Race Curriculum and Instructional Resources
Among the many resources that our US Sailing certified Senior Instructors will use to offer a rigorous and engaging program for all ages are materials developed by US Sailing. They are a mainstay of the IJS instruction.
Sailors who have mastered the basics by taking beginner and intermediate classes might be ready for the added challenge of racing if recommended by the IJS program director. See the instructional curriculum for more details. The race curriculum is designed to introduce sailors to more complex techniques to handle and sail their boat. If you have any questions about your sailors eligibility to race, please email [email protected].
Members of the race team may participate in various local regattas, including Squam Day, Sandy Bay Day, Mudflat Regatta, and Greenhead Regatta, hosted by IJS. Sailors may also enroll to sail at Marblehead Junior Race Week. Registration is required to participate in this regatta.
Beginner Race Curriculum
IJS has designed and implemented the following curriculum for advanced sailors to develop racing skills in both the Opti and 420 boats. This curriculum is designed for sailors who are new to racing.
On land:
- In depth introduction to the racing rules of sailing; recommended purchase of current racing rule book
- Learn to rig and unrig 420s and Optis safety
- How to navigate weather, sea conditions and wind direction effectively while racing
- Close in boat inspection for maintenance issues before, during and after racing with discussion of how to fix maintenance needs
- Introduction on how to sail a dinghy race
- Typical courses for New England dinghy sailing including 3 & 5 minute sequences and Start & Finish Lines/how to start and finish a race
- Trapeze skills session on land
- Spinnaker skills session on land
- Spinnaker reaching/intro to spinnaker trapeze
- Land drills for practicing right of way on a race course
- Tactics vs Strategy and brief points on how to plan for a good race
- Learn to roll tack, steer with sails and bodyweight
On the water:
- Basic port triangle course
- Start drill for learning timing and the start sequence
- Acceleration drill for learning how to get the boat moving
- Layline drill
- Spotting puffs and windshifts before sailing into them
- Visualizing a good race and leg for that race
- Covering/trap/boat to boat tactics in a race
Advanced Race Curriculum
IJS has designed and implemented the following curriculum for advanced sailors to develop racing skills in both the Opti and 420 boats. This curriculum is designed for sailors who have mastered the basic foundations of racing.
On land:
- Detailed film sessions on proper body placement, boat speed technique
- Proper care of equipment for high performance racing, understanding that flawless races one needS flawless gear
- Care of boat and sails for racing and best use in racing
- Chalk talks on advance race strategy and tactics
- Introduction to team racing
- Introduction to match racing
- How to manage a race/regatta
- Advanced entries/exits for maneuvers
- How to register a protest/how to defend against a protest
- Support for more advanced sailing opportunities/learning about the possibilities in the sport of competitive sailing
- Testing of understanding and application of racing rules
On the water:
- Upwind and Downwind Blenders – maneuvers on whistle
- Practice 2-3 minute starts, sail to a mark about 10 meters away
- Speed Tests
- Communication skills between skipper and crew to keep sails balanced
- Rudderless Sailing (Use of boat heel and sail trim to steer instead of blades.
- Box Drills