news release

Work began on December 1 on the Pat Harris Community Sailing Center and the Charlie and Chris Pope Marine Recreational Park with the demolition of a large water tank at the Vero Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant.  This is the first step in the construction process to build a 10,000 square foot sailing center surrounded by a 3-acre park with boat ramps, a pier, and pavilions for educational and recreational use.

Today marks the culmination of six years of planning, fundraising, and design work that started with initial concept planning for the 3-Corners project in the fall of 2019.  This is the first ‘shovel in the ground’ for the 3-Corners development.  Thank you to the City of Vero Beach for helping with the zoning and permitting for the project.

Thank you to all the donors who provided the financial support to make this project a reality.  Thank you to the YSF Board of Directors for their guidance and confidence. Most importantly we thank the thousands of families who have entrusted YSF with their children over the last ten years.  Sailing is challenging, but with success confidence soars.  With over 350 enrolled annually, the building and park will come alive on opening day in December 2026.  

Phase I of the project, the building, is fully funded.  YSF is launching a $1 million campaign to fund Phase II: the pavilions, an 180-foot pier, and a maintenance endowment.  A solicitation will be mailed about December 10, 2025.

YSF uses sailing as a medium to teach the basic building blocks for a successful life.  Sailing requires perseverance, resilience, and focus.  Lessons learned on the water are brought ashore to help children achieve their full potential.  The facilities will come alive on opening day in December 2026.

Community is the operative word when describing crews manning a fleet of sixty sailing dinghies.   Children from 35 schools and academies come together for fun on the water.   They are joined by 30 homeschoolers.  Children from across the socioeconomic spectrum leave their screens and anxieties on the beach as they concentrate on learning the sail.   About half the sailors come from underserved homes and sail for free.  Our minority communities represent twenty-seven percent of the roster.  An additional 47 special needs junior and adult sailors come aboard using specially designed Hansa sailboats. 

Sailing impacts young lives in ways that can be transformational.   A recent Duke University graduate related how sailing at YSF helped form his disciplined approach to problem-solving that provided a foundation for success in Duke’s rigorous engineering major.   Another sailor who came to YSF on a bicycle from a troubled home environment learned to sail, became a certified instructor, and launched into a successful military career.

Youth Sailing Foundation (YSF) of Indian River County, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that eliminates cultural and financial barriers to sailing. YSF was founded in 2009 to use sailing as a medium to help children achieve their full potential.  We operate under the banner “YSF Community Sailing” to reflect that we now serve the entire community.  We make it easy and affordable for children, adults, and families to enjoy the thrill of sailing.  For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit:  www.ysfirc.org  Contact: Email info@ysfirc.org  Phone 772 492-3243