Sailing camp is a priceless experience to those lucky enough to discover its existence in Colorado. There is not much that compares to the feeling of freedom and independence that comes with sailing. Learning how to “drive” years before ever getting a license is an incredible confidence booster. The feeling of a fresh summer breeze powering your adventure builds a better understanding of and respect for the environment around you. It’s understandable why our campers love to come back every year, and in some cases, pursue sailing even further. That is the case with one of Community Sailing’s summer camp alumnus, Tyler Del Ciotto, who staked out a career in his passion for sailing.
Tyler started sailing only after moving to Colorado from the East coast. He latched onto his sister’s dream of becoming a pirate and made it his own. Starting camp at 6 years old, he grew up in our summer programs. During the school year he would participate in weekly sailing practice sessions, and once he mastered the advanced programs the next summer, he became a Junior Sailing Instructor in Training (JSIT).
After mastering sailing himself, Tyler convinced his family to sail as well, and they eventually purchased a Catalina 18. He admitted to his family’s newfound obsession, “You walk around our home in the middle of the mountains, and you see anchors and photos of our boat and our family’s old sailboats, and it looks like a house that you just picked up off of the beach in New Jersey and just brought out to Colorado. It has completely changed my family culture.”
During his search for a higher education, Tyler knew that he wanted to serve his country somehow. Naturally, he included sailing opportunities in his research. He was drawn back to the coast by his passion and was set on keeping it intact. “Part of the thing I was looking into with the Naval Academy as opposed to Air Force, West Point, or any of the other Service Academies is they have the offshore sailing team, and I knew about that going in.” It seemed clear at that point where Tyler was meant to go: the Naval Academy.
At the Naval Academy, they offer multiple sailing programs to choose from:
- Basic Sail Training
- Offshore Sailing (keelboats: 26 ft and 44 ft)
- Intercollegiate Sailing (dhinghies: 420s/lasers)
- Command and Seamanship Training
For Tyler, seeing those keelboats at the dock – a full fleet of beautifully painted 44 footers – it was love at first sight. He eagerly jumped at the opportunity to sail offshore for the first time, quickly signing up for the offshore sailing team.
“They brought me on as a plebe skipper, which is very rare because it’s not very often that you have a freshman, who’s able to then go over and lead a boat. I got to have my own boat, and I taught that crew how to sail over the summer.”
Tyler’s experience as a JSIT at CSC really came in handy when it was time for him to train his own crew. When asked how he would describe teaching other plebes, he stated that it was “pure leadership.” When JSITing, the common experience as a 13 year old is that sometimes you are teaching campers who are older than you. Tyler reflects that because of this, “You have to learn how to humble yourself and just teach people how to [sail] in a manner that they’re able to understand regardless of their age or their respect for you.”
At times, the question came up about his sailing origins. Many were shocked to learn that his background in the sport existed within the backdrop of the Colorado mountains. He remembered conversations he had with peers, “I was made fun of at first for being a sailor from a landlocked state, and now people have learned, ‘Oh, maybe I should give Colorado sailing a try.’” But at the end of the day, due to sailing in the unpredictable Colorado waters, he was well equipped for whatever came his way. “I had so much more of an upper hand because I understood where to constantly be watching for the wind, where the wind will shift. Having that background in mountain sailing helps so much.” Well, you know what they say…
“If you can sail in Colorado, you can sail anywhere!”
As he progressed through his plebe summer at the Naval Academy, Tyler participated in several races and regattas, including the Junior Varsity Offshore Sailing (JVOS) Regatta – where he and his crew won first place. The regatta was especially difficult due to a lull in the wind, something Colorado sailor, Tyler, was all too familiar with. “Having the experience of sailing at CSC helped me so much when it came to sailing out further into the bay.” He also competed in two separate races on the 44 foot keelboats aside from the JVOS Regatta, gaining tons of experience along the way.
The next big adventure Tyler has to look forward to is a lengthy offshore sailing race alongside other collegiate sailing teams, starting from Newport to Bermuda, immediately preceded by the New York Annual Regatta. Wow, that’s a busy schedule!
We are so excited to see where Tyler goes next. It is an honor for Community Sailing to have played a role in such an inspiring journey. In Tyler’s words, “Without getting into sailing in the first place, I mean, my life would be completely different… It’s something that I can do for the rest of my life.”
