The Comprehensive Mom Audit
1. Program Focus & Daily Activities
Coast Guard Certified Skippers, Saltmarsh Ecology & Paddleboard Expeditions in Darien. Designed for Ages 6 to 15. The sailing & marine ecology programming has real bright spots, but the daily schedule felt inconsistently paced during our visit. (per our Darien visit, est. 1977) Sessions run 2 to 8 Weeks, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily.
2. Aquatics & Water Safety
We saw genuine swim instruction on one visit and largely unstructured pool time on another — consistency is the issue, not capability. (per our Darien visit, est. 1977)
3. Staffing & Supervision Standards
Camper-to-counselor ratios sit at 1:4 (Boats), 1:6 (Shore Labs). Staff at Starboard Junior Yachting Academy lean young, and supervision quality depended heavily on which specific counselor was on duty.
4. Logistics, Transportation & Catering
Carline at Starboard Junior Yachting Academy was disorganized during our visit, and we heard mixed reports on how consistently allergy protocols are enforced.
Tuition Range: $1680 – $1930 / week
👍 What We Loved
- Campus has decent shade coverage, which matters more than it sounds (per our Darien visit, est. 1977)
- When the 1:4 (Boats) ratio held, supervision quality was genuinely good (per our Darien visit, est. 1977)
- Facilities are adequate for Ages 6 to 15, even if not impressive (per our Darien visit, est. 1977)
⚠️ What to Consider
- Billing questions we raised took longer than they should have to get answered (per our Darien visit, est. 1977)
- We heard mixed reports on how allergy protocols are actually enforced (per our Darien visit, est. 1977)
- Staff turnover mid-summer disrupted bunk continuity for several families (per our Darien visit, est. 1977)