The Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club wants local families to know that there are still spaces open in its summer sailing and tennis programs, and that scholarships remain available for local families.

The weekly sessions begin Monday, June 23 and run through the week of Aug. 11 for kids ages 5 and up. Both sailing and tennis are available as morning only, afternoon only, or all day sessions, and both with an option for early drop off or late pickup, to accommodate working parents’ schedules.

New this year are keelboat classes for young folks of all ages. This program is a great starting spot for an older beginner - especially if they are signing up with a friend! Sailing aboard a J/22 or Boothbay Harbor One Design Keelboat with the instructor aboard, these sailors will learn to steer, trim sails, tack, gybe, leave the dock and return. Since an instructor is on board and the platform is more stable than the dinghies, this class can easily be tailored to each student’s current level. This is a great way to gain more experience sailing while also getting a taste of bigger boat sailing and sailing as part of a team.

Sailors as young as five can participate in BHYC’s Mini Mariners, which uses stable keelboats with staff on board to get younger kids comfortable on the water before they move into their own small sailboat. This popular program offers an introduction to sailing that is safe, fun, and supervised.

Scholarships to all of BHYC’s programs are available to families from the Boothbay peninsula, Wiscasset, and the Bristol peninsula and are provided through the generous support of the Junior Program Foundation. The JPF exists to ensure that income is never a barrier to learning to sail. Full and partial scholarships are available to families earning less than $150,000 per year. To learn more or sign up, visit online at https://www.bhyc.net/summer-sailing or call 633-5750.