February 2011 Issue

Welcome to the RRYC Junior Sailing Blog
The newsletters in pdf format were fun last year but then I saw the super cool Typhoon Nationals blog that club member, Stephanie Chaufournier assembled and I said "hey that's what we should do for junior sailing".  Everything you need to know is right here at your fingertips from informational articles provided below to resources, links, and calendars to the right.  So enjoy and make sure you subscribe.  That way you will be automatically notified when there is an update or a new issue is published.

Okay we still have a ways to go before Junior Sailing kicks in to high gear but there are plenty of things to think about now as we begin planning for spring and summer.  So lets go over a few housekeeping items.


Junior Sailing Calendar
Take a look at the new RRYC Junior Sailing Calendar.  There is a link over there to the right.  You can also access it directly for the RRYC Junior Sailing web page.  You know what is so awesome about the calendar aside from all of the area regattas and RRYC junior sailing courses and clinics provided in one place with details and directions?  All you have to do is click on "event details" and all of the documents associated with that particular event are there for you to download and print.  For instance, click on the Spring Race Series and you'll be able to access the registration form, Sailing Instructions and Notice of Race.  Click on one of the Sailing Courses and access course descriptions and registration forms.  Pretty cool huh?


What's this I hear about new Optis?
You heard correctly.  Junior Sailing Committee member Scott Vail made a request at the RRYC annual meeting that members consider donating new Optis to help update the junior fleet.  We have already received a few hundred dollars in donations and Marshall Orr, new board member, recently stepped up with a $1,000 challenge.  It works like this.  If a member or group of members donates $1,000, Marshall will match the gift with $1,000 and then do it a second time.  He will also let the other donor name the new boat purchased with the gift.  So let us know if you or someone you know may be interested in this opportunity.  It would mean two new Optis for junior sailing.  We ultimately would like purchase six Optis so this would be a huge start before the sailing season even begins.

Interested in Race Management?
CALLING ALL PARENTS, CALLING ALL PARENTS!  John McCarthy will be conducting a US Sailing Race Management seminar at Hampton Yacht Club on February 19th if you are interested in being certified as a club PRO.  You can register online.

Not interested in getting certified but want to learn a great deal more about the rules of racing?  John will be at RRYC on March 26th with his Murphy's Rules of Racing seminar.  You can print a registration form from the RRYC website.



April Upside Down Junior Regatta

Taylor Tompkins trains for the 2011Upside Down Regatta

This is going to be fun.  Taylor Tompkins gave us the idea last year when he commandeered an Opti during the fall series and raced around the course along with the other junior sailors.  What if we let the junior sailors organize and manage a regatta where the adults raced the optis and sunfish?  This is a great way to kick off the sailing season.  Stay tuned for more details but mark your calendars because we are thinking April 17th might be the date.