MONTEGO BAY, St James — Vice-President of the Jamaica Yacht Association (JYA) and Commodore of the Montego Bay Yacht Club Spencer May is determined to get more youngsters across the country interested in sailing, especially those who are already comfortable with the sea.

“The vision is to create an islandwide, accessible, competitive sailing eco system,” he told individuals gathered at Montego Bay Yacht Club last Friday for the launch of a national sailing training programme,” he explained. “The mission is to introduce them to sailing, develop them and then retain. Because a lot of time people will… do one or two activities, they’ll enjoy it for a little bit and then they’ll fall out. I believe that’s because we haven’t had the opportunity, at this point, to continue with them.”

May noted that the association has equipment and boats, including optimist-class vessels, that can be used to train young sailors and help them progress through the sport, potentially even to Olympic level.

For now, he is focused on building awareness. In addition to an annual summer camp he runs in Montego Bay and coaching he offers in Kingston, has plans to work closely with schools. He said he has already started the conversation with a number of the ones in Montego Bay. May has ambitious targets.

“My goal by the end of this year is to have a kids’ regatta, hopefully by early December once the kids’ sailing programme has happened over the summer and children have gotten back into school,” he stated.

He sees endless possibilities for sailing because of the country’s natural resources.

“We have coastline in every parish. There is somewhere to sail in every single parish in this country and a dream of mine will be to have kids sailing in every single parish,” he declared.

Sailing is now primarily centred around two yacht clubs, one in Montego Bay and the other in Kingston. While those locations will serve as the initial focal points, May said the long-term goal is to grow both locations and eventually branch out further.

Vice-President of the Jamaica Yacht Association and Commodore of the Montego Bay Yacht Club Spencer May (left) is presented with his certificate of completion of a coaching programme, the 2026 World Sailing Development Coach Programme, by president of the Jamaica Yachting Association, Robert Scott The programme was held in the United Kingdom from April 20 to May 16 at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

In addition to the focus on youth development, the JYA is also seeking to boost interest in sailing among adults, particularly within the hospitality sector.

“What we are looking at… and we already have the corporate sponsor for the Hospitality Sailing League, is to create something like a business league,” revealed JYA President Robert Scott.

“We have already gotten endorsement from the Jamaica Olympic Association and a no objection from the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association. The whole idea is that we work with the hotels and we decide where it will happen,” he added.

The league had originally been scheduled to launch earlier this year but was postponed following the passage of last October’s Hurricane Melissa.

Scott explained how it would work.

“They’ll be able to have teams competing in two areas: one with the windsurfing and the other with the hobie cats,” he said.

The JYA hopes the Hospitality Sailing League will provide another avenue for expanding participation in the sport or even recreational sailing while strengthening links with Jamaica’s tourism industry.