Summer Sailing Program – Ability Level Descriptions

Novice Sabot
This class will be taught in the US Sabot, with limited charters available. If you provide your own Opti we will provide room for you as well. There are no beginning Opti charters available.

This class is designed for children with little or no experience sailing a single handed dinghy. Students will learn basic dinghy sailing skills as well as basic seamanship. They will learn common sailing knots, the parts of the boat, and right-of-way rules. They will also learn the points of sail, basic tacking and gibing, and basic sail trim. Emphasis will be placed on proper boat handling and sail trimming technique.

Intermediate Sabot
This class is designed for children who have already learned the basics of single handed dinghy sailing. Students will learn new boat handling and sail trimming techniques. They will also learn more right-of-way rules and basic racing skills. Emphasis will be placed on proper boat handling and sail trimming, as well as proper use of the sailing rules.

Intermediate Opti/ Green Fleet
There are a limited number of Opti boats available for charter in this class. You will need to have had beginner sabot or opti experience for more than one summer before you are allowed to enroll in this class, along with an evaluation of boat handling skills. Students will learn new boat handling and sail trimming techniques. They will also learn more right-of-way rules and basic racing skills. Emphasis will be placed on proper boat handling and sail trimming, as well as proper use of the sailing rules. Intermediate Opti will be based off the same curriculum of the intermediate sabot class, but will be taught in a different context due to an Opti being an entirely different type of PRAM dinghy.

Racing Opti
This class is for the intermediate to advanced racer and will need qualification to enroll. Students will learn advanced boat handling and sail trimming techniques. Racing Opti's will be based off the same curriculum taught in Racing sabots, but will be taught in a different context due to an Opti being an entirely different type of PRAM dinghy.

Morning Sailing for Teenagers
This class is designed for older children (14 and up) who have passed Intermediate Sabot. Students will learn how to sail FJ's, as both a skipper and crew, or have the option to learn how to sail a laser by providing their own boat. They will learn boat handling and sail trimming skills as well as teamwork. Students will learn to trim a jib as well as use a spinnaker. This class will be focused towards those that have become too big to be sailing a sabot or opti and want to continue their sailing experience with hopes of becoming part of the year around race team.

Afternoon Race Team
This class is designed for our year around race team kids or children that have passed the morning FJ/laser class and have a desire to attend FJ or Laser regattas. Students will learn advanced boat handling and sail trimming techniques used in double handed dinghies. They will also learn advanced racing theory and advanced Racing Rules. Emphasis will be on proper boat handling, tactics and sail trimming technique, use and knowledge of the Racing Rules of Sailing, and racing theory. Kids participating in this class will be expected to attend the large youth regattas that take place during the summer such as, Junior Olympics, FJ Nationals, and Laser Nationals.

Please note that while dinghy sailing is mostly an individual sport, we will strive to teach teamwork and sportsmanship in all of our classes.