KINGSTON — Wednesday’s downpour combined with minimal wind didn’t exactly create ideal conditions for sailing in Appletree Cove.

Yet, for the kids involved with Kingston Sailing Camps, it was as good a day as any to be out practicing their maritime and sailing skills.

“I just like sailing,” said 13-year-old camper Ben Jones of Kingston. “And I just want to get better at sailing.”

For most of the summer, the camps — arranged through Poulsbo Parks and Recreation — have been ongoing for kids ages 8 to 18. This week’s afternoon sailing camp includes 14 students, who use either a single- or double-hand boat.

For instructor and NKHS graduate Jon Kelch, he can see many skills learned and also a life-long love created in teaching the sport to younger kids.

“We just want to show them that sailing is extremely fun and something you can do for the rest of your life,” said Kelch, who races for the University of Washington sailing team. “And have a lot of fun.”

Kelch teaches the sailing camp with fellow UW sailor Laurel Siegenthaler, who said although the camps carefully go through each aspect of sailing, competing is an emphasis, even early on.

“We review the basics and then go into racing,” she said. “There’s a difference between sailing and learning how to race.”

The Kingston summer camps have become a starting point for sailing newcomers in North Kitsap. Through the basic sailing lessons they receive each summer, students can begin rowing with the North Kitsap High School sailing team in ninth grade. After four years under coach Matt Mikkelborg as a Viking, they can go on from there — just as Kelch and six others have done — by racing at the UW.

The skills come easily because learning to sail is something they enjoy, many of the campers said. What followed was a lengthy list of new found skills by each youngster.

“I’ve gotten better at controlling the boat (this week),” commented 13-year-old camper Alan Weber of Poulsbo, in one such case. “And controlling the different types of boats we use.”

The first thing the instructors teach in the week is how to find wind indicators to find out how strongly and in what direction the wind is blowing.

From there, sail positioning is taught and by the end of the week, every student can sail a boat. Kelch said he hopes some of the students will come out for the NKHS team when they’re old enough.

“We’re trying to push these kids to be racers at the high school,” he said.

“Pirate Day” often concludes the camp, complete with sailing while also manning a large squirt gun to shoot other boats.