Head Instructor for Youth Sailing - Lake Ontario

Job Posted 2/3/2025
Oak Orchard Yacht Club
1103 Archbald Road
Waterport, NY 14571
United States
Summer Only
Summer Only
Experience Required
Housing Provided
No
Industry
Instructor
Job Start Date
5/15/2025
Job End Date
8/10/2025
Pay
$20.00 to $25.00 Per Hour
Job Description

Head Instructor – Job Description

Overview: Oak Orchard Yacht Club is a smaller, friendly club for all boaters, located on Oak Orchard Creek/Lake Ontario in Waterport, NY. We have Youth Sailing and Adult Instructional Programs and are seeking a Head Instructor that would lead both programs. Our youth sailing program is a cornerstone of the yacht club, fostering the love of watersports in local youth and families. We have two (two-week) sessions per summer, typically starting in early July. The maximum students in each session is 20. We utilize Optis, 420s and Hunters, and at the end of last season we purchased 2 Lasers that will be available this summer. Our program would like to explore more local opportunities for inter-club regattas or programs that interested sailors can attend. The Adult Instructional program is more flexible, with dates, times and content structured around the availability of staff and interest/experience of students. Adult instruction starts earlier in the year than youth, in June.

We are seeking a Head Instructor for the 2025 season, details as follows.

Location: Oak Orchard Yacht Club, 1103 Archbald Road, Waterport NY 14571. May include travel to other local yacht clubs.

Time requirement: A small time commitment in the spring (April/May) to plan, with instruction beginning in June for Adults. For the Youth program, 4 full weeks of instruction (exact dates TBD and could depend on the candidate’s schedule), plus 2-3 days at OOYC before and after sessions to prepare, gather materials, work on lesson plans, launch boats, haul out boats, clean up shed, store equipment, etc.

Job Requirements

Responsibilities:

1) Develop and carry out the curriculum for the program. We typically have students with a wide range of experience levels within each session, and need instruction geared for all levels of sailor from beginner to advanced.

2) Directing the daily activities of the other instructors, including not only teaching but delegating tasks that utilize everyone’s time and skillset appropriately. Tasks that must be done on a daily basis include (you decide to do or delegate):

AM –

  • Taking attendance, reporting absences to the director.
  • Boat assignments for students and instructors
  • Weather review and plan for the day

 

PM -

  • Debrief with all instructors (what went well, what didn’t, suggestions, ideas, monitoring students goals and progress, adjusting curriculum to fit the sailors).
  • Making sure safety boats have fuel.
  • Cataloging and reporting repairs or parts needed on the boats (safety boats or sailboats) on provided forms and returning them to the director at the end of each day.
  • Written report of any injuries or incidents submitted to the director.

Throughout the day –

  • Oversee curriculum/instruction plan for the day.
  • Make sure all youth sailors are following OOYC’s written code of

conduct and taking appropriate action if not.

 

3) Deciding to sail or not, depending on weather conditions. Have access to weather reports immediately available and updated (like an app) to monitor throughout the day and make decisions on whether and where to sail, and when to begin going back to the yacht club if you are out and the weather turns. This includes constantly watching for any change of weather including lightning, high wind or waves, heavy rain, extreme temperatures, etc. This is critical for safety, as the location of the yacht club if we are sailing on the lake, it requires a considerable amount of time to round up sailors and get in the tow back to the docks.

4)Coordinate with any volunteers who are helping out for the day. Their role is to take on tasks that allow you and the other instructors to spend your time teaching. Communicate with them at the start of the day, and as the day goes on if the plans change. For the Youth program, volunteers can help to tow boats out, set pins/buoys, assist with getting the gear and lunches to the floating docks, help with activities. For the Adult program, volunteers are club members who offer the use of their sailboats, time and experience.

Pay: Commensurate with experience

Please note - If accommodations are needed, we can discuss assisting with the cost or providing housing.

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Employer

1103 Archbald Road
Waterport 14571
United States
View Count 49