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  • Type:
    Day camp, Overnight camp
  • Focus:
    Adventure (multi)
  • Cost:
    $25 to $250/night
  • Ages:
    13 to 18
  • Gender:
    Coed
  • Main language:
    English
  • Capacity:
    1 to 18
  • Programs:
Request more info
  • Overview

    Meet Brigs Youth Sail Training

    Speak with the director, staff, and campers from Brigs Youth Sail Training at the 2025 Camp & Program Expo on Feb 22 in Toronto.
    Register for free now


    Here's what makes Brigs Youth Sail Training stand out

    We are a youth leadership program set aboard a Tall Ship, voyaging around Ontario and the Great Lakes. 13-18 year old trainees join our ship to learn practical sailing skills and teamwork, see beautiful nature, and have an adventure! Our sailing voyages are exciting, challenging, memorable, and fun, with a strong focus on teens teaching other teens.

    • Special needs: Not available
    • LGBTQ+ friendly community


    Upcoming Events

    • February 01, 2020: Visit this camp at the Toronto Camp Expo RSVP for free tickets
      Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2J5
      Join us Saturday, February 01 from 12:00 pm - 04:00 pm

      The annual Our Kids Camp Expo, at Roy Thomson Hall, is a chance for families to meet 70+ camps of all stripes, such as day, overnight, adventure, sports, arts, and education.


  • Programs, Rates & Dates

    Programs and Sessions Calendar

    We give young people authentic leadership opportunities by trusting them with real responsibilities and chances to learn from peer role models, in a real marine working environment - which makes our adventures especially exciting.


    Choose the right programs and sessions for your child; Brigs Youth Sail Training currently has 1 program available.

    Filter activities available:


    Choose location:

    Name
    Type/Gender
    Specialty
    Location
    Date
    Bus
     Cost
    Email
    Overnight Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 13 - 18
    Traditional (multi activity) , Sailing/Marine Skills
    $1 to $3,250
    Hamilton, ON
    208 Hillyard St, 2nd Floor
    Jun 29-Jul 11 $1 - $3,000
    Tobermory, ON
    Tobermory
    Jul 13-26 $1 - $3,250
    Tobermory, ON
    Tobermory
    Jul 28-Aug 08 $1 - $2,750
    Collingwood, ON
    Collingwood Harbour
    Aug 11-15 $1 - $1,000
    Tobermory, ON
    Tobermory
    Aug 17-23 $1 - $1,500
    Hamilton, ON
    208 Hillyard St, 2nd Floor
    Aug 25-Sep 01 $1 - $1,750
    Ropes Course|Travel|Wilderness Out-tripping|Wilderness Skills|Comedy|Cooking|Leadership Training|Nature/Environment|Marine Biology|Skilled Trades Activities|First-aid/lifesaving |Hiking|Sports-Instructional and Training|Sailing/Marine Skills|Swimming



    Registration Details

    Register online through our website! Deposit options are available. Spaces are limited, so early registration is a good idea, although we will accept registrations right up until voyage departure if space is available. Bursary support is available for a range of incomes.



    Financial Aid & Payment Details

    Payment Options:

    Deposit required with acceptance Yes
    Credit card payment Yes
    Maximum installments available 2

    Discounts

    Discount if paid early 15%
    Discount for 2nd child 10%
    Discount for 3rd child $10
    Discount for 4th child $10

    Scholarships & awards:
    Total annual scholarship fund: $100,000 CAD

    • Pathfinder Access Fund

      Amount: 100% Deadline: Rolling
      Type: Need based
      Details: Brigs is committed to ensuring that all youth have equitable access to our sail training programs. The Pathfinder Access Fund offsets the costs of courses for trainees requiring financial assistance. The Pathfinder Access Fund can be applied to any of our programs and will be awarded on a needs basis to individuals who meet the following criteria: 1. Demonstrate an clear interest in joining our crew and fully participating in all activities 2. Meet the standard criteria for participating in our sail training programs 3. Financial need When registering for a course through our website, please select financial assistance needed and we will contact you with details.
      Application Details: The application form is two parts, one must be completed by the youth and the other by their parent or guardian.
  • Reviews & Insider Perspectives

    The Our Kids review of Brigs Youth Sail Training

    our take

    Resiliency, teamwork, confidence, stewardship, empathetic leadership—time spent aboard a tall ship as part of crew is a means growing a range of skills and attributes. Certainly, the program was launched in 1962 with precisely those goals in mind, and they’ve been achieving them ever since. Participants become part of a crew of up to 28 members, and they travel to destinations within the Great Lakes. There’s a lot to see, and while Brigs perhaps doesn’t lead with it, geography and history are always close to hand. It’s exciting and unique, to be sure. It’s also expertly managed, the product of more than five decades of experience running youth programs in the region.  

    Three Things: Brigs Youth Sail Training
    Hear the three things that Our Kids’ editors see when they look at Brigs Youth Sail Training


    Video interviews with parents, campers, and alum

    Cory Yeo, Parent

    • 00:30 - What were you looking for when searching for camps?
    • 00:58 - What's unique about the program at Brigs Youth Sail Training that made you want to enroll your daughter there?
    • 02:05 - What would you highlight about Brigs Youth Sail Training's programming and what can you tell us about that?
    • 02:48 - What do you like best or find most exciting about Brigs Youth Sail Training?
    • 03:50 - How and when did you know that the camp was the right fit for your daughter?
    • 04:58 - Was there any change or noticeable personal growth that you saw in your daughter after her time at this camp?
    • 06:12 - How can a parent support their child to get the most out of this camp?
    • 07:33 - How would you describe this camp to another parent?

    More reviews of Brigs Youth Sail Training

    Alex Fryer, Alum

    "It will be one of the best experiences anyone can have"

    Read review

    Maegan Dean, Alum

    "This program changed my entire life"

    Read review

    Summer 2021 Parent, Parent

    Brigs is one of the most positive things in my child's life so far

    Read review

    Joan Weed, Parent

    "Years later they have a deep friendship and I feel Brigs had a huge role in this"

    Read review

    Summer 2021 Trainee, Camper

    I had an absolutely fantastic time on the TS Playfair!

    Read review

    Summer 2021 Trainee, Camper

    Not only did i learn to sail, i feel as though i grew as a person.

    Read review

    Summer 2021 Trainee, Camper

    My time on the boat was so much fun and definitely worth doing

    Read review

    Hannah MacLeod-Kerr, Camper

    From Trainee to Crew Member

    Read review

    Alex Aukema, Camper

    Alex's Journey

    Read review

    More reviews of Brigs Youth Sail Training


    Alex Fryer, Alum

    "It will be one of the best experiences anyone can have"

    I spent close to half an hour trying to put my experience at Brigs into words and ended up deleting what I had written. Writing does not do justice to the positive influence Brigs has had on every part of my life. I would need to talk to you in person so you can see the look in my eyes, expression on my face, tone of my voice and genuine enthusiasm I have for my time spent in the program. Not only would I not be who I am today without the program, I wouldn't have met some of the best people in my life. If you are considering going on a course or (if you're a parent) sending your child, do not hesitate. It will be one of the best experiences anyone can have ... Show More


    Maegan Dean, Alum

    "This program changed my entire life"

    This program changed my entire life, the friends I met there I am still dear friends with. Am so glad that they are around still I cannot wait to send my children to Brigs.


    Summer 2021 Parent, Parent

    Brigs is one of the most positive things in my child's life so far

    Thank you for your time and guidance. Brigs is one of the most positive things in my child's life so far


    Joan Weed, Parent

    "Years later they have a deep friendship and I feel Brigs had a huge role in this"

    While at Brigs my kids learned how important teamwork was, they worked together with their crew mates to find solutions for big and small problems, invaluable skills I see them still put to use after all these years. Years later they have a deep friendship and I feel Brigs had a huge role in this. ... Show More


    Summer 2021 Trainee, Camper

    I had an absolutely fantastic time on the TS Playfair!

    I had an absolutely fantastic time on the TS Playfair. Everyone there was supportive as I quickly gained an understanding on my role on the boat. We had many awesome opportunities, including sailing at night, furling the sails, and the scavenger hunt. My expectation of the voyage was high and my hope was well rewarded by the incredible experience I had ... Show More


    Summer 2021 Trainee, Camper

    Not only did i learn to sail, i feel as though i grew as a person.

    Not only did i learn to sail, i feel as though i grew as a person. Brigs is more than a trip or a course, its an experience i will never forget.


    Summer 2021 Trainee, Camper

    My time on the boat was so much fun and definitely worth doing

    This was an amazing experience overall for me. The extreme conditions built my character and the group work brought out my leadership qualities. The gorgeous water and the north's beautiful nature brought out my passion for geography. I developed many skills involving navigation which were really cool but more than that, I learned about resilience and in the process gained some self confidence. Overall, my time on the boat was so much fun and definitely worth doing ... Show More


    Hannah MacLeod-Kerr, Camper

    From Trainee to Crew Member

    I’m not sure why I became interested in sailing, much less sailing tall ships, but after a year and a half I can honestly say that I don’t regret it one bit. In November 2018, I joined Brigs as a winter program trainee. It was hard in the beginning because everyone knew each other from the previous summer and I felt like an outsider. However, because of the amazing community at Brigs everyone, including the captain, made me feel included as a member of the team. After a winter of getting Playfair ready for the upcoming summer, learning parts of the ship, the basics of sailing, knot tying, and some navigation, I became a Petty Officer. The summer is when I learnt the most about not only sailing, but also leadership and life skills. I helped trainees become accustomed to life aboard a ship and learn how to be a member of a crew. By stepping out of my comfort zone and joining Brigs. I find that I have become more confident and independent outside of the program. Now that your sails are filled with interest, I leave you with this; Knot sure what to do this summer? Try something new, don’t get 'tide' down and sea where it takes you. ... Show More


    Alex Aukema, Camper

    Alex's Journey

    I was a trainee on the TS Playfair two summers ago. Last summer, I was a Petty Officer and Cook. I like Brigs mostly because of companionship and the friends I made. You go through tough situations with many different personalities. You talk, you do watch together, you have tough times together, and you get through it. You are confined to close quarters and you have to work closely together, kind of like a family. Being part of a crew meant I had duties, responsibilities and a new kind of family. I learned about teaching people, taking care of people, and helping others become competent. It is easier to work with people if you like them. I’m a bit introverted, but as a Petty Officer, I needed to get to know new trainees, because I would live with them and work with them. As the more experienced one, I had to take the first step, even though it was not in my nature. I tried to develop a bond by finding something--a common interest or factor between us—to talk about with every new person. Even the shy ones or quietest ones can form a bond and I made friends with all types of different personalities. Now I’m more capable of taking that first step, I hardly hesitate. Being the cook was hard. You have to keep people happy and fed because if they are hungry, they get grumpy and don’t have enough energy to pull the sails. At first, people were hesitant to eat, but they get hungrier. I knew how to cook before I was the cook on Brigs, but now I know how to cook in a tilted kitchen using industrial sized pots on a propane stove. Some days, I had to get up at 4:30 to make breakfast for 7:30. I had to feed 20 people three meals a day and most meals were made from scratch. Once I made brownies, the boat was tilted, and the brownies came out tilted. One end was thin and hard, and stuck to the pan, the other end was thick and soft—but everyone loved them anyhow. I love Brigs because it’s like stepping into the past. It’s the same type of boat sailed hundreds of years ago. The problems we faced were the same problems sailors faced a 100 or 300 or 500 years ago--weather and wind. We can’t control these. Going aloft while sailing and seeing how high I was, was amazing. You can look down and see people laughing and talking and sailing. You look up and see clear blue sky forever. You look forward and see a billowing sail. If you look beside and behind, you see the distance you have come. Sometimes you see land, sometimes only water. We also saw many windmills! ... Show More


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  • Gallery

    Brigs Youth Sail Training  - profile photo

    Video Gallery

  • Meet the Staff

    Director's Message

    Brigs Youth Sail Training can be so much more than an overnight sailing camp. It becomes a year round leadership development experience for those young people that the program touches and ignites a spark of passion in. It is honestly one of the most beautiful things to witness, when you see a young person get excited about a healthy hobby and it transforms them into a purpose-driven individual who gets encouraged by helping others and being part of a crew, while making personal accomplishments and developing character along the way. You don't have to take my word for it though, the best teacher is experience itself. You start by having them join us for an adventure this summer and if a flame of ambition takes hold please contact us about continuing through our winter program and becoming part of the crew.

    Each year we have a variety of adventures to choose from where you can be immersed in the life of a sailor aboard a Tall Ship, our 72' vessel, the TS Playfair. Trainees come along to learn many terms, skills, and practices as they become Deck Hands. They are given a Log Book and go through various activities daily improving on their seamanship and interpersonal relationship skills along the way. An unforgettable journey is waiting for them with the opportunity to continue for years to come.



    Staff and Counsellors

    Trainees say our crew are helpful, supportive, and fun. Captains are marine professionals with a minimum five years experience. They are fully licensed by Transport Canada. All crew are trained and certified in Marine First Aid and Marine Emergency Duties. Our adult staff are alumni of our program who return to give back to the next generation! You might picture a grizzled old man as a sea captain - but most of our captains are young adults in their late twenties and thirties. Our crew are teenagers who have trained through our winter program, achieved multiple certifications, volunteered hundreds of hours towards ship maintenance, and receive leadership training.

  • Location & Operations

    Address

    Collingwood, ON
    Collingwood Harbour, Collingwood, Ontario
    Hamilton, ON
    208 Hillyard St, 2nd Floor, Hamilton, Ontario, L8L 6B6
    Goderich, ON
    Goderich - Perry Sound - Collingwood, Ontario
    Tobermory, ON
    Tobermory, Tobermory, Ontario



    Busing



    Property Details

    Landscape

    • Lake/Pond/River

    More details about property: Our program is delivered aboard a traditionally rigged Brigantine Tall Ship, the TS Playfair - we sail to various locations.

    Is your property accessible for persons with disabilities? Please call to discuss.



    Accommodations

    Sleeping Accommodations

    • Dorm or Building

    Amenities

    • Toilet in Sleeping Area

    Washrooms Facilities

    • Flush Toilets

    More details about accommodations: Participants are accommodated aboard our traditionally rigged Tall Ship in a dorm style crew mess setting. It is fairly tight quarters. Washroom facilities are functional but not beautiful.

    Are meals provided? Yes.

    Is Brigs Youth Sail Training technology free? Yes. The use of personal cell phones is not permitted while on board the ship, but are allowed during time on shore for communication with friends and family. While aboard, all cell phones will be stored by the captain for safe keeping.



    Rentals & Services

    Offers outdoor education program for schools or corporate groups: Yes
    Operating sail training programs since 1963, Brigs can deliver a range of experiences which challenge youth and adults alike to learn new skills, build confidence, work as a team and have an adventure! By booking TS Playfair on one of our Group rates you will experience life on a Tall Ship. From the time you set foot on board, you will be a working member of the vessel's crew: standing watch, handling sail, steering the ship and living on board. To inquire about group bookings, contact our office at [email protected]

    Available for private rentals: Yes
    Operating sail training programs since 1963, Brigs can deliver a range of experiences which challenge youth and adults alike to learn new skills, build confidence, work as a team and have an adventure! By booking TS Playfair on one of our Group rates you will experience life on a Tall Ship. From the time you set foot on board, you will be a working member of the vessel's crew: standing watch, handling sail, steering the ship and living on board. To inquire about group bookings, contact our office at [email protected]



    Associations

    Ontario Camps Association Associations
  • What's New

    Stories

    • Comments from Trainees (campers) after their Tall Ship Adventure

      "I thought all the staff were helpful and good natured. They demonstrated their knowledge in a clear fashion along with good leadership and organizational skills."

      "I liked my course very much. I liked the fact that I was able to help steer and maneuver the boat. I enjoyed the people I met along the way. I found that the ship's staff were very helpful and friendly. Their skills and combined efforts made it into a great trip."

      "I really loved the whole experience. I love sailing and thought that going aloft was really awesome! I also liked that we really helped crew the ship. I thought that the crew were all really amazing and helpful. Food was really good. I want to come back and will recommend it to a friend."

      "It was fun times and lots of work, I loved the people and going and doing something I'd never done before."

      "I think the course was great. Although challenging at times, it taught us about teamwork and trust. My favourite part was the staff, how funny and easy-going they were. Petty Officers were great at what they did, Watch Officers were great leaders. They taught us and prepared us rightfully for what was to be thrown at us."

      "I would DEFINITELY recommend Toronto Brigantine to friend."

      "Best trip ever! You guys shouldn't change a thing, good job, I'll miss you all!" "I would recommend the Toronto Brigantine to a friend because it's fun and always exciting."

      "It was amazing, I learned so much, can't wait for more. Everyone was super nice and awesome."

      "Officers were very good, funny, very knowledgeable and good at sailing."

      "The staff was always there to help out and willing to teach you things you didn't know. They all had great leadership skills and each one was respectful and enjoyable to be around. The crew made the trip a great and fun experience, the food was also great!"

      "I definitely would recommend this to a friend, it's a great experience and I would love to come back."

      "I have definitely become a stronger person and made a lot of friends, which was nice."



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