500 Sails Executive Director Milton “Jun” Coleman, left, teaches Lalayak students how to secure a knot.
(500 Sails) — Four students of Lalayak (sailing) Cohort 7 received their graduation certificates at Guma Sakman in Susupe across from MHS around on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. The graduates are Blaine Goldman, India Goldman, Anna Rose Deleon Guerrero, and Lianalynn Muna.
Lalayak Cohort 7 is 500 Sails’ seventh sailing cohort but the first in collaboration with NMC’s Community Development Institute. CDI Program Manager, Geraldine Sasamoto and 500 Sails have worked hard to make this Lalayak course a possibility.
About the Lalayak course
First, a pre-requisite swim test must be passed before a student can partake in a Lalayak course. There is a swim test (400 m) and water tread test (one hour). The swim test is untimed and the distance is from Guma Sakman to the first tank and back. Goggles and swim caps are the only swim tools allowed during the test. Any swim stroke may be used but feet may not touch the ground. Participants should have basic swim skills; if unable to swim, they should join one of 500 Sails free swim classes at least one month before the swim test. The four graduates of this cohort successfully passed the swim prerequisite.
Land and sea classes usually start a week after the swim test. Land classes are classroom style and cover pertinent information needed to understand basic sailing and safety. Sea classes are hands-on so students can take the knowledge learned and put it into practice. After eight classes, students are required to do ten practice sails with an instructor monitoring and hone their newly learned sailing skills.
After eight lessons and ten practice sails, there is a written final test and final sailing test. Upon successful completion of the final tests, students graduate and receive a certificate of completion.
Future courses
The next course from 500 Sails in collaboration with CDI will be the Basic Traditional Navigation – Module I. The class will be taught by Master Navigator Mario Benito. It will be an eight-session course, meeting every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. beginning February 18. Registration for this course will be announced soon. This is a very popular course so don’t wait to register!
More information will be provided in the upcoming days. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the Traditional Navigation or Lalayak courses, contact 500 Sails at (670)323-7245, or email info@500Sails.org/. Please also be on a lookout for the Community Calendar where courses and program activities are posted.
About 500 Sails
500 Sails is a 501(c)(3) and CNMI tax-exempt nonprofit organization dedicated to reviving, promoting, and preserving the maritime cultural traditions of the Mariana Islands through community engagement in canoe cultural values and activities. 500 Sails’ vision is a healthy thriving native community that has successfully integrated traditional cultural values into modern life. Major supporting partners include the CNMI Office of Indigenous Affairs and IT&E.
