RBYC Sailing Courses

Sea Squirts:

In the Summer Programme, RBYC will be offering a “Sea Squirts” sailing course. This “fun with boats” course is an opportunity for younger children to enjoy time on the water and learn the basics of sailing. Each day the children will participate in a different activity and craft to do with the water. This program is aimed at 5 and 6 year old children, the focus is not to learn how to sail, more about giving the kids more confidence and getting them ready to jump in a boat with no fear ready for Learn to Sail.
 

Start Sailing (Getting Afloat):

This is also a Summer program, aimed at 6 and 7 year old children who had previously done at least one week of the Sea Squirts. Children won’t be focused on learning how to sail, but will have a more detailed introduction into the sport. The children will go on the boats with the sails just a few times and only when the weather is favourable.

Level 1 (Getting Afloat 2):

This program is for minimum 8 year old children. 7 year old children can join if they completed the Start Sailing Intro courses during the summer and provided both parents and coaches believe the children are mature enough for this course. If children are 14 years or older, or they have already grown out of an Optimist, we recommend they take this course in RBYC’s 420 boats. On this level children will learn the basis of sailing and at the end of it; they will be able to handle a boat on their own (if the wind is not too strong) and recognize the different points of sail.

Level 2 (Confidence and skills):

This course is for those sailors who had completed the Learn to sail course. There is no age
requirement for this course; the only requirement is to know how to sail. During this course,
sailors will improve their sailing skills and the goal is to make sure their boat handling improves so they can sail in any weather conditions and they can adjust their sail to the different points of sail. At the end of this level the sailors will be introduced to racing and the Green Fleet.

Level 3 (Confidence and experience in more wind with one eye on racing):

This course is for those sailors who had completed the Level 2 course at least twice and are
willing to improve their sailing and racing skills by making the most of their training sessions. During this course, sailors will improve their skills even more, we need to make sure their boat handling keeps improving and the aim is to teach them some racing techniques. By working on racing techniques, sailors will learn how to have full control of their boat and how to go fast in any sailing conditions. Optimist sailors in this group should develop into accomplished Green Fleet sailors.

Level 4 - The RBYC Racing Group (Preparation for Combined Clubs Racing)

Once the sailors have done at least one year of Level 3 mixed in with some racing and the coach thinks they are ready, he/she will move up to the RBYC Racing Group. As the demands for a racing sailor are quite tough, coaches will advise sailors and parents if the sailor is ready or not to join this level. The Racing courses are year round. Once a sailor became a racing sailor, we must provide him/her as much coaching as possible in order to help him/her, develop constantly in order to achieve his/her goals. These sailors will be encouraged to regularly race in the Combined Clubs Racing, the Optimist sailors should be racing in the Gold or Silver Fleet depending upon their level of expertise.