Ask us to name our favorite summer camp, and our answer is easy… all of them!
Every camp has it’s own traditions, landscape, and way of bringing people together. While they are unique in many ways, they all share the belief that time outdoors, community, and a bit of challenge can help young campers become more confident, capable, and connected.
This summer, SERO’s VP of Sales, Todd Riccardi, visited several programs across the country. Those stops offered a small glimpse of the countless camps, sailing schools, and programs using SERO Sunfish, SOLs, and SOL-Rs. Together, their stories remind us that camp sailing is about so much more than merely learning to sail.
More Than Learning to Sail
At Camp Takajo in Naples, Maine, values are a crucial part of the landscape. On their campus, wooden pillars display words such as integrity, sportsmanship, and friendliness. The signs, which Morty Goldman immediately put up when the camp was founded in 1947, are a visible reminder of what so many summer camps work to instill. These values are what young sailors practice each time they make a decision, adapt to changing conditions, or recover from a mistake. Camp Takajo’s longtime Sunfish fleet, along with their new SOLs, give campers a place to put those lessons into action.
At Eagle Island Camp in Saranac Lake, New York, several SOL-Rs are helping developing sailors do the same. The girls sailed independently or with a buddy, building their skills and confidence throughout the summer. One favorite lesson was intentionally capsizing and recovering the boat, turning something that could be scary to a camper into a fun exercise.
“The SOL-R was an incredible addition to Eagle Island’s sailing program, giving our developing sailors the opportunity to build confidence, challenge themselves, and experience the independence of sailing on their own.”
-Lily, Sailing Director at Eagle Island
Lily also praised the boats for being easy to rig, clean, maintain, and teach on, allowing the staff to focus on the campers. The instructors even said they enjoyed the boats enough to take them out during their free time, too!
More Than Just a Boat
The annual Berkshire Cup hosted by Camp Watitoh in Becket, Massachusetts is named after the beautiful Berkshire mountain region. This event brings together over 100 young sailors from 10 camps for a full day of Sunfish racing, fun, and camaraderie. For one day, these separate camps come together to form one big Sunfish community. Whether they’re seasoned sailors or climbing into a Sunfish for their very first race, everyone gets the chance to experience the thrill of racing, make new friends, and push their sailing skills a little further. The Berkshire Cup captures what summer sailing is all about – getting out on the water, having a blast, and embracing the challenge. It’s not about perfectly tuned boats or fancy gear; it’s about learning, competing, cheering each other on, and creating the spark that might turn a summer sailor into a lifelong one.
Community programs are opening that same experience to even more young people. Greater Lawrence Community Boating has worked since 1979 to make sailing and other watersports more affordable and accessible. With as many as 515 children participating in a day, the program needs boats that are familiar, durable, and straightforward to repair.
“The Sunfish and the SOL are so universal and can actually take the abuse from the kids. Plus, if they do break down, they are usually things we can fix in house. If I can’t, I just make a call to SERO right away, and they have a great team there to get me the right parts.”
-Jed Taylor, Executive Director at Greater Lawrence Community Boating
The Stories Behind the Boats
Behind many camp fleets is someone who believed in the program enough to help put more children on the water. At Camp West End House for Boys in Parsonfield, Maine, donated SOLs are creating new sailing opportunities for campers.
At Camp Trinity in Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina, a 250th Edition Sunfish carries an especially personal story. After beloved instructor Buddy passed away, the boat was named “Bud Man” in his honor.
On the North Carolina Coast, Camp Sea Gull and Camp Seafarer specialize in boating and seamanship programs with a huge fleet of SOL-Rs and Sunfish to serve one of the country’s best known camp communities. The connection is personal for SERO, too, as CEO Chris McLellan’s daughter attends (and loves!) Camp Seafarer.
These programs are joined by many more that create opportunities for young people to learn, explore, and make lasting memories on the water in SERO boats.
#SunfishCrewChallenge
Camp is also about having fun, and this summer’s #SunfishCrewChallenge brought out plenty of creativity. Washington Sailing School first submitted a photo with 13 people aboard a Sunfish. After hearing that their record was being challenged, they tried again… this time gathering their entire 18 person Sunfish program, plus instructor Elaine, onto one Sunfish!
That makes for 19 people aboard one Sunfish, a whole lot of team work, and our 2026 #SunfishCrewChallenge winner!
Planning for the Summers Ahead
As another camp season closes, we are grateful for every director, instructor, donor, parent, and camper who makes these experiences possible. Boats provide the platform, but people create the culture that turns sailing into a lasting memory.
Fall is also an ideal time for camps and sailing programs to prepare for next summer. Through September 18, camps, schools and programs can take advantage of some of our biggest savings of the year on new Sunfish, SOL, and Fusion I. Programs can choose between a direct discount on their boats or an accessories credit to help complete their fleets. The more boats you purchase, the more you can save.
SERO is here to help! Visit our camp boats page , reach out to us or your local dealer to explore available options and start building the right fleet for your program.
