About

Welcome to the Macatawa Bay Junior Association

The Macatawa Bay Junior Association (MBJA) was founded in 1982 by a group of local sailors to promote junior sailing for both members of Macatawa Bay Yacht Club and the Holland community. The program started with a couple of borrowed sailboats and without an instructor boat. Over the years the MBJA has grown with the help and financial support of the Holland sailing community. Graduates of the MBJA learn-to-sail program have joined the US Optimist Dinghy International Travel Team, competed internationally in the Laser Radial and 420 class, and become collegiate All-Americans. However, the most significant impact of our program is the number of kids who graduate with sound water-safety fundamentals and a life-long love of water and sailing.

Looking forward, the future of the MBJA is bright. The chairman of the board of directors, Steve Sisson, is an early graduate of the program, illustrating the value of investing in junior sailing. The Senior Instructor, Marie Mell, leads 4 US SAILING certified instructors who provide instruction to approximately 120 students per summer. In addition to learn–to-sail instruction, the MBJA fields “Team Macatawa,” a sailing team that competes in regional events during the summer. The MBJA currently maintains a fleet of 15 Optimist Dinghys, 4 Club 420s, 7 JY 15s and 5 instructor boats. Planning is underway for the construction of a new Junior Sailing Center including class room, administrative, and maintenance space, to be operational in 2012. Through the MBJA, the future of sailing is assured – one kid at a time.