Gulfport Youth Sailing Inc

GULFPORT YOUTH SAILING INC. IS THE SPONSOR OF THE GULFPORT SEA SCOUTS AND THE SUMMER GULFPORT YOUTH SAILING PROGRAM TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE HOW TO SAIL. THE HIGH SCHOOL SEA SCOUTS TAUGHT 46 LOCAL YOUTH HOW TO SAIL IN THE SUMMER OF 2021. THE SCOUT GROUP TOOK 4 LONG SAILING CRUISES ABOARD THEIR 30 AND 36 FT. YACHTS. TO WORK AROUND THE PREVALENCE OF COVID-19 AND CRUISE IN CLOSE QUARTERS EACH SCOUT HAD TO WEAR A MASK FOR 7 DAYS AND TEST NEGATIVE NO LONGER THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE OF THE VESSEL. CRUISING ON LARGE SAILBOATS WITH A CREW OF SIX POLISHES THE SKILL OF LEADERSHIP WITH THE TEENS. ON A ROTATING WATCH SCHEDULE ONE OF THE CREW MUST ASSUME THE ROLE OF VESSEL COMMANDER TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE VESSEL ON A COURSE OVER THE HORIZON. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THEY ACTIVELY RACED THEIR 16 FT. SMALLER VESSELS AND IMPROVED THEIR SKILLS CAPTURING WIND TO DRIVE THESE BOATS ACROSS A RACE COURSE. THIS DOES TEACH ONE PERSON IN THE BOAT (THE PILOT) TO LEAD THE CREW OF TWO IN THE TEAM ACTIVITY OF SAILING EFFICIENTLY. THE LACK OF FREQUENT SOCIALIZATION DID AFFECT TOTAL MEMBERSHIP AND THE GROUP WILL HAVE TO MOUNT A MEMBERSHIP DRIVE IN 2022. THEY ACCEPTED THE DONATION OF A 27 FT. CATALINA CRUISING BOAT WHICH THEY BROUGHT UP TO MARINE STANDARDS AND SOLD FOR $5,000.