FAQ’s

You can book in for a series of private lessons if you need one on one teaching, but if you would better benefit from time on the water to practice skills you already know, consider registering for a group lesson. To hear more, please reach out to info@rpsa.ca.

For all CANSail courses, there will be a capsizing requirement for the curriculum, however that will likely be the only time you can expect to get wet (and there will be advanced notice). There may be a few splashes, so we do recommend a rain jacket on windier days, but otherwise you can expect to stay dry.

As we do not require wetsuits, it is all up to personal preference. During summer camps, most sailors opt for a hat, T-shirt and shorts with a fleece added on colder days. We find that many participants are happy with layering.

You are welcome to bring your own PFD, granted it fits you properly and is Transport Canada approved. If not, we provide many PFDs you can use for the duration of the program.

We run programming rain or shine. If it is raining, please bring all appropriate rain gear. If we go on the water or teach theory/land lessons it will depend on the wind available so be prepared for both!

The best starter programs are determined by age as follows:
4-7: Wetfeet
7-9: Juniors
10-14: Wave Riders
14+: CANSail 1/2

Unfortunately, the dinghy member holder has to be 18 years of age. If you are of age and hold CANSail 2, your child is eligible to sail with you but they cannot go out with you.

Depending on the age of your child, the amount of time on the water increases. For younger age groups (5-7), the time on the water is typically limited to 2 hours with increased time on land for snack time and activities related to sailing (boat part games, Wind Monster, Pirate Paks etc.) As the age increases, the amount of time on the water increases, particularly once you enter CANSail camps as there is a set curriculum. These programs can spend about 3 hours on the water per session, with two sessions a day.

Before camp care is available from 8:30AM-9:00AM and after camp care is available 4:00PM-4:30PM at no additional charge.

Unfortunately, as a nonprofit organization, our prices are already set as low as possible to remain accessible to the community. Sailing does inherently have higher overhead costs compared to other summer camps, which makes it difficult for us to offer additional discounts. For grant options, we recommend looking into JumpStart Child Grants, ViaSport, or KidSport organizations.

Unfortunately, we only do full session registrations as the content taught is connected between sessions. If looking for summer camps, we recommend looking to Laser or Opti camps for one-week options.

The Rocky Point Sailing Association Keelboat Club is a volunteer-run sailing club based in Port Moody, BC. We focus on providing accessible keelboat sailing opportunities through shared use of club boats, educational certification programs, and a strong sense of community.

Keelboat membership is aligned with skipper levels and experience: 

Skipper 1 (Full Member): Certified to sail independently throughout all insured waters. Typically has Intermediate or higher Sail Canada certification.  

Skipper 2 (Full Member): May undertake overnight and multi-day sailing, with geographic limits defined by the skipper system. Typically has basic navigation, intermediate theory, 10 days of day sailing and 3 multiday trips with RPSA members.  

Skipper 3 (Full Member): May take a club keelboat out independently for day sailing east of the Second Narrows Bridge. Typically has demonstrated independently all the skills of a Basic Cruising.  

Skipper 4 (Basic Member): Developing skipper who sails primarily as crew, with priority access to supported sailing, day sails, and multi-day development opportunities. Skipper 4s do not sail independently. 

Skipper 5 (Social Member): Entry-level membership for those exploring keelboat sailing or seeking community. Boat owners are encouraged to become a Social Member. Social Members sail primarily as crew and join sailing activities when space allows. 

Social Members are welcome to attend club events, barbecues, social nights, meetings, and on-water activities. Social Membership is a low-barrier way to join the sailing community and decide whether keelboat sailing is something you would like to pursue further.

 Yes. Social Members sail primarily as crew and may join day sails or multi-day sailing opportunities when space allows. A qualified skipper is always required to be aboard. 

No. Volunteer hours are not required for Social Members, though participation is always welcome. 

Absolutely. Social Members are welcome to upgrade to a full membership at any time. It is encouraged to already have completed your Basic Cruising certification and Radio Operators Certification (Marine).    

A Basic Member (Skipper 4) is a developing skipper who has typically completed Basic Cruising or equivalent training. Skipper 4s build experience through supported sailing and sailing as crew with Full Members on scheduled supportive sailing days or multiday cruising. This membership is for someone that is either new to sailing or has not sailed in some time and is looking for support. 

 Yes. Basic Members (Skipper 4) are required to complete 30 volunteer hours per calendar year. Volunteer opportunities include maintenance days, events, administration, and much more. 

 No. Skipper 4s do not sail independently. Independent sailing privileges begin at Skipper 3.

$495 per calendar year; expires December 31.  

Obtain the needed certifications and have the skills in the applicable passport signed off by a higher-level skipper. It is encouraged that you participate in sailing until you feel you can demonstrate the skills needed without support. Higher level skippers are great at making themselves available to help new sailors, but it is up to you to put in the time and effort needed to develop and maintain the skills.  

When a Basic Member (Skipper 4) completes all Skipper 3 requirements and is approved for independent sailing, they are required to upgrade to Full Membership and pay the $330 difference between the Basic and Full Membership fees. Independent sailing is not permitted until this upgrade is completed. 

 No. One of the benefits of RPSA is shared access to well-maintained club keelboats. Members use club keelboats for cruises, races, and training. We do have members with their own keelboats.  

Yes, but all guests must sign a waiver and follow club safety policies. The Skipper is responsible for the safety and conduct of all guests aboard. Be sure to advise your skipper as early as possible about any guests, and their on water experience and capabilities.  

RPSA currently has 2 keelboats used for training, cruising, and racing. These boats are shared resources available to approved members. We have a 1981 9 M C &C and a 1977 8.3 M Columbia at Reed Point Marina. 

Members use the online booking calendar. All members can coordinate with Full Members to plan outings. 

Keelboats must be treated with care, cleaned after use, and any issues must be logged. Members are expected to always follow safety and operational guidelines. 

Events include monthly meetings (except July and August), supported sailing sessions, day sails, weekend cruises, training programs, racing events such as the Around Bowen Race, barbecues, and educational sessions.   

Volunteer opportunities range from maintenance days and event support to planning, administration, and mentoring. Opportunities are shared through skipper email, meetings, Microsoft Teams and here. 

Members stay connected through skipper email, Microsoft Teams, and the shared Google sailing calendar. These tools are used to share sailing opportunities, documents, and updates. 

Our home base is the Old Mill Boathouse at 2715 Esplanade Ave and our boats are moored at Reed Point Marina, both in Port Moody, BC. 

 You can contact the Keelboat Club Director at Craig_Foster@ymail.com for more information. 

As a dinghy member at RPSA you get unlimited use to our fleet of dinghy sailing boats located in the beautiful inlet of Rocky Point Park. Keep your skills up or just enjoy the water by going sailing independently.

Dinghy membership events are the perfect time to meet other likeminded sailors and practice your skills with an instructor on the water. Every Thursday we host a Thursday Night Sail where members are invited to come down to the club and go for a sail in the evening with an instructor on the water. Sometimes it’s just a supervised sail, other times we start racing!

Additionally we run skills clinics like learn how fly a spinnaker, learn how to sail a laser or just general group activities like a day sail up Indian arm or sail and BBQ!

You need to be 18+ and hold a CANSail 2 certificate issued within the last 5 years. If you do not hold a CANSail 2 we reccomend looking into our CANSail Basic classes and if your CANSail 2 certificate is older than 5 years you will need to email info@rpsa.ca to book a 2 hour skills assessment.

Once you have your CANSail 2, you can visit our registration portal to purchase a membership valid for the calendar year of purchase. Upon registration you will receive links to our orientation videos which go over facility usage, how to access the dock, where equipment is stored, etc. After work through these videos (about 25 minutes total) you take the quiz. If you get 100% then you will be emailed the door code to the facility. If you do not get 100% you will need to re-take the quiz. You have unlimited attempts. Once you have the door code, all that’s left is to go sailing!

Distributed at the beginning of each season is a calendar which shows any times that when boats are unavailable for use likely due to summer camps, scout or school groups. It indicates times when no boats are available for use, a limited number is available and all are available. Outside of program usage, the boats must be on the dock between 1 hour before sunset and an hour before sunrise. Distributed at the beginning of each season is a calendar which shows any times that when boats are unavailable for use likely due to summer camps, scout or school groups. It indicates times when no boats are available for use, a limited number is available and all are available. Outside of program usage, the boats must be on the dock between 1 hour before sunset and an hour before sunrise.

The calendar year of purchase ex. if you purchase a membership in June, you have until December 31st of that year.

There must be a member in each sailboat that leaves the dock. If you are the only member, you can take one boat out and fit up to 2 friends in the same boat with you. In order to take more guests you would need an additional RPSA member to take out a secondary boat.