2021 Classes

IJS opens on Monday, June 21 and ends on Friday August 19

Classes are scheduled Monday thru Thursday. Starting at 9:15 am and ending at 4:15 pm.

There are six (6) weeks of full day and one (1) session of half day.

The 6 weeks of full day classes are Monday thru Thursday (9:15-4:15) And the one session of half day classes are 8 half days of either mornings (9:15 -12:15) or afternoons (1:15 – 4:15) June 21 to July 1 offers 8 half day classes Monday thru Thursday.

Please note that July 6 to July 9 (Tuesday thru Friday, because of the holiday) are full day classes starting at 9:15 am ending at 4:15 pm.

The one session of 1/2 day classes begins on Monday, June 21 and ends Thursday, July 1.
Morning classes begin at 9:15 am and end at 12:15 pm and are recommended for beginning sailors.
Afternoon classes start at 1:15 pm and end at 4:15 pm and are recommended for Intermediate and advanced sailors who have taken at least threebeginner classes.

Please note that the third week of July (approximately July 19) IJS will not have classes because we participate in Marblehead Junior Race Week.

Adult Evening Racing
If you are interested in Adult Evening Racing please contact us at [email protected] or 978-412-4412.

The Optimist Dinghy is a small 7’ 9” sailing craft for sailors age 8-12 and/or weighing less than 115 lbs.  Sailors who are 115 lbs or more are eligible to register for the C420 class.

Sailors in the OPTI class will learn small boat handling, water safety, seamanship, terminology, rigging, and confidence building skills. Students start out sailing in pairs with the goal to gain confidence and comfort in the boat. As students continue through the program there is an increased emphasis on sailing alone and improving performance techniques to get the most from their boat and themselves.

Opti Beginner
This class is an introductory class for young new sailors. Students start out sailing in pairs with the goal to end the class sailing independently. Students will learn rigging and basic sailing skills in a fun and hands on environment.  To participate students must be 8 years old in the calendar year.

Opti Intermediate
This class builds on the skills learned in Opti beginner.  Students will be sailing alone and continue to build on foundation skills (tacking, jibing, rigging).  It is recommended for most students to have completed Opti Beginner twice.

Opti Race Team
Racing students will be introduced to strong wind techniques, as well as performance sailing skills. There will be a focus on using body weight to accelerate the boat.  Racers will continue with more advanced instruction in racing rules, competitive starts, mark rounding, and fine tuning of their boat.  This is a two week afternoon class, starting at 1:15 pm and ending at 4:15 pm, Monday thru Thursday and Fridays will be regattas or free sail.

The C420 is a two man high performance dinghy at 13’9”with a centerboard, mainsail, jib, spinnaker, and trapeze. For sailors age 12-18 and weighing more than 115 lbs.  Sailors who are less than 115 lbs are eligible to register for an Opti class.

C420 have a skipper and a crew member in each boat; students will learn small boat handling, water safety, seamanship, terminology, rigging, and confidence building skills.  In addition to improving team work skills sailors will develop their communication skills while having fun.

420 Beginner
This class is for sailors new to the 420 or new to sailing. Students in this class will learn to both crew and skipper as well as rig and derig the club 420. Students will learn parts of the boat and learn basic on the water techniques.

420 Intermediate
This class is for sailors who have mastered the basics of 420 sailing and are ready to improve their 420 skills.  The focus will be hands on fun learning while gaining a confidence sailing upwind and down wind independently.

420 Race Team
Racing students will be introduced to strong wind techniques, as well as performance sailing skills.  There will be a focus on using body weight to accelerate the boat. To better sail in strong wind sailors will be taught how to use trapeze harnesses as a way to keep the boat flat.  In order to have better downwind sailing performance students will learn to set fly and douse the spinnaker. Racers will continue with more advanced instruction in racing rules, competitive starts, mark rounding, and fine tuning of their boat.  This is a two week afternoon class, starting at 1:15 pm and ending at 4:15 pm, Monday thru Thursday and Fridays will be regattas or free sail.

 

Sample One week Program

Monday: DAY 1

Learning Targets:

• Establish rules
• Learn about the local area (Part 1)
• Be comfortable/feel safe in boat
• Swim Check
• Capsize Recovery
• Parts of the Boat
• Where to sit in the boat
• Basic knots (8 knot, square knot, cleat)
• Basic Intro to Rigging
• Wind Direction
• Steering

Morning Session- 9:15 to 12:00

On Land

1. Introduce instructors and students to make sure everyone is comfortable.
2. Generate a list of rules that students will be expected to follow during the entire session. Explain swim test expectations
3. Explain capsize recovery expectations and why it is important

On the Water

1. Swim test
2. Apprentices/shadows rig one boat with students that will be used for capsize recovery drill
3. Review capsize recovery procedure
4. Each student will practice a capsize recovery

Lunch-12:00 to 12:30

Shore Class Session by Group-1230 to 1:00

Topic: What makes a boat float? Explorations of Archimedes Principle

Afternoon session 1:15 to 4:15

On Land

1. With charts of the area, introduce students to the natural history of the harbor. What land and waterways make up the harbor? Develop respect for the currents etc.
2. Explore tides and how they affect where we can sail and how we can sail.
3. Look at what different buoys and channel markers mean.
4. Draw Parts of Boat on white board and go over them. At the end, quiz students in a fun way to see what they have learned.
5. With Demo boat on land point out the key parts.
6. Basic sail trim/steering demo – use rudder/tiller on land to have students practice before going on the water.

On Water

1. In pairs, students will rig a boat with help from instructors/apprentices.
2. Apprentices demonstrate where to sit in the boat, how to hold the tiller, switching tiller/mainsheets, etc.
3. Each student will practice sitting in the boat as the skipper and crew and receive feedback from instructors.
4. Depending on conditions, practice sailing:
   1. Around the dock
   2. In the cove
   3. Any safe, open space where students have room to practice and learn

Debrief

Ask students to reflect in their journals on what they learned:

• What did we learn today?
• What would you like to practice more/what are you confused about?
• Questions and Answers

Tuesday: DAY 2

Learning Targets:

• Knot tying review (add bowline)
• Learn to rig on your own
• How to steer/trim sails effectively
• Tacking
• Learn about Local Area (Part 2)
• Wind direction and force
• Learn about tides and currents of Ipswich Harbor area
• Practice Docking by working with and understanding tide and current of the area

Morning Session- 9:15 to 12:00

On Land

1. Begin day with knots, quizzing each kid on the knot, if they cannot do one give further instruction.
2. Review parts of the boat through a matching game or on white board.
3. Explain and teach points of sail, (which POS is fastest, what can happen on a run, what happens in NGZ)
4. Go over steering and tiller direction

On Water

1. Review rigging, check to see who still needs further instruction and one-one help. *Note- many of the optis will need help with the steps of rigging well into the first week, we should try and eliminate this in the upcoming year.
2. Tow students behind boat without a sail for them to both practice using tiller and steering the boat (tiller towards trouble)
3. Depending on skills and conditions:
   1. Sail to cove, having students follow motorboats as a leader. Motorboats go in many different directions so students can learn what their sail should look like based on wind direction.
   2. Have an apprentice/shadow in a boat with students to sail with them and show them proper sail trim.

Lunch-12:00 to 12:30

Shore Class Session by Group-1230 to 1:00

Topic: Introduction to Navigation: Chartwork and the Compass

Afternoon session 1:15 to 4:15

On Land

1. Wind direction and force. Apparent Wind and True Wind. Identify reference point that all students use to assess wind direction and force.
2. Review points of sail, specifically focusing on close haul, close reach, broad reach, and run.
3. Draw up basic path of sailor tacking upwind, explain that this is how you sail upwind (zig zag pattern
4. Explain 3 steps to tacking
   1. Asking your partner if they are ready to tack?
   2. Tiller TOWARDS sail
   3. Duck

4. Docking: (10 min)
   1. Into the wind or (luff sails depending on what is going on with the wind and current)
   2. Slow down speed by using wind, current or both
   3. Do not crash into dock

On Water

1. Set an upwind mark and have sailors practice tacking
2. Tack on the whistle drills
3. Sail towards the dock and individually approach. Help each sailor with steps and make sure they are comfortable.

Debrief

Ask students to reflect in their journals on what they learned:

• What did we learn today?
• What would you like to practice more/what are you confused about?

 

Wednesday: DAY 3

Learning Targets:

• Master knots/parts of the boat
• Gybing
• Review tacking/gybing

Morning Session- 9:15 to 12:00

On Land

1. Review steps of tacking and how to sail upwind
2. Learn how to gybe:
   1. Ask your partner if they are ready to gybe
   2. Grab mainsheets
   3. Tiller away from sail
   4. DUCK
   5. Readjust or you will go in circles
3. Review knots and parts of the boat

On Water

1. Have sailors free sail around a specific area, drive up to them and have them gybe a couple of times so they have individual practice.
2. Set an upwind and downwind mark, have sailors practice tacking upwind, then gybing at the downwind mark.
3. Tack and gybe on the whistle.

Lunch-12:00 to 12:30

Shore Class Session by Group-1230 to 1:00

Topic: Impact of Climate Change on Ipswich Bay: A look at marine life and properties of the water column.

Afternoon session 1:15 to 4:15

On Land

• Environment and Pollution specific to Ipswich Waterways
• Review Tacking and Gybing

On Water

1. Sail around bay and work on skills
2. Set up mini race course and have the students begin getting competitive

Debrief

Ask students to reflect in their journals on what they learned:

• What did we learn today?
• What would you like to practice more/what are you confused about?

 

Thursday: DAY 4

Learning Targets:

• Sailor stewardship and responsibility

Morning Session- 9:15 to 12:00

On Land

• Review tacking and gybing and clarify any questions
• Talk about pollution in the ocean and on the beach
• Responsibility that sailors have to keep oceans and waterways clean

On Water

• Tack and Gybe on the whistle
• Follow the leader around the bay
• Set a course that includes tacking, gybing, upwind sailing
• Free sail and look for plastic to pick up

Lunch 12:00 to 12:30

Shore Class Session by Group-1230 to 1:00

Topic: The week in review: Reflection on knowledge gain and skills learned

Afternoon session 1:15 to 4:15

On Land

• Pirate day festivities

On Water

• Pirate day festivities
• Free sailing and cleaning up beach\

 

Friday: Day 5(Optional)

Learing Targets

Practice Sailing when boats are available and weather permits

Participate in Water Quality Project

Morning Session- 9:15 to 12:15

Sailing practice for interested sailors

Collect and evaluate water quality data from IJS collection boat.

 

 

Evaluation Rubrics

Summer 2021

 

Introduction

The evaluation form references expectations for student behavior and broad teaching and learning goals for each student depending on their level of experience. These goals include execution and understanding of General Skills, Boat Handling in light air or heavy and Advance Boat Handling and Racing Skills. The following details the specifics in each category:

1. General Skills

• Assessing wind direction and velocity
• Fundamentals of rigging and unrigging IJS sailboats
• Basic knots and line handling
• Rules of Road
• Boating safety and use of lifejackets

 

1. Boat Handing Skills in Light or Heavy Air

• Departure and Landing from dock or beach
• Helmsmanship
• Points of Sail
• Sail Trim
• Tacking and Gybing
• Capsize Recovery
• Overboard Recovery
• Safe and efficient boat handling under sail
• Proper distress signals

 

3. Advanced Boat Handling and Racing Skills

• Advanced knot tying and line handling
• Understanding true and apparent wind
• Sailing and boat handling to counter act the current
• Understanding aids to navigation
• Proper boat and sail trim
• Roll tacks
• Demonstrate basic situational awareness of wind shifts, other boats, current and lay lines when under sail for recreation or competition.