CFYC for Youth Sailing

MISSION
To provide a sailing program to introduce and teach water safety, sailing instruction, recreational sailing, and all allied activities, including racing for young people. It will do this with the guidance and support of the US Sailing Association instructional programs and curriculums.

Youth Sailing

A young child wearing a red helmet, glasses, a red life jacket, and an orange long-sleeve shirt, sitting on a blue inflatable, smiling, with colorful bokeh lights in the background.
Several small sailboats with sails numbered 7, 4, 8, and 2, are lined up on a sandy beach next to green grassy dunes. People are preparing the boats, and there are various supplies on the ground. The scene is under a blue sky with a few clouds, and a tree is on the right side of the image.
A group of young people standing in front of an audience in an indoor setting, possibly giving a presentation or speech. There are large display boards with photos behind them, and the audience appears to be mostly children sitting in chairs.

Youth Sailing Camps

In 1996, the Cape Fear Yacht Club established a premier Youth Sailing program.

In collaboration and partnership with the Oak Island Parks and Recreation, the CFYC hosts the annual Summer Youth Sailing Camps.

Celebrating its 30th year, the sailing camp is the only on-the-water program in Brunswick County. In addition to having fun, the focus of this one-week course is learning the fundamentals of sailing, boating safety, proper sailing terminology, rigging, and how to skipper boats around Dutchmans Creek inlet and the Cape Fear River.

The Youth Sailing Camp Program consists of three individual weeks of single sailor Opti class sailboats and three individual weeks of the two sailor 420 class vessels. The 420s are often used in collegiate sailing programs across the country.

Sponsorship and fundraisers are integral to the success of the Youth Sailing camp. The CFYC hosts an annual golf tournament fundraiser to support maintenance of the sailing fleet, compensate instructors, and provide additional amenities for sailors. All proceeds have a direct impact on cost reduction to young sailors across the community who, without the generous contributions of partners and sponsors, would not be able to participate in the Sailing Camps.

Request Info
2026 Registration

Our sail sponsors

  • Two people on a small sailboat with the sail reading 'Oliver's on the Cape Fear,' sailing on a body of water near a shoreline with trees, buildings, and a water tower in the background.
  • Two people sailing on a small sailboat on a body of water with trees and cloudy sky in the background. The sailboat has a large white sail with blue text and symbols, and both individuals are wearing life jackets.
  • A sailboat with two people on board sailing on a body of water, with a background of trees and a cloudy sky.
  • Sailboat with two young sailors in life vests on a river, surrounded by green trees, with a large white sail marked with various logos and text, number 4 on the hull, and a cloudy sky overhead.
  • Sailboats racing on a calm waterway with green trees in the background, crew members wearing life jackets and numbered vests, sunlight reflecting off the water.
  • People sailing on a race boat with sails displaying the names of yacht clubs and sponsors, on a sunny day near a shoreline with colorful buildings.
  • Multiple small sailboats with white sails and blue logos on a calm body of water, with people on board wearing life jackets, and a green treeline with houses in the background under a cloudy sky.
  • Two people sailing a small boat on a body of water near houses and a dock, with its sail displaying the words "Providence" and "Southport, NC," and a lighthouse logo.
  • A sailboat with a large sail featuring blue text on a white background, sailing on a body of water with a green shoreline and trees in the background, under a clear sky.

Youth Sailing Annual Golf Tourney & Prime Rib Dinner

Our annual golf tournament is the primary funding source for the Cape Fear Yacht Club's non-profit summer Youth Sailing program. Famous for the prime rib dinner and yacht club hospitality, this event is not to be missed by area golfers. Always held on Columbus Day, the area provides beautiful weather and the Oak Island Golf Club delivers a wonderful adventure by the sea.

A golfer about to hit a ball on a golf course with multiple golf carts in the background, trees, and a clear blue sky.
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