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Age & Skill Group Descriptions

All junior sailors learn with similar age and skill-levels to maximize safety and fun for our sailors! If you have any concerns or questions about which age group and associated skills they will be learning, please contact the Junior-Sailing staff.

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Super Junior Basic Dinghy | Junior Basic Dinghy | Junior Intermediate Dinghy | Junior Advanced Dinghy

    Super Junior Basic Dinghy Sailing

  • Ages 8-10

    This class is geared towards our younger sailors with a smaller class size, more games, and a slightly slower pace than the Basic Sailing Class. Students in this age group will learn and practice:

    • Boating safety and sportsmanship
    • Launching & rigging the boat
    • Basic knot tying
    • Docking
    • Proper boat balance for skipper and crew
    • Sail trim
    • Tacking and jibing
    • Steering with a tiller extension
    • "Right of Way" and "Rules of the Road"
    • How to right a capsized boat

    • Junior Basic Dinghy Sailing

  • Ages 11-16

    Students master the basics inside the protected Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, then venture out onto the beautiful Monterey Bay for further practice, weather permitting. Students in this grouping will learn:

    • Boating safety and sportsmanship
    • Launching & rigging the boat
    • Basic knot tying
    • Docking
    • Proper boat balance for skipper and crew
    • Sail trim
    • Tacking and jibing
    • Steering with a tiller extension
    • "Right of Way" and "Rules of the Road"
    • How to right a capsized boat
    • Rigging for strong vs. light winds
    • Tiller extension and main sheet hand exchange during a tack or jibe
    • How to steer while under tow

    • Junior Intermediate Dinghy Sailing

  • Ages 11-16

    This program begins with a review of the skills acquired in the Junior Basic Dinghy Sailing Class. After a review on the first day, the emphasis of this course shifts towards further development of boat-handling skills. Students in this group will learn:

    • Boating safety and sportsmanship
    • Review of basic dinghy sailing skills
    • How to sail in stronger wind
    • Improvement of boat handling, boat balance, sail adjustment, and steering
    • Sail theory, sail trim, angle of heel, points of sail, powering up vs. depowering, and reefing
    • Dinghy sailing drills and racing
    • Basics of US Sailing racing rules and vocabulary

    • Junior Advanced Dinghy Sailing

  • Ages 11-16

    This course begins with a review of the skills acquired in the Junior Intermediate Dinghy Sailing Class. After a review the class focuses on better boathandling skills and racing. Students in this group will learn and practice:

     

    • Boating safety and sportsmanship
    • Review of intermediate dinghy sailing
    • How to rig RS Visions and Lasers
    • Emphasis on sailing drills and games
    • Boat handling
    • Mark rounding and racing
    • Racing rules
    Advanced Dinghy Only: wetsuits are required.

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