Syllabus for Winter Seminars

How to Mitigate Safety Concerns when Sailing – Laurent Bannon & Brendan Carobene

Learn safe boating practices and what to do if hazardous conditions develop:  Personal gear check, Situational safety, Capsizing Considerations, and Weather Awareness.

What is Marlinspike Seamanship? – Bill Heintz and Laurent Bannon

Knot tying, splicing, whipping, coiling, and heaving a line.

Table Top Discussion:     

• Knot tying and when to use different knots.
• When to splice instead of tying a knot.
• Different types of rope materials, advantages, drawbacks, and when to use each.
• Methods of splicing 3-strand, 12-strand braided, and Double braid rope

Hands-on Activities:

• Knot Tying, Splicing, Whipping, Coiling, and Heaving a line

Required Supplies:

• All material supplied

Suggested Reading & Viewing Material:

• Bowline
• Square Knot
• Figure-8 Knot
• Clove Hitch
• Tying off to a Cleat
• See also Small Boat Sailing Ref. Pg. 3

Care and Maintenance of your Sails and Boat – Tim Longo

Cleaning a boat.  How a boat is built, fiber glass, gelcoat. Taking care of your sails.

Table Top Discussion:     

• How boats are built:  wood, fiberglass, gelcoat.
• How to take care of our boat, how to clean.
• How to make boat repairs.
• How to maintain your sails in top racing condition.

Hands-on Activities:

• Cleaning Tim's Laser.
• Drying and Folding a sail instead of stuffing it into a bag wet.

Required Supplies:

• tba

Suggested Reading & Viewing Material:

• tba

10 Racing Rules of Sailing to Remember – Iris Vogel

Racing Rules of Sailing, The Rule Book, and Protests

Table Top Discussion:     

• 10 Racing Rules of Sailing to Remember 
• How to read a RRS book - location of different rules in the book
• How to avoid contact
• How to exonerate youself if you foul someone
• Is protesting bad?
• What to do if you get protested
• Rules of the Road vs. Racing Rules of Sailing

Hands-on Activities:

• Several scenarios related to rules

Required Supplies:

• RRS books

Suggested Reading & Viewing Material:

• Racing Rules of Sailing (book and/or phone apps)

Building a Routine Before Your Next Regatta – Laurent Bannon

Tactical things you should do and consider before the start.

Table Top Discussion:     

• 3 things to do before the start
• Where to start
• Making a Game Plan
• Upwind Considerations
• Downwind Considerations
• Current Consideratins
• Weather Forecast Considerations

Hands-on Activities:

• TBD

Required Supplies:

• TBD

Suggested Reading & Viewing Material:

• TBD

Things to do Before Going Sailing - Bill Heintz & Iris Vogel

Four things you should do before casting off the first line, or even going out to your boat, what are some things you can and should do?

Table Top Discussion:     

• Reading a Marine Forecast - understanding and sources.
• Tide Principles - understanding and sources.
• Basic Navigation and Chart Plotting
• Filing a float plan.

Hands-on Activities:

• Determine the weather forecast, tide, and current for a particular day for a given location.

Required Supplies:

• Charts, 2023 Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book, Cell phones, Computer

Suggested Reading & Viewing Material:

• 2023 Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book