Sailing Program
Sailing Instructor Team: Liam Faudree, Linnhe Thompson, Ryan Montgomery, Matthew Falvey
Junior Commodore: Russell Merchant
Junior Vice Commodore: Tatum West
All Sailing Lessons are billed on a weekly or season basis.
Daily rates are only available for private lessons.
Sailing Requirement:
All sailors must pass a swim test in order to participate.
Age Requirement:
All sailors must be age 8 or older to participate.
Required Equipment:
life jacket (PFD), sailing shoes (closed-toe)
New options have been added to the program so that recreational sailors, motivated competitors and aspiring keelboat sailors, all may have a rewarding summer experience.
New: FJ Beginner is for Juniors who may have sailed Optis and/or due to age and size restrictions may not qualify for Opti classes. These students are interested in recreational/ non racing sailing. No experience is necessary.
Class Descriptions
OptiDinghy: Sailor’s ages from 8 to 13 years old
Opti Beginner 9:00 -12:00
No experience necessary. Lessons start with two students per boat, and then the instructor will move them to one student per boat. Once comfortable with single-handled under a variety of sailing conditions, may move up to intermediate level (typically after two years as beginner)
Skills:
The parts of the boat and other sailing nomenclature
Rigging the Opti
Safety onboard and on the water
Sail trimming
Tacking and gybing
Sailing upwind and downwind
Capsize recovery
Opti Intermediate 9:00 -12:00
Must have satisfied Opti beginner instruction, be comfortable in sailing single-handed under all conditions, and have recommendation from instructor
Students learn and practice fundamental sailing skills and continue developing confidence in boat handling. Student will learn to simultaneously control tiller and sails.
Skills:
Sailing nomenclature
Knot-tying
Rig & derig independently
Upwind and downwind boat handling
Water safety awareness
Basic rights of way on the water and racecourse
Racing starts
Sailing around a racing course
Opti Advance 1:30-4:30
For Juniors, whose primary interest is racing. Students have to be eligible for Regatta competitions (11 + years old) and feel very confident handling an Opti under all sailing conditions. They must be recommended by the Instructor. These are the students that want to primarily compete in sail out racing.
Skills:
Upwind sailing and hiking
Rigging and trimming for speed
Racing rules
Racing starts
Racing tactics
Regatta preparation
FJ sailor’s ages span from 12 to 17 years old
FJ Beginner 9:00 -12:00
No experience necessary. This is a non racing class. Starts by emphasizing skills that may have been learned in Opti classes or introducing these skills. This class will focus on recreational sailing and emphasize seamanship and sailing, to and from a destination; docking at the islands, wind patterns, weather, etc.
Skills:
Sailing nomenclature
Safety onboard and on the water
Sail trimming
Tacking and gybing
Sailing upwind and downwind
FJ Intermediate 1:30-4:30
Starts by reinforcing all skills learned in Opti classes. Then, students will learn to sail all positions double-handed dinghy. They will alternate skipper and crew assignments.
Seamanship and basic racing skills and rules are introduced.
The class will focus on rules, tactics, crew work and teamwork.
Skills:
Rigging with spinnaker and jib
Handling a spinnaker
Sail trim and controls aboard a sloop
Skipper and crew teamwork
Seamanship
Introduction to fleet and team racing, principles and practice
FJ Advance, Racing Team 1:30-4:30
Students are avid sailors; they will learn racing techniques, rules and tactics. They will practice starts, and course sailing, both as fleet sailing and team sailing.
Extra Seminar
In addition to our regular scheduled classes, we are including Keelboat Crew Introduction & Keelboat Crew Advance seminars for those students interested in becoming crew. This will be based upon interest & skill of the student along with instructor recommendation. This seminar will be defined based on interest and other considerations. Tentative schedule: Every Friday during “Advance” lessons, after the first three weeks of the program have been completed.
**The Juniors who are interested in participating in Saturday’s Senior Program will find of interest the Keelboat Crew (introduction) and Keelboat Crew (advance) seminars.
Keelboat Crew, introduction (Pre requisite for Keelboat Crew Advance)
This seminar is intended for those sailors interested in becoming crew in the Senior Program, J22 and J24 boats. Students will learn the name and function of all lines, the rigging, how to prepare the boat to go out sailing, how to race and dowse the sails, sail trimming. Crew positioning onboard, moving around thru a tack or a gibe, what to observe and what to communicate to the skipper. Handling of spinnaker, gibing and dowsing. Picking up a mooring buoy, securing the mooring line.
Keelboat Crew, advance
This seminar is intended for those students that have successfully completed Keelboat Crew introduction.
Topics that will be covered:
During the start sequence: What to look for, where to look, how to communicate with skipper.
Racing Upwind: Sail trimming, looking for wind, boat balance, moving around the boat, tacking and roll tacking, rounding the mark.
Racing downwind: Sail trimming, boat balance, moving around the boat, looking for wind, gibing, dowsing.
Sailing Instructions & Rules. Tactics.