Training this season will support Youths with two days dedicated to Toppers. New this year is a strong emphasis on adult participation, encouraged by the RYA. After asking for input from its members, Lancing SC has earmarked several Saturdays during the season to bring adults back to sailing. Depending on the interest, there will be a few sessions bringing together mums, wives and partners. Sailing tends to be a sport predominantly masculine and ladies often miss out. During these training days, we will have lots of fun, lots games on the water building up the confidence, without putting any pressure on anyone. No start line, no racing, just enjoy the pleasure of sailing.

Lancing Ladies

In this first video, we cover the essentials of rigging a Topper.

• - Ensure the bung is in tightly
• Fix the rudder to the boat, and make sure the tiller arm and tiller extension are under the traveller.
• - Slot the mast in the mast step by bringing it at an angle, then secure the mast by pulling the toggle and fasten the plug in the mastgate hole.
• - Make sure the boat is head to wind and unroll the sail.
• - Clip the boom to the mast with the gooseneck (crescent-shaped boom ending)
• - Attach the rear end of the sail ("clew") to the boom using the hook, then attach the outhaul.
• - Clip in the kicker and take off the slack.

Just before launching, slot the daggerboard in the case and make sure the mainsheet is free of tangles. This will come in the next video!

In this second video, we launch a Topper from the beach.

• - Take the boat off the trolley.
• - Slot the daggerboard in the case.
• - Ensure the elastic retaining the daggerboard is clipped on itself.
• - Check if the tiller extension and the mainsheet are free of tangles.
• - Pull the boat on the water with the sail at an angle to the wind.
• - Partly push down the rudder and daggerboard to get control without touching the bottom.
• - Holding on to the tiller extension and the mainsheet, get in the boat and sheet in to power on.
• - As soon as you are deep enough, push the rudder and the daggerboard fully down.

Happy sailing!

Dates for your diary

• Cobnor weekends
  • - Fri 16th April to 18th April 2010 - Please contact Isabelle commodore@lancingsc.org.uk.
  • - Fri 15th October to 17th October 2010. Taking bookings.
  Volunteer Instructors required to assist at either event – Great fun!
  Four youths and two instructors from Lancing on each visit. Hurry up, places are going fast!

This season will have a more fun and structured approach identifying training needs and delivering with the use of coaches, log books, separate training area, safety boat cover and a tips board.

This is only a start and will be added to and tailored to the interest generated.

NB: How many other sports can you think of that enable the whole family of all ages to compete/participate on an equal level?

Training resources

The sailor just ahead of you.

The sailor just ahead of you boat on the beach.

www.shorehambeachweather.co.uk. Invaluable source for very local weather, what is/has and probably will happen. Live camera feed.

Small library of racing books at Lancing Sailing Club

"Play the rules" website- Rules game website – Brill!

UK-Hasley Rules quiz section - Another entertaining quiz about the rules. Register for free with an email address. Pause and replay the action while reading the answers to understand the reasons behind the decisions. Requires Flash player plug-in, link available on the site.

www.rya.org.uk – Royal Yachting Association

rya.org.uk/vcc – Volvo Champion Clubs – good stuff

RYA log book – to purchase from RYA. Invaluable investment.

RYA Champion Club – Pathway Coaching book
RYA Champion Club – DVD
RYA Champion Club – CD
(Above 3 available on short term loan only provided feedback given!)

www.gbrtopper.co.uk - UK Topper Association

www.laser.org.uk - UK Laser Association

Tips and articles from Sailing Solutions

Links to other resources and class associations are available in the Links page of this site.

YouTube –Input type of dinghy and "training"

www.yachtsandyachting.com Magazine site.

Lancing Sailing Club forum

Club Members – Approx twenty qualified coaches and as many very experienced sailors and technical gurus.

Fitness

Fridge – Meat, pasta, veg & fruit etc

Exercise – Gym, cycling etc and for some swimming!

Sleep more than 4 hours the night before the race.

The future

Establish an up to date training program in line with Lancing needs and RYA directives.

Supply easier access to new and potential new Junior/Youth members.

Introduce Buddy and Mentoring Systems.

Develop more contacts with like minded Youths and clubs in the surrounding counties.

Allow coaches and other sailors to offer training/advice/presentations on their areas of expertise eg trapezing, aeronautics, etc

History of training at Lancing

(Youths can skip this bit)

The current Club members owe a lot to the Founding members, they were years ahead of their time as a small family club encouraging all “youngsters”.

The RYA remit is now looking at a 20 year plan, (which LSC has carried out for almost 50) to be inclusive and add to the mix rather than just the Dynasty sailor, (handed down by generations).

Sailing, unfortunately, suffers from a huge accessibility issue. Crazy really seeing as we are surrounded by water! Lancing (along with CMYC) has in my experience (as a Dynasty sailor) been the exception to the rule. I joined over 20 years ago through the honest advice/tips, micky-taking and friendly experiences of Lancing members while at a winter event. Many of those sailors including Dave, Pete and Jerry remain, thank you all.

Prior to Champion Club status Lancing had many ad hoc fun learning days, but with the new status, official courses were required. As a small club we were unable to support both approaches.

We have had a number of very successful courses and training since, however the lack of a clubhouse (whilst new one completed), closure of the beach (Environment Agency building new sea defences), poor or disastrous weather, and one of those cyclical falls in club youth demographics, (exacerbated by the former incidents) resulted in us falling behind with the amount of training we wanted.

That was then and this is now, we are now in a great position of a clean sheet backed by qualified coaches, willing and able and prepared to pass their knowledge on.

That does not happen in most walks of life – Not without great expense.

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