Confidence, self-reliance and independence. Those are just three of the life skills learned when sailing.

And what better place to learn than in the waters surrounding Hawaii?

The Hawaii Youth Sailing Association is the umbrella organization overseeing the youth programs offered by Oahu yacht clubs. Thanks to Hawaii’s ideal conditions, sailing classes are offered nearly year-round, with regattas leading up to national qualifying events.

This year’s qualifier is the USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival, scheduled for July 9-13, off Waikiki, co-hosted by Hawaii and Waikiki yacht clubs. Champions in single-, double- and triple-handed divisions will advance to U.S. Sailing’s Chubb Junior Championships off San Francisco.

As in many youth sports, competing at the nationals is a goal. But where to begin and how to develop?

Some of the current sailors were introduced to the sport through their parents, who belonged to a yacht club. Others discovered it through coaches and friends who suggested it as a complementary sport to paddling, kayaking and surfing.

And others are attending an Interscholastic League of Honolulu school that offers sailing. The ILH is the only high school league in Hawaii that sponsors the sport. The ILH competes nationally under the aegis of the Inter-Scholastic Sailing Association.

“Some of our sailors do all three of the sports (kayaking, paddling, sailing) in high school,” said former UH sailor Guy Flemming, the sailing director for Waikiki Yacht Club the past 29 years. “It gives them that experience on the water that makes them better at all water sports. Working with boats that are bigger than you breeds tremendous confidence.

“And there’s quite a bit of teamwork involved, on and off the water. The other day, we had to un-rig seven boats and, with everyone working together, we did it in 10 minutes. That was one of the fastest un-riggings I’ve seen.”

As with all activities, there are expenses. For example, a Hawaii Yacht Club introductory three-hour class is $115.

However, membership in a yacht club or owning a boat is not an HYSA requirement.

“What I enjoy is seeing the young people grow as they gain confidence being on the water, especially deep water,” said Scott Malander, HYC’s sailing director since 1994.

“There are so many factors involved, with weather, wind and waves,” added Kaneohe Yacht Club sailing director Jesse Andrews, a former UH sailor and current assistant coach. “You learn to overcome frustrations and how to depend on yourself, trust in yourself.

“There are very few coed sports and this is one of them. It’s about skill and that is an equalizer.”

Case in point. At last Saturday’s regatta at Hickam, female Kukii Falahee-Walker won the seven-boat Laser B division and was third overall out of more than 30 entries. Mid-Pac student Aaron Kiyotoki was second to Punahou’s Falahee-Walker in the division. His parents are sailors and he got into the sport six years ago.

“I like being on the water, having different experiences in different conditions,” said the 15-year-old, who is also a competitive swimmer. “You learn something every time. It’s something fun and different.”

Lindsey Andrade joked that when her sailing parents first put her in classes “it was sort of like for day-care,” the 17-year-old Punahou student said. “But then it became fun and now I love it.”

Last summer, she and skipper Dylan Ale advanced to the U.S. championships where they placed ninth in the double-handed C420 division.