Head Instructor: Maclain Walsworth
Maclain found his love of sailing on Stony Lake many years ago and has been an avid sailor ever since. After being an SLYC race coach for the last three years, Maclain is excited to be taking on the role of Head Instructor! An active sailor year-round, he spends his winters as Co-President of the University of Victoria Sailing Club and the Team Development Officer for the Canadian Intercollegiate Sailing Association. With a background in competitive dinghy and keelboat racing, Maclain is passionate about fostering skill development as well as a love for the sport. He’s looking forward to a summer of great sailing, learning, and fun on Stony Lake!
Operations:
Stella Hong
Stella has enjoyed sailing every summer at Stony Lake since she was 8 years old and will begin studying engineering at Queen’s University this fall. After spending the last two summers refining her sailing skills on the race team, Stella is excited to return this summer as a sailing instructor and the SLYC Operations Manager for sailing. Stella is passionate about helping young athletes build confidence, improve their skills, and most importantly create a life-long love for sailing. As an experienced coach, having taught ski racing for 3 years, Stella wishes to use her expertise to create the best experience possible for young sailors. As Operations Manager, she looks forward to keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. She can’t wait for a great summer!
Race Coach:
Natalie Fear
Natalie is coming back for her second year at Stony this summer and is looking forward to coaching the SLYC Race Team. Natalie just finished her first year at Connecticut College where she is a skipper on the varsity sailing team (Go Camels!). Most of her competitive experience comes from the ILCA 6 (Laser radial), which she raced for 2 years before college, both nationally and internationally. With her background in fleet and team, as well as keelboat racing, Natalie is excited to bring her knowledge to the table and develop the Race Team further. Her love for sailing and coaching is what brought her to the amazing group at Stony, and she is so excited for this summer!
Race Coach:
Rocky
Walsworth
Rocky is returning to Stony Lake for a third summer of coaching, bringing both experience and energy to the program. After coaching the Opti Race Team last year, Rocky will be joining Natalie this summer as Race Coach, and is excited to help sailors continue to build confidence and competitive skill on the water. In the fall, Rocky will be heading to the University of Calgary to study biology, bringing his curiosity for the natural world to every part of life - including sailing. With a strong background in youth racing and a passion for mentorship, Rocky is looking forward to another summer of fun, growth and fast sailing on Stony!
Opti Race Coach:
Finn Kimsa
Finn has been sailing since the age of 8 and just wrapped up his first year at Dalhousie University, where he studies with the same focus he brings to the racecourse. Now in his third year of coaching, Finn is passionate about helping young sailors develop both skill and confidence on the water. Known for his energy, creativity, and love of the sport, Finn has a unique talent for turning a simple drill into an engaging (and often epic) learning experience. He’s always encouraging his sailors - sometimes with motivational speeches, sometimes with snacks, but always with genuine enthusiasm. Whether it’s shouting “starboard” or calling for “one more race” (which often turns into several), Finn brings dedication, humour, and a deep understanding of sailing to every season.
Opti Race Coach:
Cate Jacobs
Cate Jacobs grew up sailing on Stony Lake. At first, she was frightened by the power of the wind and even more scared to harness its strength. Over time, with the help of encouraging, compassionate and fun instructors, she learned to befriend the wind. She went from fearing white caps to wishing for them. Cate grew up a skipper, but in her last year of race team, she decided to give crew a chance and loved it. With her background and experience with sailing, her main goal as an instructor is to inspire, motivate, encourage and support young sailors to enjoy the sport and time out on the water. She loves using her creativity for hands-on lessons so sailors can learn concepts by doing.
