Colorado Watersports Brings Sailing to the Forefront in Denver

Colorado might seem like an unlikely place to learn how to sail, but Colorado Watersports is working to put the sport on the map in the Centennial State.

After offering adult sailing programs for 30 years, Colorado Watersports began offing youth sailing classes as well, in hopes of expanding the sport.

“We set up Colorado Watersports to entice as many people, particularly young people, to learn to sail,” said owner Jim Cook. “Denver is about as far away from the ocean as you can get. Our ultimate aim is to get sailing onto the radar, and to make it more accessible for everyone in Colorado.”

Colorado Watersports is located on the southeastern shore of Chatfield Reservoir – Roxbourough Cove – in Chatfield State Park. The reservoir, whose source is the South Platte River, is one of Denver’s main fresh water supplies.

Six Topaz Unos are a part of the fleet, chosen for their quality and versatility.

“We wanted a high quality boat that we could use to teach people of varying abilities how to sail,” explained Cook. “The perfect thing about Topaz is that we can easily tone it down for beginners, but with a more experienced crew, this same boat can go fast!”

Cook and his team believe sailing is a great way to each fundamental life skills.

“The importance of quality leadership, of spatial awareness and independence are second to none on a sailboat. Watching the children enjoy the responsibility of controlling their own vessel, totally on their own, is wonderful and so unique,” he explained.

“Learning the importance of knowing what is around you is a crucial skill that sailing teaches kids, which inevitably will come into play when they learn to drive a car.
When kids learn to sail they experience the effects of good teamwork and leadership. The better their teamwork – the faster they go!” said Cook.

For more information, follow Colorado Watersports on Facebook