Wind buffets the sail and pushes the dark water into a frenzy, spraying over the bow of the ship and onto its crew. Corbyn Haley stands at the helm as gusts of wind continue to assault the sailboat, holding on tight as it almost keels over. Undeterred by the weather conditions, Haley stands smiling, feet planted, as lines and pulleys activate all around.
Over this past summer, junior Corbyn Haley joined Outbound Sailing, an American Sailing Association (ASA) accredited school based in Lake Travis. Since then her passion for sailing has bloomed, and she has grown her skill through weekly practices on the water.
“It’s very relaxing feeling the wind while sailing,” Haley said. “My favorite part is when the whole boat tips over and I feel like I’m going to fall off, but won’t actually. It feels very risky and thrilling, but also calming.”
Haley started sailing with the idea of pursuing a career in the United States Coast Guard. Her father was a pilot in the military, and has prompted her to join the military as well. Haley prefers the water over the idea of flying a plane, which led her to the Coast Guard and sailing in preparation for the future career.
“It would be cool to go into the Coast Guard to save people or go after them on a boat,” Haley said. “It’d be fun, and I’d get to serve the country too, but for good causes. I wouldn’t be hurting people but I’d be there to rescue them.”
At Outbound Sailing, Corbyn participates in “community sails” during which large groups of sailing students go out on a boat for around four hours and learn the ways of the boat. They take place every Friday and Saturday, and Haley is the only high schooler on the team of adult sailing students.
“We start simple, learning how the wind works, what all the lines and sails do, and how to keep the boat balanced and moving,” Outbound Sailing owner Jason Burns said. “From there, students start taking the wheel, hoisting sails, tacking, jibing, all the hands on stuff. Every day we add more skills, and by the end they’re running the boat like a real crew.”
Burns is also the lead instructor for Outbound Sailing, teaching the “community sails.” The goal is to achieve a certain amount of hours on the water to gain different sailing certifications, with Haley already working on her second. So far she has completed her “ASA 101: Basic Keelboat Sailing,” with other certifications including specialization in “Basic Coastal Cruising” and “Bareboat Sailing.”
“Corbyn was awesome to teach,” Burns said. “She showed up ready to learn, asked great questions, and picked things up super fast. She’s got really good instincts for how the boat moves, she feels what’s happening instead of just reacting. She stays calm, pays attention, and I can always count on her to do her part right.”
On the boat, trainees are expected to help with activities like raising and lowering sails based on wind direction to maintain speed, manage different lines (ropes), and steer at the helm. Sailing is also at the whim of weather conditions, and sailors have to watch for wind, fog, and storms affecting the water and boat itself.
“There has to be an understanding about how wind works and why to do certain things, like tacking and jibbing, and I have to learn all the commands,” Haley said. “I honestly feel like a pirate. I have to learn how to do everything safely and properly, without hurting myself or accidentally doing something to damage the boat.”
In order to pursue her sailing dreams, Haley has had to balance her time on the water with her other big time commitments. Outside of sailing, Haley plays the guitar and bass in her band and is closely involved with the Bowie Starlight Theatre Company (STC). Fellow STC member junior Tilly Wooten has joined Haley in her sailing endeavors.
“At first I was really nervous, because the boat can tip really far and it feels like I’m going to fall off, but it’s never going to happen like that,” Wooten said. “It was scary at first but when we got to easy water it was pretty chill and beautiful, because we got to see the sunset. Corbyn was really proud of herself for her work then.”
This summer, Wooten tagged along with Haley during a community sail and got to see Haley put her newfound knowledge to use. Wooten’s grandfather is also a sailor, which helped Wooten prepare for the experience and a reason for her love for the activity.
“Sailing opens up new horizons,” Wooten said. “It lets people explore what they are capable of and what they can do. Corbyn is very dedicated to what she does, when she puts her mind to something, she always follows through with it and gets it done.”
Haley is currently working on her next certification, one that will qualify her to work on larger boats in moderate weather conditions as both a crew member and skipper, the person who leads the vessel and takes the helm. With a Coast Guard future in mind, she already believes in the positive effects of learning to sail and the impact it’ll have further in life.
“Sailing is one of those things that teaches you way more than just how to drive a boat,” Burns said. “You learn patience, teamwork, problem-solving, and how to stay calm when things don’t go exactly as planned. Plus, being out on the water is just an amazing reset from screens and stress. It’s freedom and focus all at once.”
