ROCKLAND — Tori Willauer is looking forward to filling the sails at the Rockland Community Sailing Program as early as April, when the 420s and Optimists — dinghy sailboats — slip into Rockland Harbor.

“My ultimate goal is to create excellent seamanship and sailing programs that emphasize the fundamental skills of sailing,” said Willauer, the new waterfront director at Rockland Community Sailing. “I want to offer programs for students to take their skills as far as they desire and to get more kids on the water having fun.”

Established in 1998, Rockland Community Sailing provides area youth with the opportunity to learn saltwater sailing skills. The program teaches seamanship training from April through October in Rockland Harbor and on Penobscot Bay. 

Willauer took the helm at Rockland Community Sailing in March. The sailing school, with its floats and pier, are at the north end of the harbor, sharing space with the Apprenticeshop, a boatbuilding school.

The sailing program includes building teams of competitive sailors, through high school affiliations and its own summer schedule. The Rockland Community Sailing program has a team, as does Camden Hills Regional High School.

The teams will begin practicing and competing in regattas in April, and the After School program will begin in April, as well.      

“Being on the water can change people’s lives,” said Willauer. “I love sailing and I love teaching sailing. I feel strongly that there should be an amazing sailing program here in Rockland. With our maritime history, I believe all kids should have access to learn seamanship and sailing skills, as these skills transfer well to life.”  

A lifelong sailor, she grew up on the water.  

“As a family, we used to deliver a boat from Southwest Harbor to Cape Cod every summer,” she said, sitting in her new office overlooking Rockland Harbor. “Sailing was a foundation of my childhood; it was just something we did.”

She began to teach sailing as a U.S. Sailing certified sailing instructor. Her first jobs were at yacht clubs and community sailing programs, while simultaneously racing 420 dinghies throughout New England.  She received her captain’s license and began to work for Outward Bound and NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), sailing from the Florida Keys to Maine and Baja Mexico in Pulling Boats and Drascomb Longboats.

“I love both dinghy and expedition sailing,” she said.     

Willauer hopes to expand the programs, and collaborate with schools in the Midcoast to build a diverse and meaningful curriculum.  For the first time, Rockland Community Sailing will offer programs for children under 8 years of age with the new Sea Fleas program for children aged 4 and 5, and a rowing program for children age 6.  

The program will also offer Adventure Sailing to sailors age 11 to 18 who want to learn to sail in keelboats and traditional wooden boats instead of dinghies.  The boats include a 26-foot Colgate; 17-foot Cape Cod Knockabout; a 14-foot Wianno Jr.; 26-foot Crotch Island Pinky; a 23-foot Sonar; and a 19-foot Yngling. 

Willauer said she is committed to connecting the Apprenticeshop to Rockland Community Sailing by creating crossover programs, such as a winter boat building class. She also hopes to get sailors to build a boat they then can sail in the summer.  

To learn more visit rocklandcommunitysailing.org, or call 207-594-1800. Rockland Community Sailing is at 655 Main Street. RCS welcome volunteers and anyone who wants to be involved.