Sailing away the summer days

By JORDAN DAWSON / Bigfork Eagle

Many people enjoy sailing on Flathead Lake, and for eight weeks every summer kids from around the area meet at North Flathead Yacht Club to learn the ropes, literally.

The group of kids, who can start as young as eight years old, are taught by the club's race steward, Scott Galbraith.

"I like providing the service that I didn't get as a kid, and it's just plain fun," Galbraith said.

There are two classes, one for the beginners and one for the advanced kids. The beginners meet on Tuesdays and every other Friday. The first part of the class is spent on land talking about skills and techniques. Then the class heads to the water in their Optimist sailboats, which are boats designed especially for children and have just one sail, one line, and one daggerboard to keep things simple.

Galbraith loads them into the water, but the kids set up their own boats by putting in the daggerboard, straightening out the lines and making sure everything is properly set up. Then it is out into the open waters-well out into Somers Bay anyway-for some sailing.

"It gives them an opportunity to understand what the big boats do," said Elizabeth Parks, whose eight year-old daughter Erin Parker is in the beginning sailing program. "The biggest thing is confidence. They know they have the ability to control something that is controlled by the wind."

Galbraith cruises around the kids in his motorboat giving them pointers and keeping an eye on them to ensure everyone is being safe. Galbraith also takes the beginners out on the Capri sailboats sometimes to help them get used to different types of boats.

"I've always wanted my son to learn to sail," said Danielle Zanni, whose nine year-old son Joey Zanni has been in beginner class for two years. "In our family anything in the water is a life skill. It's invaluable later in life. It will open up other opportunities later on, and anything you learn when you are young gets imprinted on your brain."

The advanced class takes out the Capri and Lido sailboats with a focus on more advanced skills and being able to sail various types of boats.

All participants must pass a swim test to be part of the program and wear a life jacket at all times on the water.

Regardless of their skill level, the main thing that Galbraith wants to teach the kids is confidence on the boat. They also do some racing and play a few games to ensure that everyone is always having fun.

"It broadens the activities that they do," Galbraith said. "It gets them outside and doing something during the summer. It's a good activity and if they get into it as kids they can do it until the end."