetka Park District		√				USSA
Indiana
City	School (clickable link)	First Sail	Youth Lessons	Race Team	REACH Certified	Private Lessons	Certified By	Timeshare	Rentals	Charters	Adaptive
Bloomington	Lake Monroe Sailing Association		√
Culver	Maxinkuckee Adventure Sailing		√	√			USSA
Hammond	Hammond Marina		√
Highland	Indiana Sailing Association		√
Indianapolis	Indianapolis Sailing Club		√
Michigan City	South Shore Sailing Schooll		√				USSA
West Lafayette	Lafayette Sailing Club		√
Michigan
City	School (clickable link)	First Sail	Youth Lessons	Race Team	REACH Certified	Private Lessons	Certified By	Timeshare	Rentals	Charters	Adaptive
Bay Harbor	Bay Harbor Yacht Club		√			√
Bay View	Bay View Association		√			√	USSA		√
Cassopolis	Diamond Lake Yacht Club		√			√
Charlevoix	Sail Charlevoix		√	√			USSA		√
Crooked Lake	Crooked Lake Sailors		√			√
Edwardsburg	Eagle Lake Sailing Club		√				USSA
Frankfort	Crystal Lake Sailing School		√				USSA
Glen Arbor	Glen Lake Yacht Club		√
Grand Rapids	Grand Rapids Junior Sailing Association		√	√
Harbor Springs	Little Traverse Sailors		√	√			USSA
Ludington	Ludington Youth Sailing School		√				USSA
Macatawa	MBJA Sailing School		√	√			USSA
Muskegon	MYC Sailing School		√	√			USSA
Northport	Northport Youth Sailing School		√				USSA
Onekama	Portage Lake Yacht Club		√
Pentwater	Pentwater Junior Sailing		√			√	ASA
Petoskey	Walloon Sailors		√			√	USSA
Richland	Gull Lake Country Club-Yacht Club		√			√
Saint Joseph	Saint Joseph Junior Foundation		√	√			USSA
Saugatuck	Saugatuck Yacht Club Sailing Program		√			√
South Haven	South Haven Yacht Club		√
Spring Lake	Spring Lake Junior Sailing Association		√	√			USSA
Whitehall	White Lake Yacht Club		√	√		√
Wisconsin
City	School (clickable link)	First Sail	Youth Lessons	Race Team	REACH Certified	Private Lessons	Certified By	Timeshare	Rentals	Charters	Adaptive
Ephraim	Ephraim Yacht Club		√	√			USSA
Green Bay	Green Bay Sail and Paddle		√			√	USSA		√
Kenosha	Kenosha Community Sailing Center		√				USSA
Kenosha	KYCF Sailing School		√
Maidson	Hoofer Sailing Club		√				ASA
Madison	Madison Youth Sailing Foundation		√	√			USSA
Milwaukee	Milwaukee Community Sailing Center		√				USSA
Milwaukee	Milwaukee Yacht Club		√				USSA
Milwaukee	SSYC Juniors		√				USSA
Neenah	Fox Valley Sailing School		√				USSA
Racine	RYCYF Sailing School		√	√			USSA
Sheboygan	Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan		√				USSA
Sheboygan	Sheboygan Youth Sailing Center		√	√			USSA
South Milwaukee	South Milwaukee Yacht Club		√
Sturgeon Bay	Sail Training Foundation		√				USSA
Updated 3/12/2023