Happy Friday from the Junior Club!

Week 5 Wrap-Up

Refreshingly solid breeze made week 5 at the Junior Club very busy and full of some awesome learning experiences.  Each class spent hours on the water learning each day and, when the wind died on Friday afternoon, the entire Junior Club had a pretty great time cracking open a Dora the Explorer piñata and exploring some nearby beaches.  For a more detailed review of what each class learned this week, see below.

Beginner Opti Class

This week was a successful week for the beginner class!  By Tuesday, each sailor made the jump from sailing with a partner to sailing alone.  As their coach, I am very excited to see how greatly each person has improved in the time that they have been at SCJYC.  We managed to sail each day and, with the exception of Monday, we were on the water all day.  The kids are still struggling with upwind sailing and we are working very hard to help them make that next step in their sailing careers.  Overall, this week was filled with lots of fun, laughter, and learning.

Intermediate Opti Class

This week the intermediate group worked on upwind boat speed, boat handling, and racing.  With great wind conditions, we were able to get a lot done!  All sailors learned to roll tack this week and also to sail without a rudder.  All sailors were able to start properly and sail around the course quickly during our practice races.  With hard work and dedication, all the intermediates have bright sailing futures ahead!  Keep up the great work!

Opti Race Team

By and large, the wind was better than usual this week for Seawanhaka, which meant we got plenty of practice in preparation for the Thursday regatta.  On Wednesday, we raced the WaterFront Center.  This was a huge benefit because the small size of the group means we don’t get enough practice with a busy start line.  The regatta had fantastic wind and we got in six solid races.  Overall, the group performed very well and we now have five sailors qualified for Champs, with one qualifying event to go.  Next week, we are going to start by addressing the issues that arose during the regatta - namely starts, tacking, and leeward mark roundings.

Club 420/Pixel Class

This week the 420/Pixel class continued preparations for the Beach Point Overnight with help from John Mooney.  Mr. Mooney came three times this week to teach some of the older kids the basics of navigation that they will need to know for the navigation test and the race.  Our Wednesday night race went very well, with the exception of sailing to the wrong mark (whoops!).  We did manage to catch a few boats before the finish, but the damage was already done.  Despite the Bam's best efforts, we still managed to have a good time.  We ended the week with Fiesta Friday, during which everyone had a great time!

Laser Class

This week, the sailors competed in the Cedar Point regatta.  All sailors sailed well and have notably improved, even since Larchmont Race Week.  For the second half of the week, our sailors were taking navigation classes in the morning with Mr. Mooney in preparation for the navigation test for the keelboat program.  Mr. Mooney provided a very comprehensive education for the sailors and we were lucky to have him in for the morning sessions.  In the afternoons, we worked on boat handling, mark roundings, and points of sailing.  Next week is Shelter Island, which is the final qualifying event for the JSA Champs.