PYSF Opti Update

[Director PYSF]

Hello PYSF Opti Parents and Sailors—

I wanted to touch base with you ALL before the year ends.  I have just sent an email to all of the Opti Green Sailors from the Fall about what their next steps are I think everyone would find the email helpful.  Below I have listed a few questions/answers to help you decipher what our program has to offer and how to move along through the classes.  For those that are new to our sport it can be overwhelming and I am hopeful this gets you through the next few weeks until we have a virtual “info night” in January.  Our schedule will be posted this weekend on the site. And the registration for the spring will open the first week of January.  I will be updating the general mailing list before it opens.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season with your families.  Stay safe, stay sane and stay distanced!!  See you in 2021!! —Molly     

1. What is the progression through PYSF? (Classes with * denote entry points to the program).  These are the classes being offered in the Spring of 2021:

• *Learn to Sail (ages 8-11)
• Intro to race
• This class will introduce the concepts of racing, while focusing on building sailors confidence in rigging and controlling their own boat.  Kids will be sailing in Cubes 
• Opti Green Team 
• The next step after Intro-to-Race.  This is where kids will begin to refine their opti specific boat handling skills.  They will work on racing skills as well, but this is where the foundation of body mechanics are learned.  
• Development Team
• In addition to body mechanics, this class will focus on racing tactics and opti specific tuning. Sailors could be racing in Green Fleet or Champ Fleet while on the Development Team.  Coaches determine what is appropriate for the sailor.    
• Opti Champ Team
• Foundation is set in boat handling, rigging and racing tactics before being on the Champ Team.  This is class is for those ready to race outside the Bay Area/CA.  
• *FJ Intro (ages 11-13)
• Both kids that are brand new to sailing and those that have sailed cubes/optis will be taking this class.  Controlling a 2-person boat with two sails is the focus.  Racing concepts are involved in the drills to assist with teaching time and distance, effects of momentum, team work, sail trim, skippering, etc.
• *High School FJ Intro
• HS Team Race
• Keelboat (new this season!!)
• Sailors must complete an FJ Intro Class and have prior approval of Director before taking this course.
• 420 Intermediate
• 420 Race

2. How do you progress through the classes?

• The determining factors for progressing from one class to another are skills/ability, maturity of sailor, age and size.  The coaches assess the factors throughout the class and we determine the next steps by the last class/practice session.  Depending on your sailor, there might be more than one option for their “next step.”  For example if you have a 12yo that is currently sailing in Opti Green we might have both Opti Development and FJ Intro listed.  During the Info Night at the beginning of the Fall Season the coaches went through the “PYSF Opti Skill Sheet” with everyone.  That is a good reference point for what the kids are working on.  You’ll also see that the Development Team was already being formed then!  I’ve attached it for your reference.

3. How do I chose to continue with Optis or move to FJs?

• The deciding factors are age, size and what the child wants to get out of the class.  Are they super competitive and enjoy racing?  Are they most interested in the social aspect and having fun? I love to keep kids in optis as long as possible because it teaches them the skills while having to focus only on themselves.  The racing scene for the opti is robust, so the options to get our kids exposed to regattas is great.  The FJ is a great stepping stone to High School/College sailing.  It is a 2-person boat, so you learn teamwork and coordination while perfecting the sailing skills.  There are local BAYS (Bay Area Youth Sailing) regattas to attend for the FJs as well, but it is a much more limited racing scene.  The other factor to help decide would be age.  The younger the sailor, the more I would encourage them to stay in an opti.  Kids can stay in an opti until they are 15 (though most tend to size out first).  So there is a multi-year investment for purchasing an opti and sticking with it.

4. When is boat ownership needed, if at all?

• Once your child is in Champ Fleet, they MUST own their own boat.  I would suggest having your own boat for the newly formed Development Team as well.  Our optis are great for Intro-to-Race and starting out in Green Fleet.  Once kids are beginning to travel and compete in regattas (I count traveling as any event not hosted by PYSF) they will want to have their own boat.  You can customize the size of the booms for your weight, you can have multiple sails for the differing conditions, etc.  Maintenance is a big part of the sport, and the earlier you can start the learning process the better.  
• We have many sailors in the program where boat ownership is not possible.  We work with everyone to make sure all can sail.  We have chartering options and scholarship options as well.  Again, once you are on Champ Fleet you must have your own equipment. It’s suggested that you have your own boat for the Development Team.  And boats are provided for Green and Intro-to-Race.

5. What should my child do with the downtime between their next class session?  

• The best thing for your kids is to have as much on-the-water time as possible.  Having unstructured free sailing is a fantastic way for the kids to build confidence, independence and raise their comfort level.  Plus it’s fun!  If you own a boat, it’s easy.  Sailors/parents text when the kids plan to go onto the water and we coordinate.  For those that do not own a boat yet, do as many Rec Sailing days as possible.  Having a free sail day with your friends in the other boats is even better!  While we love the structure of practice and helping get kids through specific skills, the best thing they can do is spend time having fun messing around in the boat.  We can give the kids things to work on if they would like, or we can simply be out there as a safety boat to observe for Rec Sailing.  I plan to have more Rec Sailing days this Spring to accommodate those waiting for their class to begin.