Premiere Sailing League to collaborate with Detroit Community Sailing Center
by Jan Harley 23 Apr 2021 16:50 BST
The PSL Fleet of RS21s in Pensacola © Premiere Sailing League USA
The Premiere Sailing League USA (PSL) has announced that it will collaborate with the Detroit Community Sailing Center (DCSC) in a joint effort to increase access to sailing.
The PSL's fleet of six RS21s will be used in the learn-to-sail programs for both children (ages 10-17) and adults which are based out of DCSC's headquarters in the Belle Isle Boat House.
The addition of the RS21s to the fleet already in use by DCSC will expand the capacity of DCSC which is building on the momentum of its well-established Challenge the Wind Youth Sailing Program and is geared to making local waterways and the sport accessible to the community.
"Even before the pandemic, the PSL had been developing a strategy to support and grow sailing opportunities for adults and children in areas where accessibility and affordability are barriers to getting on-the-water," said PSL President Benjamin Klatzka. "I am excited to see those efforts come to fruition. While the first session of this summer's DCSC youth learn-to sail classes are already full, registration is currently open for session two, as well as the adult classes."
By utilizing the PSL's RS21s, the community-based learn-to-sail program avoids the cost of buying new boats for this summer's programming, allowing them to make a long-term investment in their aging infrastructure with the purchase of new floating docks. The PSL also hopes to raise funds for the youth program by granting naming rights to the RS21s in exchange for a contribution to Detroit Community Sailing Center, a 501(c) (3) organization.
"It is an exciting opportunity to have the use of new boats for our youth and adult sailing program this summer," said Harry Jones, Director of Detroit Community Sailing. "We hope that local organizations will see the value of making our waterfront more accessible and show their support by participating in the naming program."
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