Hobcaw Sailing News - Posted May 24, 2010

Did your child take sailing lessons last summer and think about giving racing a try? Or do you have an experienced regatta sailor who would like to practice their racing skills? The Hobcaw Sailing program is providing a great opportunity for young Hobcaw sailors.

Please join us of our first

Kid's Regatta Racing Clinic

Saturday, June 5th, 1 - 4pm

(Just after Swim Team Buddy Day)

Open to Hobcaw Yacht Club member Opti, 420 and Sunfish youth sailors.

Sailors who have previous sail camp experience and are ready to enter a regatta at the green fleet or higher level as well as experienced regatta sailors are encouraged to participate.  (See the bottom of this email if you're wondering if your child is ready for racing.)

 The HYC Regatta - a SAYRA "points" regatta for Opti and Sunfish - will be the following weekend, 12 and 13 June.  The Regatta will also host 420's. 

This clinic ought to be a great way for our kids to get used to summer sailing again - just in time for the harbor's first club regatta of 2010!
Come enjoy the afternoon high tide and watch your children sail!

 A fee of $15 to cover coaching hours will be requested.  Club boats will be available, and we will do our best to provide a boat to every member who attends.  In the unlikely event we run out of boats, we may not be able to accommodate later arrivals.  The club owned Sunfish is no longer serviceable, so Sunfish sailors must provide their own boat.  One person in each 420 must be a member but the other person may be a guest (each pays $15).  There will be no pre-registration but if you know your child will participate a reply tohobcawsailing@aol.com would be helpful and appreciated.

Is my child ready for green fleet?

Consider the following when deciding if your son or daughter should try their hand at racing in green fleet.  The goal is to have a good time, make new friends, and try to do well racing sailboats.  And it should be pretty much in that order.   The fact that a regatta organizer has a green fleet indicates that they will try to provide an environment that engenders this spirit.  If you can answer yes to most or all of these questions, then your sailor is ready to give it a try.  Remember the goal is to have a good time.

·         Can sail upwind, reaching and downwind

·         Understands the basic rules (no crashing) and can do his/her part to avoid crashing

·         Can identify and sail a race course (usually a triangle marked by orange floating balls)

·         Can hear and figure out (even if it means following directions and other sailors) the starting signals

·         Wants to have fun

·         Knows how to smile and have a good time!  

Remember, when you go to a Green Fleet regatta all the other sailors are in the same boat as you - everything is new to them as well. And, just as important, remember that most parents are new, too. Most have not been to a regatta before. Actually, USODA reports that, on average, 50% of the parents of Optimist sailors have no background in sailing.

Hobcaw Sailing News 2010

The sailing committee is busy preparing for what may be Hobcaw's best sailing season ever!! We have expanded our fleet with the purchase of two 420s, and the current boats have been carefully inspected and sent for any necessary repairs. We are planning to acquire a third chase boat, and if anyone would like to donate a 14-16 foot fiberglass boat it would greatly benefit the sailing program. Recruitment of additional instructors is underway, and we are excited by the quality and enthusiasm of the applicant pool. We look forward to welcoming returning and new junior sailors to the program which will run from June 7th through August 9th. Due to the excellent reception of the "a la carte" format, this will again be offered this year. Sailors must participate in a minimum of two one-week sessions, but the weeks do not have to be sequential. Registration will be limited to members until the April 17 HYC work day from 9A-1P. We will have sailing registration materials available during the work day at the clubhouse, and we will also be registering sailors during the swim team registration May 2nd from 4-6P. Additionally you may email Mary Sanders at hobcawsailing@aol.com for further registration information, and applications will be available on the HYC website. 

We will again be hosting the Hobcaw Yacht Club Regatta on June 12-13. We encourage all club members to volunteer to help make this event a success and hope everyone will come to the waterfront and cheer for our young sailors!