Introduction to Racing
"Can Sail Can't Race"
Aim: The aim of the course is to take people who have previously acquired basic sailing skills (equivalent to RYA Level 2), to give them the skills to take part successfully in club racing and obtain the RYA “Start Racing” certificate.
So if you are a member who struggles to get around a course, or who is not confident enough to join in a race, then this is the course for you.
When: The course will last four days and will be held on:
Where: Rickmansworth Sailing Club
Objectives:
Revise the skills/requirements needed for the RYA Level 2 course relevant to inland sailing
- Rig a boat and reef a shore
- Tie bowline, clove hitch, reef knot
- Five essentials: sail setting, balance, trim, course made good and centreboard, sail using all points of sailing
- Leaving/return to jetty
- Dangers: lee shore, sailing in company, man overboard
- Launch and recovery
- Capsize recovery
- How a sail works, no-go-zone
- Beaufort Wind Scale
- . Clothing and equipment
Complete the requirements for the RYA Start Racing course
- Physical preparation: food as fuel, keeping hydrated
- Boat preparation: how to rig a racing dinghy, tuning guides
- Boat handling: use of 5 essentials, mark rounding
- Boat speed: sail adjustment
- Teamwork
- Strategy and meteorology: forecasts, gusts and lulls
- Racing rules: introduction to rules and right of way
- Tactics
- Starting
- . Take part in three club races