What Manchester Sailing Association does

Manchester Sailing Association (MSA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community sailing organization founded in 1971 and headquartered at 15 Tucks Point Road in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, operating from facilities inside the Manchester Yacht Club on Manchester Harbor. The organization delivers structured sailing instruction for two primary customer segments: youth ages 7+ through the Summer Junior Sailing Program (JSP), and adults ages 18+ through the Adult Sailing Program (ASP), with a complementary Spring Sailing Program and an annual Green Regatta event. Its core product is tuition-based instruction rather than a technology asset, supported by a fleet of Optimist dinghies, Zim Prams, C420s, Ideal-18 keelboats, ILCA/Lasers, O'Pen Skiff, Laser Pico, and Laser Vago, plus need-based scholarships funded in part by The Hooper Fund.

MSA's business model is predominantly direct-to-consumer, with families and individuals registering through the Active.com platform on a per-session or per-season basis. Youth programs span four two-week summer sessions at $475–$1,500 per session/season, with race team participants also paying optional boat charter fees ($400 Opti, $800 C420); adult programs run $475–$650 per session. The pricing model is subscription/seasonal rather than annual subscription, with non-refundable tuition and multi-session discounts. Revenue is supplemented by donations processed via Square, community grants from supporters including The Hooper Fund, Crocker Land Company, and Seaport Hospital Foundation, and nominal scholarship disbursements of roughly $6,000 over four years.

Operationally, the organization runs lean: 15+ seasonal staff including a Program Director, Head Instructor, class coaches, and instructors, supplemented by an 11-member Board of Directors responsible for governance and fundraising. Technology use is limited to commodity SaaS (Active.com, Square, Google Calendar, Google Drive) for registration, donations, scheduling, and document sharing. The organization holds no patents, trademarks, or proprietary technology, and reports no institutional investors or venture funding.

Name

Manchester Sailing Association

Legal name

Manchester Sailing Association

Website

https://manchestersailing.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Manchester Sailing Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1971 that provides youth and adult sailing instruction in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, operating from the Manchester Yacht Club at Tuck's Point with a fleet of dinghies and keelboats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Instruction Services

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

Keywords

• Youth sailing instruction
• Adult sailing lessons
• Sailing race teams
• Community sailing programs
• Sailing education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Youth Sailing Program Tuition: Per-session tuition fees for Junior Sailing Program classes ranging from $475 to $1,500 per season depending on program level and equipment type.
2. Adult Sailing Program Tuition: Tuition fees for adult sailing classes including Learn to Sail Week ($525), Wednesday/Thursday Evening classes ($650), and Learn to Race ($475).
3. Donations and Annual Fund: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, and community partners supporting operations, program improvement, and scholarships.
4. Boat Charter Fees: Fees for chartering MSA boats for race team participants: $400 for Opti, $800 for C420.
5. Scholarship Fundraising: Contributions specifically directed to scholarship fund, with approximately $6,000 issued over four years from donors and The Hooper Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Manchester Sailing Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers sailing instruction programs for youth ages 7+ and adults ages 18+ in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts. The core offerings are the Summer Junior Sailing Program (multi-session classes from Sea Urchins through Race Teams) and the Adult Sailing Program (Learn to Sail Week, evening classes, Learn to Race), supported by a Spring Sailing Program, Green Regatta, Laser Racing Clinics, and need-based scholarships. Tuition ranges from $475 to $1,500 per session and includes use of MSA's fleet of boats.

Product overview

Manchester Sailing Association operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit community sailing organization offering a comprehensive suite of sailing education programs. The portfolio centers on two primary programs: the Summer Junior Sailing Program (JSP) providing youth sailing instruction across skill levels from Sea Urchins and Learn to Sail introductory classes through Beginner Opti/C420/ILCA, Adventure Sailing, Green Fleet Teams, and Race Teams; and the Adult Sailing Program (ASP) offering Learn to Sail Week, evening sailing classes, and Learn to Race programs using Ideal-18 keelboats. Supporting offerings include seasonal Spring Sailing, Laser Racing Clinics, the annual Green Regatta, and Youth Sailing Scholarships for financial assistance. The organization also provides boat charters for Race Team participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Green Regatta: Annual regatta hosted by Manchester Sailing Association for first-time Optimist and C420 racers, held at Manchester Yacht Club.
• Junior Sailing Program (JSP)
• Adult Sailing Program (ASP)

Products and services

• Summer Junior Sailing Program (JSP) Comprehensive summer sailing program for youth ages 7+ offering four two-week sessions with classes ranging from introductory Sea Urchins and Learn to Sail to advanced Race Team programs, operating Monday to Friday at Tuck's Point on Manchester Harbor.
• Adult Sailing Program (ASP) Year-round sailing instruction for adults ages 18+ including Learn to Sail Week, Wednesday and Thursday evening classes, and Learn to Race programs using MSA's fleet of Ideal-18 keelboats.
• Beginner ILCA Class Stand-alone beginner class in ILCA (formerly Laser) dinghies for youth sailors in the Junior Sailing Program, offered during Sessions 3 and 4.
• C420 Green Fleet Team Introductory racing team for C420 sailors who have outgrown the Optimist or demonstrated strong intermediate skills, teaching rules of racing, basic race tactics, and race-oriented boat handling, with participation in local regattas including MSA's Green Fleet Regatta.
• Afternoon Beginner Opti Class Section Afternoon Beginner Opti class section for Summer 2026 Junior Sailing Program, available 3 to 6 PM during Sessions 1 and 2, supplementing morning and midday offerings.
• Spring Sailing Program Spring season sailing program with Saturday classes including Saturday Sailing for Kids, Saturday Sailing for Teens, and Race Pre-Season Training for Opti and C420 teams.
• Sea Urchins Introductory sailing class for the youngest Junior Sailing Program sailors, designed as a precursor to Learn to Sail, with multiple sections offered during each session.
• Learn to Sail (Youth) Entry-level sailing class for first-time Junior Sailing Program sailors introducing fundamental sailing skills, promoting sailing safety, and fostering a passion for the sport.
• Beginner Optimist (Opti)

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Summer at BrookwoodcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 January 2025New partnership announced January 2025 offering transportation between locations for participants enrolled in both programs. Brookwood School provides bus shuttle service at midday between locations. MSA offers 10% discount to Brookwood campers who have never learned to sail before. Partnership enables families to participate in both camp programs with coordinated transportation.
• Manchester Yacht ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Manchester Green Fleet Regatta and other events. MSA main office is located within the Manchester Yacht Club at Tuck's Point. Programs operate from this shared waterfront location on Manchester Harbor.
• US SailingsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNational governing body for sailing. MSA encourages all families to register as members. US Sailing membership offers perks and discounts on sailing gear.
• United States Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNational class organization for Optimist sailing offering information on regattas and competitive Opti sailing.
• International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Opti class organization providing information about international competition.
• Club 420 AssociationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNational class organization for C420 sailing offering resources and regatta information.
• International Laser Class Association (ILCA)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Laser class organization providing information on Laser sailing and international competition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• US Sailing: National governing body for sailing in the United States; MSA participates in its member program and is affiliated through USODA, IODA, Club 420, and ILCA class associations.

Direct peers

• Courageous Sailing: Boston-based community sailing organization offering youth and adult learn-to-sail and racing programs on Boston Harbor, directly comparable to MSA's youth and adult sailing curricula.
• Sail Newport: Newport, RI-based community sailing school operating junior, adult, and racing programs in a waterfront club setting, directly comparable to MSA's program structure and target market.
• Pleon Yacht Club: Marblehead, MA yacht club offering youth sailing programs including Club 420 and Opti racing, with team-race pathways directly comparable to MSA's youth racing curriculum.
• Community Boating Inc. Boston-based public sailing center on the Charles River offering year-round lessons and recreational sailing for youth and adults, comparable to MSA's instructional and recreational sailing model.
• American Yacht Club: Rye, NY yacht club with an active junior sailing program including Opti, 420, and Laser race teams, comparable in youth racing scope and curriculum progression to MSA.
• J/World Annapolis: Performance sailing school in Annapolis, MD offering adult sailing instruction and racing clinics, comparable in offering to MSA's Adult Sailing Program (Learn to Sail, Learn to Race).
• Offshore Sailing School: Florida-based adult sailing school offering learn-to-sail and racing clinics, comparable to MSA's Adult Sailing Program (Learn to Sail Week, Evening Adult Sailing, Learn to Race).
• Hyannis Yacht Club: Cape Cod yacht club operating junior sailing and race team programs in a coastal Massachusetts setting, similar in scope, customer base, and seasonal model to MSA.

Others

• Manchester Yacht Club: Manchester-by-the-Sea yacht club that hosts MSA at Tuck's Point and co-hosts regattas; partner and shared-facility landlord rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/manchestersail
• Facebookfacebook.com/ManchesterSailing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manchester-sailing-association

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manchester Sailing Association