Sailing against major competition in a national event is good experience, regardless of age. Last week, a small contingent of Surf City Yacht Club youngsters were among the hundreds of sailors competing in the C420 National Championships in Newport, R.I., and while they didn’t finish among the top spots, they fared quite well considering the competition.

Racing as part of the blue fleet, Brielle Willoughby and Josh Zeelander finished 37th overall amid the 158-boat field, scoring a net 98 points…