420 Chessie Racers

Ages: 14 - 18

Time: 12pm - 5pm | Half or Full Summer

For: Sailors with 420 or FJ experience who would like to race in more regattas

Price (+Additional Travel Fees): Full Summer: $3960; 1st Half: $2400; 2nd Half: $2200

Tentative Regatta List: VA Race Week - NYCC (6/25), HYC (6/27-28); Annapolis Race Week - SSA (7/1), AYC (7/2); New Bedford Yacht Club Junior Regatta (MA) (7/8-14); Lewes (DE) (7/25); Oxford Junior Regatta (8/10-11)

Application Required

The 420 Chessie Racers program is intended for sailors who have some experience sailing the Club 420 or FJ and would like to try their hand at racing. Participants are often, but not limited to, those who sail in High School programs during the school year and want to expand their skill sets. This program is based at SSA but will also travel to local Chesapeake Bay regattas throughout the season.  We will focus on the basics of racing including trapeze, spinnaker, starting, upwind sailing, downwind sailing, basic race tactics, rigging and derigging the boat. When we travel to events outside of Annapolis, we ask that parents help tow the 420's and coach boat.  We encourage and recommend that where possible, participants pair up as skipper/crew units prior to signing up for the class and then register together, however the Junior Program can assist with pairing up un-matched participants.  If you own your own boat you may use that instead of a club boat. If you choose to bring your own boat please reach out to the Junior Program Director to coordinate storage while you are in the program.  

Participants will need to bring the following things to practice every day:

• Lifejacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle

• Closed-toed shoes that can get wet

• Change of clothes & towel

• Sunglasses & hat

• Sunscreen

• Lunch & snacks

• Reusable water bottle

• Bailer

• Countdown watch

• Trapeze harness for crews

We have 3 club boats that can be used for this class but encourage the use of privately owned boats for this program as it increases the potential number of participants and the quality of the team.

420 Chessie Race Team

Registration Links

Race Team Registration will open on a case-by-case basis pending completed applications.

Fill out the Race Team Application in advance! - Submit your application in order to be eligible for the race team!

Full Summer: 6/10 - 8/09 (Last Regatta 8/11)

1st Half Summer: 6/10 - 7/12

2nd Half Summer: 7/15 - 8/09 (Last Regatta 8/11)

WAITLIST

**Practice/Regatta dates may impact days at SSA, we will not sail more than 5 consecutive days. More information on that will be available during the parent meeting, February 28th.

* Times for Week 1 of practice may be altered to better include public school sailors until their school year ends.

Opti Green Fleet

Ages: 7 - 13 - ask Junior Director if your sailor is ready!

Time: 10am - 4pm | Half or Full Summer

For: Rookie Racers graduates ready for the next step - Green Fleet Race Team!!! (Intermediate Graduates welcome at Junior Director’s discretion)

Price (+Additional Travel Fees): Full Summer: $3960; 1st Half: $2400; 2nd Half: $2200

Tentative Regatta List: Fishing Bay Yacht Club Junior Regatta (6/22-23), SSA Sandy MacVickar (7/1), AYC Junior Annual (7/2), West River Sailing Club Junior Regatta (7/11), Lewes Junior Regatta - DE (7/25), Miles River Junior Regatta (8/8), Oxford Junior Regatta (8/10-11)

SSA’s Optimist Green Fleet program is an introduction to racing.  The Green Fleet competes in local regattas in the Annapolis and surrounding areas. The Optimist Green Fleet is a stepping-stone for sailors who are new to racing, but interested in competing in sailing and ultimately moving up to the open Optimist Red, White and Blue fleet racing.  Parental involvement is expected to facilitate travel, trailering, and chaperoning.  Successful completion of the Rookie Racers opti program is a prerequisite for this program (but may be waived in the discretion of the Junior Program Director).

Sailors will focus on refining their boat handling and practice skills needed to become proficient racers, including:

• Starting

• Using telltales

• Advanced sailing terminology

• The Racing Rules of Sailing

• Basic racing tactics

• Launching independently

Optimist Green Fleet sailors must provide their own boat, which must be equipped as follows:

• 27’-30’ Floating bow line (6mm/1/4” min. diameter), secured to mast step

• Two bailers that are secured to the boat

• Three air bags which must be firmly inflated and able to hold air

• Rudder retainer clip (secures rudder to transom)

• Daggerboard lanyard (to prevent it from floating away if capsized)

• Mast tie in system (line and/or locking collar)

• Bridle/Mainsheet connection, must be a shackle-type quick connect, no carabiners or other self-opening clips are permitted for safety reasons.

• Mainsheet Bridle, no looser then approx. 4” from boom, and must have safety line.

• Paddle or Praddle with lanyard

• Extra sail ties

Participants will need to bring the following things to camp every day, clearly labeled with their name:

• PFD/Life Jacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle

• Closed-toed shoes that can get wet

• Change of clothes & towel

• Sunglasses & hat

• Sunscreen

• Lunch & snacks

• Reusable water bottle

Opti Green Fleet Race Team

Registration Links

SSA Member Registration Opens January 9th

Junior Club Member Registration Opens January 23rd

Full Summer: 6/10 - 8/09 (Last Regatta 8/11)

1st Half Summer: 6/10 - 7/12

2nd Half Summer: 7/15 - 8/09 (Last Regatta 8/11)

>>>>>WAITLIST<<<<<

**Practice/Regatta dates may impact days at SSA, we will not sail more than 5 consecutive days. More information on that will be available during the parent meeting.

*Week 1 of practice will be pushed from 12-5 to 1-6 to better include public school sailors until their school year ends.

Opti RWB Race Team

Ages: 8 - 15

Time: 10am - 5pm | Half or Full Summer

For: Green Fleet graduates ready to commit to a summer chock-full of fun and racing!

Price (+Additional Travel Fees): Full Summer: $3960; 1st Half: $2400; 2nd Half: $2200

Tentative Regatta List: VA Race Week - NYCC (6/25), HYC (6/27-28); Annapolis Race Week - SSA (7/1), AYC (7/2); New Bedford Yacht Club Junior Regatta (MA) (7/8-14); USODA Fleet Nationals @ Ohio (7/27-29); Oxford Junior Regatta (8/10-11)

Application Required

The Optimist RWB (Red/White/Blue) Team is for more advanced racing sailors who compete primarily in regattas in the Annapolis and surrounding areas, but also supports team members traveling to more distant regional and national level regattas.  The Optimist RWB Team practices and races together.  The Red/White/Blue designations are age bands used to score age groups separately at regattas: White (10 or younger), Blue (11-12), and Red (13-15).  The Optimist RWB Team is ideal for sailors who are comfortable and proficient at racing.  Parental involvement is expected to facilitate travel, trailering, and chaperoning.  The Optimist RWB Team Coaches will be present at all supported regattas to help team members both on and off the water.  Sailors will focus on refining their boat handling and practicing other skills needed to further develop as advanced racing sailors, including:

• Starting

• Using telltales

• Boat handling

• Advanced sailing terminology

• The Racing Rules of Sailing

• Advanced racing tactics

• Headers vs Lifts

• Knowledge of race committee flags

• Pinching and footing

• Self-preparation 

• Launching, rigging and docking on one's own

• Becoming self-sufficient at regattas and events

Optimist RWB team members must provide their own class-legal boats which must have:

• 27’-30’ floating bow line (1/4” min diameter), secured to mast step

• Two bailers that are secured to the boat

• Three airbags which must be firmly inflated and able to hold air

• Rudder retainer clip (secures rudder to transom)

• Daggerboard lanyard (to prevent it from floating away if capsized)

• Mast tie in system (line and/or locking collar)

• Bridle/Mainsheet connection, must be a shackle type quick connect, no carabiners or other self-opening clips are permitted for safety reasons.

• Mainsheet Bridle , no looser then approx. 4” from boom, and must have safety line.

• Paddle or Praddle with lanyard

• Extra sail ties

• Link to official Optimist Class Rules: HERE

Participants will need to bring the following things to practice every day, clearly labeled with their name:

• PFD/Life Jacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle

• Closed-toed shoes that can get wet

• Change of clothes & towel

• Sunglasses & hat

• Sunscreen

• Snacks

• Reusable water bottle 

Opti RWB Race Team

Registration Links

Race Team Registration will open on a case-by-case basis pending completed applications.

Fill out the Race Team Application in advance! - Submit your application in order to be eligible for the race team!

Full Summer: 6/10 - 8/09 (Last Regatta 8/11)

1st Half Summer: 6/10 - 7/12

2nd Half Summer: 7/15 - 8/09 (Last Regatta 8/11)

WAITLIST

**Practice/Regatta dates may impact days at SSA, we will not sail more than 5 consecutive days. More information on that will be available during the parent meeting.

*Times for Week 1 of practice may be altered to better include public school sailors until their school year ends.