Junior Racing Team

TYC Junior Racing Team

The Learn to Sail Program (LTS) highlighted earlier has taught sailing skills for over eighteen years. Watching over this success, it became apparent that a group of sailors were being drawn back time and again to the docks on Wollochet Bay. Some sailors were taking every session throughout the summer and wanting more. For these veteran sailors we expanded our offerings and formed the TYC Junior Racing Team (RT) in 1995. It’s goal is to formally teach racing skills, rules and strategy over the ten weeks of the summer. In addition, our Race Team coach helps encourage participation at competitive events throughout the Northwest.

A major difference between the Learn to Sail program and the Race Team is that RT members need to own their own boat. We can give direction to make that step easier. We have taught sailors in Optimist dinghies, Radial and Full Rig Lasers as well as 420’s. This has allowed a wide range in ages and physical weights as well as the option to be in a single-handed as well as a skipper/crew 2 person boat. Boat ownership of course requires a greater commitment, personal responsibility and level of family support

Team practices are held on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, typically starting at 4:30 and extending until dusk. Practices include dockside chalkboard lectures, physical training, sailing drills and racing scrimmages. Members must rig and launch, participate in the practice and de-rig/wash and put their boats away. We have available racks at the Wollochet dock for Team members. RT members are encouraged to participate in the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC). This collection of regatta’s are held from late April through the end of October. They are hosted by Junior Race Teams from West Vancouver BC to the Gorge at Cascade Locks in Oregon. Many members attend our twice weekly practices but are not ready for the Circuit. We often get them to attend one or two away events to get a feeling for that option.

Throughout the year we strive to keep our members involved in sailing and thinking about sailing. Our first Circuit regatta is usually the Kitten Cup at the Royal Vancouver YC in Vancouver, BC at the end of April. After three Circuit regattas we have a late spring/early summer party to celebrate the arrival of summer and the beginning of the summer teaching curriculum. At the end of the summer, following the completion of the NWYRC, we hold an annual meeting to award our “Coaches Award” as well as our “Sailor of the Year”. The Coaches award is focused on that sailor who has both improved the most and demonstrated the best attitude throughout the summer practices. The Sailor of the Year is focused on that sailor who has performed the best at both the summer practices as well as the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit. Coincident with the awards gathering we hold our popular model boat contest. RT members construct a sailing vessel, defined by a few simple rules, for a sail-off in front of the coach, parents and other members.

Sailors from our race Team have attended all of the events on the NWYRC. On three occasions one of our Team members has taken first overall at the end of the Circuit in their respective NWYRC class in fields of over fifty junior sailors. In addition our sailors have sailed in non-junior regatta’s locally as well as National level events. We have sailed in the Laser Class North Americans, the Laser Midwinter’s, The WIND as well as CISA clinics. Past members have competed in the US Junior National Single-handed and Triple handed championships as well as the Leiter Cup.

I would encourage anyone who loves to sail to consider the Race Team. It’s great way to build friends to sail with and develop a skill that you just may keep for the rest of your life.