Join our High Performance Race Team
- Nick Pullen
- 3 hours ago
- 7 min read
Tahoe Yacht Club
High Performance Sailing Team
We are looking for youth athletes aged 12-21 who love sailing and want to become exceptional sailors in the Laser class. If your child already has sailing experience and they love sailing, this could be the sport for them.
My name is Nick Pullen, head coach for the Race Team and founder of Lake Tahoe Sailing. We are actively looking for boys and girls who want to train hard together on Lake Tahoe, travel to regattas and eventually become champions in Laser sailing.
Here’s a little bit about me. I’ve been racing Lasers since I was 13 and this sport has been the best thing in my life. It’s opened up so many doors and friendships. I was lucky to be mentored by several Olympic Sailors and was able to race all over the world on the Canadian National Team eventually winning the Canadian National Championships in 1996. I’ve coached high performance Laser sailing with International Sailing Academy in Puerta Vallarta with some of the best coaches in the world. I’m still racing Laser today at age 56 with the masters! My mission is to see other kids enjoy this great sport as much as I have and see them succeed in sailing and in life.
Sailing is a relatively unknown sport, but it happens all over the world in many different
types of boats and it can be done all one’s life. When you become a sailor you become part of an international tribe of incredibly successful people, because sailing takes resilience and curiosity. Many sailors become successful entrepreneurs. It requires fitness, planning, courage, teamwork, discipline, focus, and above all, a passion for adventure. The following will hopefully answer any questions you have about sailing and the Laser Race Team.
What is it like to race Lasers? Laser sailing is an individual sport that is similar to mountain bike racing or biathlon ski racing but with much more mental decision making throughout the race. Similar to these two sports, there is an uphill/upwind, downhill/downwind component. It’s also similar in that it is equipment intensive. Each race is about 45 minutes long and there are usually 3 to 4 races a day over a 2 or 3 day regatta (race). Some describe Laser racing as running a marathon and playing chess at the same time while have a firehose squirting your face! Olympic level Laser sailors are some of the fittest overall athletes on the planet and yes, sailing is an Olympic sport. Is it fun? If you like adrenaline water sports, its incredibly fun. Blasting downwind surfing on a wave has the same level of stoke as skiing on a powder day.
Is Sailing expensive? Unfortunately yes it is but we have some great news. The Tahoe Yacht Club and Tahoe Community Sailing foundation have purchased 10 boats and a travel trailer. So the big expenses are taken care of including gas and coaching at regattas. There are some sailing scholarships available for kids who are keen but may not have the resources to participate. In order to qualify for a scholarship the applicant must demonstrate dedication by attending all training events/regattas and demonstrate financial hardship.
Can kids work during the summer and sail on the team as well? Yes and this is encouraged. Race Team Athletes train every second week allowing them to work on the off weeks. Training during the week starts at noon and goes to 5 PM Monday through Friday so they also have time to work in the mornings and on weekends when there isn’t a regatta.
The Tahoe City PUD Parks and Recreation program is also looking for competent sailors to teach Novice and Intermediate Sailing at Obexer’s on the West Shore. Kids must be 16 to teach sailing and must have the US Sailing Small Boat Level One Instructor Certificate. The TCPUD pays for the certification. Ultimately, our goal is to have 20 athletes on the race team who train for a week, and then teach sailing for a week with novice/intermediate program.
What gear is required to sail on the team? Youth who want to join the team will need to invest in proper sailing clothing to stay warm in all conditions. This includes, “Hiking Pants”, Spray Top, sailing Boots and a sailing specific life jacket. These clothing items are mandatory because similar to downhill skiing, sailors at this level go out on the ocean in big breeze and waves and they need to be protected. Also we start training in June on Lake Tahoe and the water can be cold and wavy. Proper clothing is essential for safety.
Is Sailing Safe? Compared to most sports, sailing is actually quite safe. While sailors capsize and swim in deep water with big waves, the number of severe injuries is far lower compared to contact sports or high speed sports. The biggest issue for sailors is hypothermia which is mitigated by wearing the proper sailing specific clothing. For example, in Denmark, kids as young as 10 regularly sail in the snow while wearing drysuits and they are fine. Wearing sailing specific clothing is essential. All regattas have safety boats on the water ready to assist and we use an 18 foot rigid inflatable motorboat to render assistance during practice on Lake Tahoe if needed.
Can sailing help you get into college? Yes. In fact, many Ivy League schools have sailing teams and they are are keen to accept nationally ranked Laser sailors. However, there are no athletic scholarships available for sailing. Sailing can help you get in, but it won’t provide any funding for college. Its far easier to become ranked in sailing compared to any other college sport as the participation numbers are much lower. It is a fringe sport in North America but it has a dedicated following. If you had to choose a sport to help you get into an Ivy League school, sailing is it.
How does one become part of the Laser Race Team? If your child has completed the Novice or Intermediate course with Tahoe Community Sailing, or already has basic sailing experience, the next step for them is to try sailing Laser for a week in our “Learn to Laser” program. This allows them a chance to see if sailing Laser is for them and to learn basic Laser boat handling skills. The class size for “Learn to Laser” is smaller and is limited to only 5 kids per week. Cost is $500 for a week and runs noon to 5 PM out of the Lake Forest Boat Ramp facility outside Tahoe City.
If they love it, they can join team immediately afterwards. The Race Team is a larger group size of 10 and so the weekly cost is reduced to $250 per child per week. Athletes are required to participate in 4 weeks of training throughout the summer as well as regattas. Cost is comparable to participating on a downhill ski race team.
How much does it cost to join the team and travel to regattas? Athletes must commit to at least 4 weeks of training at North Tahoe in the summer which costs $1,000. 4 monthly payments of $250 can be made starting February 1st. Other ongoing expenses to attend Regattas are lodging, food, and entry fees. Athletes can travel with the coach/trailer to
regattas for free or fly at their own expense.
Can Parents Travel with the Team and Race Lasers as Well? Yes! We need parents to help chaperone and help with transporting boats. Most of the events the team will do are for all ages. Parents are encouraged to sail as well and Lake Tahoe Sailing has weekend adult clinics to help parents improve their Laser skills so they can enjoy racing too. How many sports are like this where parents can have fun too at the race? Not many.
Join Me at the Tahoe Yacht Club Tuesday Evening December 16 6-8 PM to learn more about sailing and how your child can be part of this exciting sport.
Schedule for 2026
1) ILCA Midwinters Balboa Yacht Club, Cabrillo Beach March 19-22 (Regatta, Worlds Qualifier)
2)Pacific Coast Championships Coronado Yacht Club April 2-5 (Regatta)
3)Downwind Clinic Benicia to Sherman Island May 23-25 (Training)
Last Day of School in Tahoe is June 10
1) Race Team Training Week #1 June 15 - 19
2)Race Team Training Week #2 June 22 - 26
3)Race Team Training Week #3 July 6 - 10
4)Columbia River Gorge One Design Week, Cascade Locks July 20 - 26
5)Race Team Training Week #4 August 3 - 7
6)Race Team Training Week #5 August
7)Laser Fleet Championships - Lake Forest September 11 - 13
8)US Sailing Youth Championships Date and Location TBD (This is the peak event for the team)
Register for 4 weeks of Team Training at:
Free Online Training Resources and Useful Links for Sailing Laser
If you want to see great footage of sailors in action and learn from some of the best coaches in the world check out these Free youtube channels that are specific to Laser Sailing. Also there are other local groups you can join on Facebook and Google.
Our North American Class Association https://ilcanasailing.org/
Our Lake Tahoe Laser Fleet FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/998487596828009
Registration For Monday Night Laser Sailing starting May 25th: https://tahoeyc.com/sailing
California District 24 Class Website: bit.ly/d24-home
Resources for Purchasing Sailing Specific Gear
One of the best stores for gear is West Coast Sailing based out of Portland OR. See: https://westcoastsailing.net/ They carry all the clothing and gear sailors need to stay warm. Sailors on the team will need the following clothing items:
Hiking Pants (Rooster)
Sailing Boots (Zhik or Gill)
Sailing Lifejacket. Make sure there are no buckles on the shoulders.
Spray Top with Neoprene Cuffs on the wrists and waste. (Rooster)
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