Southport Junior Yacht Club Sailing Foundation


Sailing Curriculum


Program Goals:

Safety

Fun while learning

Sailing Oriented  

• Boat handling 

• Respect for Equipment  

• Seamanship 

• Racing Skills  

Values

• Respect for Others  

• Respect for Property  

• Sportsmanship  

• Rules Compliance  


Morning Class Star Chart

While the beloved Star Chart makes the beginner curriculum clear to all morning class Turnabout students, below is an outline of the curriculum goals for the other classes.


Considerations: 

No curriculum fits all students perfectly. Rather, a curriculum must be designed to meet the needs, as closely as it can, of as many students as possible.  

US Sailing trains our Level 1 certified instructors to teach with three forms of communication:  

  • Lectures (Chalk Talks)/Auditory Demonstrations  
  • Visual/Land Drills  
  • Kinesthetic Water Drills  


Beginner Optimist 

Safety 

  • Follow program and harbor rules  

  • Be safety conscious  

  • Stay protected from the sun and hydrate 

  • Use a safety whistle appropriately  

  • Avoid collisions  

  • Put on and take off a properly fitted PFD  

  • Get in the safety position  

  • Capsize and recover 

Seamanship 

  • Be comfortable in an Opti on the water  

  • Tie a figure 8-knot, square knot, cleat knot, and bowline  

  • Rig and de-rig  

  • Name the parts of an Opti  

  • Know where the wind is coming from  

  • Take care of the boat: proper and neat towing and securing, washing  

  • Steer responsibly on a tow  

  • Stay out of the no-go-zone except when tacking  

  • Recover from irons 

  • Avoid contact with other boats  

  • Use Starboard/Port  

  • Identify points of sail

  • Identify north, south, east, west

  • Use sailing as a way to get somewhere 

Boat Handling 

  • Leave the dock  

  • Return to the dock  

  • Maintain proper body position and weight placement in the boat  

  • Hold the tiller and mainsheet correctly

  • Stay out of the no-go-zone except when tacking  

  • Recover from irons

  • Use telltales for upwind steering     

  • Gybe  

  • Tack  

  • Reach  

  • Run  

  • Sail upwind  

Sportsmanship 

  • Respect others 

  • Respect equipment 

  • View sailing as a team sport  

  • Work in a team during rigging and activities  

Racing 

  • Understand sportsmanship in racing  

  • Use tacking rules  

  • Sail a starting sequence   

  • Round a mark    

  • Finish 


Advanced Optimist


Safety 

In addition to Beginner Optimist skills, an advanced Optimist sailor will…

  • Follow towing procedures for multiple Optis

Seamanship 

In addition to Beginner Optimist skills, an advanced Optimist sailor will…

  • Use windward/leeward 

  • Use clear ahead/clear astern    

  • Recognize the approach of puffs and lulls 

  • Explain how a sail works

  • Recognize and sail in currents and tides  

  • Identify simple weather systems  

  • Identify clouds and what they mean   

Boat handling 

In addition to Beginner Optimist skills, an advanced Optimist sailor will…

  • Gybe  

• pull in sail and center tiller  

• mechanics  

• rolling  

• gybing in waves  

  • Tack  

• mechanics  

• rolling  

• tacking in the waves  

  • Sail downwind  

• reach  

• run  

• sail trim dictated by where wind is  

• adjusting trim  

• adjusting sail controls  

• body position and placement  

• steering  

• awareness    

• steering by waves  

  • Upwind sailing  

• sail shape and trim  

• close-hauled   

• sailing over waves  

• hiking  

  • Stop and start  

• heading into wind  

• back winding sail   

  • Adjust the daggerboard for different conditions and points of sail 

  • Adjust sail shape 

• outhaul=adjust foot tension and control depth of sail  

• boom vang = downwind leech tension   

• sprit tension = control shape  

• for different weather conditions  

• for different points of sail    

• sail ties  

  • Position body weight  

• challenging the body on the boat  

• steering with weight  

• how body placement and movement affects the boat  

• for different weather conditions  

• for different points of sail  

• quiet and gentle movement 

• Execute a 360  

• Sail backwards  

Sportsmanship 

  • Respect others  

  • Respect equipment  

  • View sailing as a team sport  

  • Work in a team during rigging and activities  

Racing 

  • Organizing his or herself for competition in a regatta  

  • Understand sportsmanship in racing 

  • Sail all standard race courses

 • triangle  

 •modified triangle  

 •modified Olympic  

 •windward/leeward  

 •offset marks  

  • Assess wind on a course 

  • React to wind shifts   

  • Sail through puffs and lulls  

  • Adjust sail controls for different legs  

  • Adjust weight for speed 

  • Find clear air  

  • Apply racing tactics  

  • Start  

• mechanics  

• favored end  

• current  

• line sight  

• strategies & tactics  

• timing   

• rules and things to watch for  

  • Round a mark  

• the mechanics of it  

• wide and tight  

• tactics  

  • Finish   

  • Execute penalty turns 

  • Use rules in racing  

  • Deal with protests  

• knowing the rules  

• knowing who to ask  

• sportsmanship and hearing  

• mock protests and scenarios  


Recreational 420


Safety  

  • Follow program and harbor rules  

  • Stay protected from the sun and hydrate 

  • Be safety conscious

  • Use a safety whistle appropriately  

  • Put on and take off a properly fitted PFD  

  • Avoid collisions  

  • Get in the safety position  

  • Capsize and recover  

Seamanship  

  • Avoid contact  

  • Use windward/leeward  

  • Use Starboard/Port  

  • Be comfortable in a 420 on the water  

  • Tie an 8-knot, square knot, cleat knot, and bowline  

  • Know where the wind is coming from  

  • Name the parts of a 420 

  • Identify points of sail     

  • Rig and de-rig properly each day  

  • Steer responsibly on a tow 

  • Do simple navigation  

  • Identify north, south, east, west  

  • Use sailing as a way to get somewhere  

  • Recognize and address the approach of puffs and lulls   

  • Recognize and react to wind shifts  

• headers  

• lifts  

Boat handling  

  • Leave the dock  

  • Return to the dock  

  • Stay out of the no-go-zone except when tacking  

  • Recover from irons  

  • Maintain proper body position and weight placement in the boat  

  • Hold the tiller and mainsheet correctly  

  • Understand what is required of the different crew positions in a 420 

  • Stop and start  

• heading into wind  

• back winding sail  

• pull in and head off  

  • Gybe  

  • Tack  

• position duties  

• mechanics  

• rolling  

• letting the jib go  

• trimming jib and main  

  • Sail downwind  

• reach  

• run  

• sail trim dictated by where wind is  

• body position and placement  

• steering  

• sail by the lee  

• jib trim  

• main trim  

• skipper and crew’s job  

• centerboard position  

  • Upwind sailing  

• close-hauled  

• steering a straight course… paying attention  

• setting main trim  

• setting jib trim  

• steering by telltales  

• angles  

• hiking   

  • Fly a spinnaker  

• rigging the spinnaker

• hoists and takedowns  

  • Gybing the spinnaker 


Sportsmanship 

  • Respect others  

  • Respect equipment  

  • View sailing as a team sport  

  • Work with a team member in the same boat  

  • Work as a team during rigging and activities 

  • Understand sportsmanship in racing   


Racing 

  • Start  

• mechanics  

• sequence  

• keeping track of time  

• rules  

• clean air  

• favored end  

• first row Find clear air    

  • Round a mark  

• the mechanics of it  

• basic application of Rule 18  

• wide and tight 

  • Execute a 720  

  • Assess wind on a course 

  • Act on puffs and lulls  

• tack on headers  

• stay on lifts  

  • Adjust weight for speed  

  • Use rules in racing 


Advanced 420 


In addition to the skills learned in Beginner/Intermediate 420’s, Advanced 420 sailors will...


Safety  

  • Follow program and harbor rules  

  • Stay protected from the sun  

  • Be safety conscious (Rule 1)  

  • Use a safety whistle appropriately  

  • Put on and take off a PFD in the water  

  • Avoid collisions  

  • Get in the safety position  

  • Capsize and recover  

Seamanship  

  • Avoid contact 

  • Use windward/leeward   

  • Use Starboard/Port  

  • Use clear ahead/clear astern   

  • Use changing course rules 

  • Be comfortable in a 420 on the water  

  • Tie an 8-knot, square knot, cleat knot, and bowline  

  • Identify points of sail  

  • Name the parts of a 420 

  • Relate the 420 to a larger boat  

  • Know where the wind is coming from  

  • Explain actual vs. apparent wind  

  • Recognize the approach of puffs and lulls  

• how to spot  

• what to do  

  • Recognize and react to wind shifts  

• headers  

• lifts  

  • Explain how a sail works:  

• push  

• pull  

• dagger board as a foil  

  • Rig and de-rig properly each day  

  • Rig and de-rig properly for storage and trailering (de-masting)  

  • Steer responsibly on a tow 

  • Do simple navigation:  

• North, South, East, West  

• Recognizing landmarks  

• Navigation buoys  

  • Recognize and sail in currents and tides  

• Effects of current  

• How to see current  

• wind and weather 

  • Proper and neat stowing and securing  

• washing boats  

• minor repairs  

• jury rigging/quick & effective problem solving  


Boat handling  

  • Leave the dock  

  • Return to the dock  

  • Stay out of the no-go-zone except when tacking  

  • Recover from irons  

  • Maintain proper body position and weight placement in the boat  

  • Hold the tiller and mainsheet correctly  

  • Understand what is required of the different crew positions in a 420 

  • Gybe  

• rolling  

• gybing in waves  

  • Tack  

• position duties  

• mechanics  

• rolling  

• tacking in the waves   

  • Sail downwind  

• reach  

• run  

• sail trim dictated by where wind is  

• body position and placement  

• steering  

• jib trim  

• main trim    

• centerboard position  

• pumping on crests  

• steering through waves  

  • Upwind sailing  

• close-hauled  

• steering a straight course… paying attention  

• setting main trim  

• setting jib trim  

• steering by telltales  

• hiking  

  • Stop and start  

• heading into wind  

• back winding sail  

• pull in and head off  

  • Execute a 720  

  • Adjust sail shape using sail controls 

• outhaul = adjust foot tension and control depth of sail  

• boom vang = downwind leech tension  

• Cunningham = adjust luff tension and control draft position  

• halyard tension = adjust luff tension and control draft position  

• mainsheet = control of speed  

• jib sheets = control of pointing and speed  

• for different weather conditions  

• for different points of sail  

  • Fly/rig a spinnaker 

• Hoists and takedowns 

• Flying the spinnaker  

• Gybing the spinnaker  

• Spinnakers close to a beam reach  

• Using the spinnaker on courses 

  • Where, when, and how to sit  

  • Position body weight  

• steering with weight  

• how body placement and movement affects the boat  

• for different weather conditions  

• for different points of sail  

  • Sail backwards  

  • Sail rudderless  

Sportsmanship  

  • Respect others  

  • Respect equipment  

  • View sailing as a team sport  

  • Work with a team member in the same boat  

  • Work in a team during rigging and activities  

Racing  

  • Understand sportsmanship in racing   

  • Assess wind on a course 

  • Act on puffs and lulls  

  • Find clear air  

  • Adjust sail controls for different legs  

  • Adjust sail controls for speed in racing  

  • Adjust weight for speed  

  • Start  

• mechanics  

• sequence  

• keeping track of time  

• rules and things to watch for  

• current  

• favored end  

  • Round a mark  

• the mechanics of it  

• advanced applications of Rule 18  

• wide and tight  

• tactics  

  • Sail all standard race courses  

• triangle  

• modified triangle  

• modified Olympic  

• windward/leeward  

• offset marks & gates  

  • React to wind shifts  

• tack on headers  

• stay on lifts  

  • Sail through wind shifts  

• recognizing them  

• headers  

• lifts  

  • Apply racing tactics  

• upwind  

• downwind  

• start  

• finish  

• mark roundings  

  • Finish  

  • Use rules in racing  

  • Protests and arbitration

  • • knowing the rules  

    • knowing who to ask  

    • sportsmanship and hearings  

  • Execute a 720 both while sailing upwind & downwind


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