• Student Responsibilities
• A Primer on Optimist Racing Fleets
• Participating in Regattas
• What to Bring to Sailing Class
• Boats, Parts, Equipment and Gear
• Weather

 

Sailor Responsibilities

All participants are expected to follow the rules and standards for conduct.

Click here for the Code of Conduct (Sailor and Parent)

Grounds Rules

1. Sailors are expected to keep the grounds neat and trash-free.
2. Boats must be properly stored in their assigned location with all loose gear removed from the boat after hours.
3. There will be no climbing or playing on boats, dollies, or trees.
4. Sailors may not operate any of the coach boats. 
5. Wading and swimming are allowed only with a lifeguard on duty, accompanied by a watcher.

Parking Rules

1. Use of the parking lot is permitted during drop-off and pick-up. However, the parking lot is reserved for TAYC members on Wednesday evenings from 4:30-9:00pm. Non-TAYC members may park on the grass outside of the TAYC gates on Wednesday evenings.
2. We suggest that you drive up to the clubhouse, drop-off your guest(s), and proceed to the parking area outside the gates.

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A Primer on Optimist Racing Fleets

As a parent of a sailor in the Optimist Class, you will hear a lot of talk about "fleets". In races, Optimist Fleets separate sailors into smaller groups of similar age, skill, and/or maturity. In races, each Optimist displays a colored ribbon at the top of its sail (sprit), according to their fleet (Green, White, Blue, or Red).

Green Fleet was created for beginner or novice racers and typically have their own race course and race committee. The US Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) has a Green Fleet Policy, which encourages novices to attend their first regatta and encourages their continued participation in racing. The following must be met to participate in a Green Fleet Regatta:

1. Be age 15 or under during the calendar year.
2. Have not raced in red, blue, or white fleets unless there was no Green Fleet available at the regatta.
3. Sail an International Optimist Dinghy.

Once a sailor attains confidence in racing (typically one season), he/she may race in the open division, which contains age-group fleets:

Fleet	Age Group
White Fleet	10 years and younger
Blue Fleet	11 - 12 years old
Red Fleet	13 - 15 years old

The White, Blue, and Red fleets race together. Trophies are awarded by fleet and by overall scores (independent of age group).

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Participating in Regattas

The Junior Sailing Program Staff would like to make your travel to and from the regatta a little easier. Before you attend any regatta, you should think about the following things.

Memberships

Be sure to have memberships with CBYRA, US Sailing, and your child's respective class association. Many regattas make this a requirement to race. Some parents write these numbers on the inside of their child's lifejacket!

Location

The program director will generally give directions on how to get to the regatta site and the time it takes to get there, however this information is also generally easy to come by online.

Launching Facilities

Does it have shallow water, floating docks, a long sail out to the course, beaches, etc.? Is there a large enough unloading area? It pays to be early. There are many regatta sites where it is hard to fit in trailers and boats if you are late. Your child may end up launching last and feeling stressed from rushing out to the course before the racing even begins!

Supervision/Safety

You are responsible for the transportation of your children, their supervision, and their gear at regattas.

1. Club policy is that no child may ride with anyone under the age of 21.
2. Coaches will be on the water at the regattas posted in the Junior Sailing Calendar.
3. Parents cannot be on the coach boat. If you want to go out on the water, you must find or bring your own boat.
4. Unscheduled regattas are the parents' responsibility to organize. Coaches/instructors will not attend as a part of the program.

However, coaches are available for a separate fee outside of their junior program commitments.  See the Parent Code of Conduct for more information.

Towing Responsibilities

While the program director will help arrange transportation, it is ultimately your responsibility to transport your child and his/her boat to a regatta, or make other transportation arrangements for your child and his/her boat.

1. Never assume that a club trailer is going to a regatta.
2. When you accept the commitment of bringing someone else's boat or child to a regatta, you must follow through. Boats and children must go to the regatta site. If there is a delay or cancellation due to weather, it will be made at the site.
3. Pack up and double-check all of your equipment. If your boat is on a TAYC trailer, it is your responsibility to ensure your boat is secure and your gear is stored inside the trailer.
4. Everyone helps load and unload the trailer and coach boat.
5. Everyone also helps pick up at the end of the day.

Things to Bring to a Regatta

1. Always bring plenty of water or sport drinks. Not all yacht clubs supply water for participants. Dehydration is a real and serious problem on the water.
2. Always have at least some snacks on board your boat, and a way to store the trash that comes with these snacks. Lunch breaks can be late or at the end of the regatta. Hunger can disturb your racing strategy! It is the sailor's responsibility for placing his/her own food and water on the coach boat if the race does not break for lunch.
3. Make sure you bring money you might need, such as for the registration fee, phone calls, and snacks.
4. Remember to bring your life jacket, sunscreen, foul weather gear, hat, sunglasses, and a watch with a countdown setting.

Representing TAYC

1. TAYC Sailors have a reputation for being polite and following the Rules of Racing. Sailors should always thank the race committee after they finish a race and also act politely towards other sailors and coaches.
2. The awards ceremony is an important event and it is appropriate for all sailors to attend regardless of how they finish in the regatta. TAYC and the Junior Sailing Program expects all sailors to conduct themselves according to the Corinthian Spirit, as outlined by US Sailing.

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What to Bring to Sailing Class

What to Wear

1. Fast-drying shorts
2. Breathable shirts (preferably with long sleeves)
3. Shoes (closed toed shoes are required on the water - even when swimming)

Accessories

1. Sunglasses 100% UV protection (preferably polarized)
2. Hat
3. Swimsuit

Every Day Supplies

1. Waterproof Sunscreen - apply before leaving house and bring some for later. (sunscreens with Titanium Dioxide or Zinc offer better protection)
2. Water Bottle (freeze the night before)
3. Life Jacket (Coast guard approved Type III)
4. Whistle (attached with short line to life jacket)
5. Bailer
6. Watch with countdown timer (for racing students)
7. Foul weather gear (optional)
8. Towel (optional)
9. Change of clothes (optional)
10. Lunch (if not ordering)
11. Snacks/Supper for Wednesday Night Races

Please make sure that you mark all clothes, accessories, and supplies with your name in a permanent marker.

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Boats, Parts, Equipment and Gear

We maintain a good inventory of parts/equipment a sailor needs to stay on the water. If we can't help, try the following suppliers:

Annapolis Performance Sailing (www.apsltd.com)
Based in Annapolis, APS is a comprehensive performance sailing store. They sell boats (Optimists, Lasers, C420s), boat parts, hardware, accessories, line and apparel.

Seitech (www.seitech.com)
Seitech makes launching dollies for all types of small watercraft. Their website features their full line of dollies, trailer racks, storage racks, parts, and accessories.

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Weather

Sailing is obviously an outdoor sport, and as such is subject to the weather. The program director will have the final say each day about sending students out onto the water. Weather conditions that may prevent students from going out onto the water are:

1. Too much wind (Yes, even sailors sometimes say this.)
2. Too little wind (Especially for students, if there is NO wind, and the boats will simply drift with tide, the program director may keep them on shore and wait for it to fill in. Sending young sailors out in no wind is a sure way to turn them off from the sport.)
3. If there is a threat of a thunderstorm (Safety is the key here!)

Over the entire summer, we usually miss only 3 - 4 days, sometimes only 1/2 days out on the water. This is not something over which we have control. Please remember that safety and fun are the key elements of junior sailing. If sailors cannot go out on the water, the program director and instructors will provide sailing and boating-related activities.

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