Optimist Green Fleet Racing Team

 

Optimist Red White & Blue (RWB) Racing Team

High School Sailing

Tuesday High School Practices prepare sailors for competition in the South Atlantic Interscholastic Sailing Association (SAISA) sanctioned events. SAISA events closely parallel the format of College Sailing. In this discipline the Club 420’s are sailed with jib and main only and without a trapeze. The regattas are typically small one-day events with numerous short-course races. This places an added emphasis on starting, tactics, racing rules, and boat handling skills. High School sailing is a perfect opportunity for a newer sailor to begin crewing or for an experienced skipper moving up from another boat to continue competitive development.

The Club 420 is a popular two-person boat sailed by thousands of youth sailors across the country. The boat is highly configurable and can accommodate multiple disciplines of sailing. Sailors aging or sizing out of the Optimist or Open Skiff will find the Club 420 a fun and challenging endeavor. ILCA and NACRA 15 Team sailors will also benefit from some cross-training with the Club 420.

AGES: Sailors participating in the Thursday High School Sailing Practices are from grades 8 thorugh 12.

TEAM FORMAT: SYS will offer three separate practice opportunities per week in the Club 420. All three practices fall under the Club 420 Team umbrella but focus on distinctly different disciplines of sailing. We recommend sailors enroll in at least two of the three available Club 420 Team practices per week.

 

PRACTICE SCHEDULE & COSTS:

[First Fall high school practice is Tuesday, August  20th. Last high school practice is Tuesday, December 3rd.]

Tuesdays           4pm – 7pm (4-630 before daylight savings)

Tuition: $375 (This includes 15 weeks of practice and up to 4 SAISA Regattas)

The High School Tuition DOES NOT INCLUDE Pinnie purchase,  SYS away regatta fees ($60 per day/sailor) or Regatta Registration fees. 

Need-based Scholarships are available for all SYS programs.  Applications can be found on the SYS website, and must be submitted before the fall season begins for consideration.  Scholarships are for tuition only, all other fees are expected to be paid in full.  Payment plans are available upon request.

Sailors attending High School Regattas will be billed an additional $60 per racing day.

ABILITY LEVEL: SYS Summer Campers completing the Level 2 420 Class have been shown some of the basic skills required to sail the Club 420 and would be a good fit to get started in the High School.

TIME COMMITMENT: Skill development in the Club 420 utilizes a building block approach and is directly proportional to the amount of time spent on the water at practice. Successful sailors at this level will spend between ten and fifteen hours per week at practice and compete in a regatta about once or twice per month. A well-practiced sailor will have a more enjoyable experience. Well-engaged and prepared parents can best accommodate the needs of their sailors. Regatta participation further accelerates development. Sailors with two or more years of Club 420 experience should schedule as many high-level events as possible during the season.

There are additional time commitments required for transiting to and from practices, delivering boats to and from regattas, studying coaching notes, reviewing video and photos, and making travel plans. A capable SUV or truck with a trailer hitch is a most valuable resource for executing team travel logistics.

GEAR: PFD with a whistle, closed-toe water shoes, hat, sunglasses, sunblock, and water clothes.   School Pinnies for Regattas are required per the SAISA rules.

Regatta participation is optional. Sailors are billed $60/day for SYS regatta fees to cover additional travel coaching costs for away regattas.   Parents are expected to help with towing, and logistics for all away regattas.

All SYS participants and families are required to fulfill 8 volunteer hours, maintain current financial accounts, and adhere to SYS’s Code of Conduct and all Race Team policies and procedures.

REGATTA SCHEDULE: 

the most updated schedule for all SOUTH POINTS events are listed on the Saisa website.

 

At this time SAISA Schedule is not out.

 

Regatta Calendar

Club 420 Racing Team

Club 420 Travel Team Practices provide a comprehensive training day atmosphere for Club 420 sailors participating in a season long sailing campaign. The full-day sessions will include lessons in physical literacy, mental health, boat preparation, teamwork, speed, handling, tactics, strategy, weather, racing rules, and all-important regatta travel logistics. These practices are disciplined and designed for maximum time efficiency. Sailors will have their skills tracked and evaluated to ensure continuous development towards a national level standard of excellence.

The Club 420 is a popular two-person boat sailed by thousands of youth sailors across the country. The boat is highly configurable and can accommodate multiple disciplines of sailing. Sailors aging or sizing out of the Optimist or Open Skiff will find the Club 420 a fun and challenging endeavor. ILCA and NACRA 15 Team sailors will also benefit from some cross-training with the Club 420.

AGES: Sailors on the Club 420 Race Team are usually from ages 14 to 18. Exceptions for younger sailors can be made at the coach’s discretion based on the individual’s skill and experience.

TEAM FORMAT: SYS will offer 2 separate practice opportunities per week in the Club 420. Both practices fall under the Club 420 Team umbrella but focus on distinctly different disciplines of sailing.

          

COST:

Fall season: $1,500.00, includes charter (both Sat and Wed practice days)

Saturday only option is available for $1000 (per season).

Sailors attending Club 420 Travel Team Regattas will be billed $60 per racing day (for all AWAY Regattas).

Need-based Scholarships are available for all SYS programs.  Applications can be found on the SYS website, and must be submitted before the fall season begins for consideration.  Scholarships are for tuition only, all other fees are expected to be paid in full.  Payment plans are available upon request.

ABILITY LEVEL: SYS Summer Campers completing the Level 2 420 Class have been shown some of the basic skills required to sail the Club 420 and would be a good fit to get started in the High School Practices. Additional private lessons are available by appointment and may be necessary for newer sailors to hone their skills to be ready for the Club 420 Travel Team.

TIME COMMITMENT: Skill development in the Club 420 utilizes a building block approach and is directly proportional to the amount of time spent on the water at practice. Successful sailors at this level will spend between eight to ten hours per week at practice and compete in a regatta about once per month. A well-practiced sailor will have a more enjoyable experience. Well-engaged and prepared parents can best accommodate the needs of their sailors. Regatta participation further accelerates development. Sailors with two or more years of Club 420 experience should schedule as many high-level events as possible during the season.

There are additional time commitments required for transiting to and from practices, delivering boats to and from regattas, studying coaching notes, reviewing video and photos, and making travel plans. A capable SUV or truck with a trailer hitch is a most valuable resource for executing team travel logistics.

GEAR: PFD with a whistle, trapese harness (crew), closed-toe water shoes, hat, sunglasses, sunblock, and water clothes. 

C420 Sailors may be required to own/purchase gear and equipment such as lines and sheets.  Sailors in high levels such as C420 should have the proper gear for foul weather as well as a well equipt toolbox for sailing.  Owning Racing sails, spinnakers and spin poles are highly recommended for higher level teams.

Regatta participation is optional, but highly recommended. Sailors are billed $60/day for SYS regatta fees to cover additional travel coaching costs for away regattas.  Parents are expected to help with towing, and logistics for all away regattas.

All SYS participants and families are required to fulfill 8 volunteer hours, maintain current financial accounts, and adhere to SYS’s Code of Conduct and all Race Team policies and procedures.

ALL C420 Sailors are required to have an Sarasota Sailing Squadron family membership.

FALL PRACTICE SCHEDULE

First Fall Practice is Saturday, August 17th. Fall season concludes on Sunday, December 8th

Wednesdays                      Before Daylight savings (4 pm to 7 pm) After(4pm to 630pm)

Saturdays                         10 am to 4 pm

Regatta Calendar

ILCA Racing Team

The SYS ILCA Team (we still call them Lasers) is led by Head Coach Brett Davis. The team practices and races in the ILCA 7 (full rig), ILCA 6 (radial rig), and ILCA 4 (4.7 rig). Sailors are typically in 8th-12th grade and have an intermediate to advanced racing background and provide their own boat. The group size varies between 5-9 sailors and practice Sundays days (10am-3pm) and Saturdays (10am-4pm).

The first Fall season ILCA practice is Saturday, August 17th, and the last practice is Sunday, December 8th.

This is a traveling race team, and it is expected that team members will make every effort to attend the SYS supported regattas on the schedule. SYS has Laser trailer available to assist transporting boats to regattas.

The ILCA is a fun and exciting boat to race but at the same time quite challenging. There are lots of boat handling techniques that must be learned and mastered through regular training and there’s also a fitness component that requires regular gym workouts throughout the season to prepare the body for racing at a high level. Also of equal importance is a strong work ethic to endure several hours of training/racing in strong winds. Lastly, all team members are expected to have proper racing gear (boots, hiking pants, gloves, life jacket, etc.) and race quality rigging for their boat.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE

First Fall Practice is Saturday, August 18th. Fall Season Concludes on Sunday, December 8th

 

Sundays                           10 am to 3 pm

Saturdays                         10 am to 4 pm

 

ILCA Team Cost: $1,600 for the Fall Season Practices + $75 (billed separately) per day at regattas. Team families are responsible for their own event transportation, lodging, and event entry fees.

Need-based Scholarships are available for all SYS programs.  Applications can be found on the SYS website, and must be submitted before the fall season begins for consideration.  Scholarships are for tuition only, all other fees are expected to be paid in full.  Payment plans are available upon request.

All SYS participants and families are required to fulfill 8 volunteer hours, maintain current financial accounts, and adhere to SYS’s Code of Conduct and all Race Team policies and procedures.

 

ALL ILCA SAILORS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A SARASOTA SAILING SQUADRON FAMILY MEMBERSHIP.

Nacra 15 Developmental Racing Team

 

 

How many Regattas are there in a season?

 

The leadership team and the coaches will have sent out a schedule with dates for all the regattas they intend to travel to. However, that does not mean you have to go to all of them. You can pick and choose which regattas you would like to travel to.

 

How do I sign up for Regattas?

 

To sign up for a regatta you will have to go to www.regattanetwork.com (or the registration platform the venue chose to use, typically it will be Regatta Network or Clubspot) and search for the title of the event. One there you can register your sailor for the regatta and pay the registration fees.  

 

What is a US Sailing membership?

 

For most events that you register for, they will require that you enter your US Sailing membership ID number. In order to get a US sailing ID, you must have purchased a US Sailing membership. To obtain a US Sailing membership visit www.ussailing.org and purchase a membership on their website.  A junior membership is a $39 annual fee.

 

Do we need Class memberships?

 

Depending on the event that your sailor is competing in, they may need a Class (Fleet) membership to complete their registration. These events include USODA and US Sailing events. 

Opti– For the RWB race team, they will need a USODA membership. www.usoda.org

420– The 420 race team will need a Club 420 Association membership. www.club420.org

 

Are there any additional fees after I pay tuition for the season?

 

For regattas that we travel to, there is an additional SYS regatta fee. Depending on the fleet you are competing in, the fee is between $60-$75 dollars (per sailor, per day).  You will typically receive an invoice via square a week before the upcoming regatta.  Additionally, you will have to pay the registration fees for the regattas that you plan on attending. Those fees will vary depending on the regatta you are competing in.  SYS Regatta fees are non negotiable and are not included with scholarship or tuition. Parents will be asked at every Regatta to provide snacks and water for the team and lunches for the coaches (most team parents will create a sign up for organizing needed items and logistics for regattas). Excluding Green Fleet and High School, each sailor is required to have a Sarasota Sailing Squadron(SSS) family membership to participate on the team.  If you own your own boat, you will need to secure a storage space through SSS.

 

What if there is damage to equipment?

 

If a sailor damages any SYS or SSS equipment outside of normal wear and tear, the family must pay a price to replace/repair equipment. For example, the loss of rudders, hull damage caused by collision,  and bent/snapped mast will be subject to charges.

 

Who will pull the trailers to and from the Regattas?

 

This will be coordinated with the coaches and the parents before every event. We understand not everyone will have a vehicle capable of towing. However, those who do have vehicles capable of towing will be asked to contribute to the team in other areas. Those who can’t tow can sponsor regatta fees for those families that are towing.  

 

What if we do not have a trailer hitch?

 

If a family has a car capable of towing and does not have a trailer hitch, one can be provided to allow for the towing of the trailer. The hitch must be returned back to SYS after the event. However, tow hitch receivers will not be provided by SYS. 

 

Volunteer hours

 

Every parent will be asked to volunteer 8 hours of their time each season for the betterment of the team. This will entail helping run regattas, mark set, race committee, team parent, towing, boat repair, social media, social events, fundraising, etc.

 

What additional gear are we going to need?

 

There will be team race shirts and pinnies available for purchase at the beginning of each season. These will be mandatory when competing at events, as it will act as our team uniform. Additionally, for the colder seasons, each sailor will need to own at least 1 spray top and own a pair of spray pants or a wetsuit. These can be found online on websites such as: Gill, West Marine, Rooster, and Zhik. Coaches will also be handing out “check list” for the sailor to complete and it will entail spray gear, rigging, toolboxes, close-toed water shoes, etc.

 

Travel Housing

 

Recommended hotels for each event will be suggested by the SYS leadership team or team parent. They are not required to be used, but preferred so that the team can be together.

 

When should we sign up for regattas?

 

When curious about when to register for events, refer to your team’s SPOND page so that you can stay up to date on timing and information. It is preferred that you register as soon as possible. (Note: Some events require a fast registration because they will fill up quickly and you will be place on a waitlist)

 

What is SPOND?

 

Spond is a communication app that SYS and the coaching staff uses to easily communicate with sailors and guardians. Each class/fleet will have its own group, as well as a general SYS group.  

 

Does my team/fleet have a team parent?  What does the team parent do?

 

It is EXTREMELY helpful to the coaching staff and leadership team for each team/fleet to have a team parent to communicate directly to.  Team parents are volunteers who help organize regatta logistics, team dinners, and social events.