The Treasure Island Sailing Center is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to improve our community and the sport of sailing by providing access, facilities, and sailing instruction to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, skill levels, and physical abilities.

The TISC youth outreach program began with 10 girls from the Life Learning Academy–a charter High School on Treasure Island and an affiliated program of the Delancey Street Foundation. Outreach program classes focused on teamwork while building communication and leadership skills through learning how to sail. Within a couple of years TISC’s youth program grew to include over 230 kids through summer, after school, and weekend programs. Over 80% of the children participate on full scholarships and come to TISC from a variety of youth outreach programs from the city of San Francisco and the Bay Area. Within four years of TISC’s inception the summer program included over 400 children, and fall and spring orientations and classes included 250 more.

In 2002, TISC also started an adaptive sailing outreach program offering introductory classes for disabled kids and adults, and advanced training for teams attempting to qualify for the 2004 Paralympic Sailing Team. These programs strive to offer physically disabled individuals the chance to compete as equals, demonstrate their independence, and free them of their wheel chairs. This program has been incredibly inspiring to all who are a part of it. In 2003 TISC began to offer sailing orientations to adults who had never sailed before, and in 2004 TISC organized adult sailing clinics. The adult clinics include small keelboat certifications and dinghy sailing instruction and are offered in conjunction with the San Francisco Sea Scouts.

TISC was inspired and implemented by a group of long time sailboat racers who strive to make a difference in the sport of sailing–especially here on San Francisco Bay. It is no surprise then, TISC has been host to a number of highly competitive events–many of which are organized by neighboring yacht clubs such as the St. Francis, Golden Gate, and San Francisco Yacht Clubs. The location of TISC is reason enough for fleets to want to race there, but the good cause that it supports is certainly the biggest advantage. Racing began with the Olympic Trials in 2000, and has included the 2000 Vanguard 15 North Americans, the 2002 Vanguard 15 Nationals, the 2003 Vanguard 15 National Team Race Championship, the 2002 High School National Championships, the 2001 Collegiate PCC s in 2001, and the 2003 Hinman U.S. Team Racing Championships. It is our hope that within a few years, every weekend at TISC will be filled with sailors eager to improve their racing skills, training for an event, or teaching others about racing sailboats.

Treasure Island is on lease to the City of San Francisco from the U.S. Navy while final studies and remediation is completed, at which time the Treasure Island will be given to the City of San Francisco. The City of San Francisco, under the direction of the Treasure Island Development Authority, has given various sub term leases to the Treasure Island Sailing Center Foundation since 1998. 

The Treasure Island Sailing Center Foundation is responsible for all fundraising activities, program development, and facility development plans associated with the Treasure Island Sailing Center. Many volunteers are dedicated to this project, and are eager to continue its success in making sailing easily accessible to the entire Bay Area community.