Contact Info and Resources

Safety

The Pequot Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program emphasizes safety first and foremost and fosters the safe enjoyment of sailing by teaching and enforcing the principles of safe boating with the goal of protecting life and property on the water.

The decision to sail or not sail due to weather conditions is ultimately made by the Club Manager in consultation with the Head Instructor.

Instructor Training Requirements

1. US Sailing Instructor Level 1 at a minimum

This four-day forty-hour course covers:

Teaching from and using a Safety Boat.
Use of land and on-the-water drills.
Sports psychology and physiology
Lesson Planning
Classroom teaching techniques for eye-hand coordination skills
Risk management and other legal issues
Safety considerations
Rainy day activities

2. CPR
3. First Aid
4. Safe Power Boating Certificate
5. CT Safe Boater’s License

Boat Safety Check

All Boats are required to pass a boat safety check at the beginning of the session, periodically throughout the session, and prior to every regatta. The check list for each boat is attached in the reference section of this guide.

The Optimist Safety Check is performed during rigging day on June 21 and 22 for session I and July 20 for session II. All private boat owners and club charterers are required to attend the rigging day.

Club-owned Fevas and 420s will be inspected by the club prior to being signed out to a charterer. Privately-owned Fevas, 420s and Lasers will be inspected during rigging days.

Boat Inspection Process:

Arrive with your boat to the dry sail area next to the parking lot.
Check in with Rigging Day Chair
You are assigned to an inspector and your boat is put down on a tarp.
You will rig your boat on land, as the inspector will check the checklist which is in the Reference section of this document.
Once your boat has passed the inspection, you are given your assigned slot number on the Opti Racks. (for Optis only)
The process takes about 15 – 30 minutes. First come, first served.
Swim Check
All participants in the Pequot Junior Sailing Program must take and pass the swimming check outlined below, except those 15, 16, and 17-year olds who passed the swim check the previous year. The check will be given on the date(s) previously specified on the Pequot Junior Sailing Program calendar. Sailors should bring a towel, Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and a complete change of clothes. Valuables should be left at home.

The check:

1. Test the proper fit of the PFD.

2. Drop into the water from the junior dock dressed in normal sailing clothes and PFD without shoes or socks.

3. Float in order to check PFD support.

4. Remove PFD.

5. Tread water for two (2) minutes.

6. Swim the length of the dock and back again. (Approx. 180 feet)

7. Put PFD on.

8. Climb back onto the dock.

Clothing for Safety

The Junior Program requires that each participant wears a U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) with a whistle. We strongly recommend that each participant wear a hat, UV sunglasses and closed-toed shoes. It is recommended that each participant bring a re-useable (not disposable please) water bottle each day.

The PFD must have your child’s name written in large letters on the back. Labeling the PFD serves 2 purposes: identifies the PFD as belonging to your child and identifies the child to everyone on the water. The PFD must be properly fitted and then is tested during the Swim Test.

A special whistle is tied to a string on the PFD. This whistle is used to call for help in an emergency. The whistle is designed to work in wet conditions.

Closed-toe shoes designed for water are recommended.

Sailing Safely under the Sun

Junior sailing programs provide a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the outdoors during the summer. But young sailors and their parents must be aware of the dangers of sun exposure and the few simple, but vitally important, precautions that can be taken to reduce the risks of skin cancer.

Young sailors are exposed to a lot of sun and will receive 80% of their total lifetime exposure to ultraviolet radiation by the time they are 18. A typical sampling of 140 sailors participating in an Optimist regatta shows only 13% of the fleet wore both hats and sunglasses. 42% wore neither!

Precautions:

· Daily use of a waterproof sunscreen, SPF 20 or higher, will reduce the risk of skin cancer in children by 80%.

· Clothing is not as protective as you may think. A cotton T-shirt has a SPF of only 3 to 9, and is at the low end when it’s wet. There is now sun-protective clothing (30+SPF) on the market.

· Sunglasses with ultraviolet protection are also vitally important.

· The hours between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. are the most dangerous time – think about ways to reduce exposure during the middle of the day.

· Hats with wide brims to protect your child’s head and to screen his/her face and neck. Samples of hats are as follows:

Parent Safety

Parents are NOT permitted on docks, on the seawall or in the dry sail area during instruction time. Parents are only allowed on the porch of the Junior Clubhouse when the program is in session.

Parents may NOT drive into the Club driveway to pick up or drop off junior sailors during program hours. Our program administrator greets your children at the entrance each morning and parent volunteers assist with pick up during the lunch hour.

Parents must drop off their children on the yacht club side of the street.

PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE DRIVEWAY.

Participant Code of Conduct

All participants will receive a copy of this Code of Conduct, which must be signed by the participant and a parent in order for the participant to begin classes.

As a participant in the Pequot YC Junior Sailing Program I promise to adhere to this Code of Conduct while I am a member of the program. I understand that if I don’t abide by these rules the Head Instructor or Junior Program Chair can restrict my participation in any Program activities.

1. I promise to follow the JSA Code of Ethics and JSA Guidelines as outlined in the JSA Yearbook and in our Orientation Guide.
2. I shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) while on the dock as well as while afloat.
3. I shall wear a shirt, shorts and shoes while on shore. I understand that it is strongly recommended to wear a hat, sunglasses and closed toe shoes.
4. I will behave and dress in a manner that is respectful of others and will not bully, taunt, tease or use profane language or gestures.

Boats:
5. Club Whalers will be operated only by Instructors.
6. Individuals using Club boats will sign out equipment and be financially responsible for replacing damaged or lost equipment.
7. Parents will sign out equipment when receiving registration and plates for trailers.

Pequot Facilities:
8. No riding of bicycles, scooters, roller blades, or skateboards on PYC property.
9. Parents may not drive into the parking lot during program hours. Parents must drop off and pick up their child on the yacht club side of the street.
10. Use of Cell phones, computers, MP3 players is not allowed on PYC property or while sailing.
11. Club use is a privilege to be used by sailor only on days when class for which they are enrolled is in session.
12. Sailors must cleanup after themselves at lunch. Failure to do so can result in losing dining privileges.
13. No one is permitted on the fire escape except in the case of fire.

USE OF ALCOHOL OR ANY OTHER ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE AT ANY TIME DURING A PEQUOT JUNIOR PROGRAM ACTIVITY OR DURING ANY JSA of LIS SANCTIONED EVENT MAY RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM THE PROGRAM.

Please be aware of the following:
1. Parents must assume full responsibility for supervision of their children when they are not participating in a scheduled sailing class; i.e., before and after scheduled classes, as well as during lunch break.
2. Each junior boat owner will be aboard his own boat during sailing class, but not always as “skipper”. Use of the boat when the junior owner is not aboard will require approval by a parent of the junior owner.

Discipline Policy

PYC Instructors will rigorously enforce safe and sensible behavior at all times.

In addition, PYC requires all of its sailors to follow the JSA Code of Ethics and Guidelines as outlined in the JSA Yearbook. Junior sailors must pay particular attention to Rules 11.1 and 11.2 that govern JSA events as follows:

“11.1 All junior sailors and instructors at all JSA events are expected to behave in accordance with the recognized principles of sportsmanship, good manners and fair play. The organizing authority or protest committee may discipline and/or penalize a junior sailor or instructor for actions that include but are not limited to the following:

a) swearing at, intimidating or harassing anyone, including teammates on or off the water;
b) stealing or borrowing, without permission, anything that does not belong to them;
c) possessing, consuming, or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.

11.2 When at a regatta a junior sailor or instructor is disciplined under JSA 11.1, the regatta organizer shall notify the offending sailor’s parents, program chairperson and yacht club Commodore, and the Chairman of the JSA. The junior sailor’s club will take disciplinary action within 48 hours and will notify the Chairman of the JSA regarding this action. In addition to any action the Club takes, further disciplinary actions may be taken by the Chairman of the JSA including initiation of action under Section 13 of the JSA By-Laws.”

Infractions pursuant to any of the above whether at JSA events or during PYC activities shall be subject to any of the following actions at the discretion of the Head Instructor:

a) Conference with instructor in charge at time of infraction.

b) Conference with Head Instructor as soon as possible (11:30am & 4:30pm daily)

c) Dismissal from class for remainder of day.

d) Conference with Junior Committee Chair, Head Instructor and sailor.

e) Conference with Junior Committee Chair, Head Instructor, PYC Flag Officer, parent and sailor.

f) Dismissal from class for one week.

g) Dismissal from program for remainder of summer (no refunds).

Communication

Class Attendance

Equipment

Lunch

Regattas and Trailering

Pequot actively participates in a full compliment of JSA Regattas. The Racing Coaches in consultation with the Head Instructor determine who is ready to go to a regatta. It is also important for parents to notify the Racing Coaches of a child’s availability to participate in the regattas.

Getting a boat and the sailor to an outside event, whether a Club boat or privately-owned, is the responsibility of the sailors using the boat. Although one or more instructors will be on hand to assist at each major regatta, the jobs of loading, car-topping and trailering, and unloading are up to the juniors sailing the boat and their parents, so be prepared!

If borrowing a Club boat and trailer, get the registration and plates from the Club Manager, provide a copy of both car insurance card and driver’s license, and sign a release form.
Make sure the trailer hitch ball on your car is the same size as the ball socket on the trailer. The smaller trailers fit a 1 7/8” ball; the larger trailers need a 2” ball; some SUV’s require an adaptive sleeve. If in doubt, check with the Manager.
Get the trailer lights hooked up to your car lights. This may take time if things need wiring, so plan ahead.
You will want to check that your car insurance covers use of Club equipment.
Know how to tie down boat and rig properly. Ask instructors and experienced parents for advice well in advance of regatta.
Review checklist for your boat. Some spare parts will be available at the host Club at retail cost.
Ask experienced parents or instructors for instructions on car-topping boats.
Know who your parent team captain is for each boat class. Volunteer parents for each racing class—Optis, Fevas, Lasers and 420s—lead a discussion for the parents at a break-out session during Orientation.
Check the regatta schedule on the JSA website, www.jsalis.org, and note any conflicts with your family schedule.
Please review the JSA website, www.jsalis.org, for directions to clubs, class rules, etc.
Please review the Notice of Race (“NOR”) on the JSA website, www.jsalis.org, for regatta arrival and departure times, meal plans (should you pack a lunch?) and other regatta details
If your sailor is receiving housing at an away regatta, PLEASE TAKE A SMALL HOSTESS GIFT.

Remind your sailors that they are representing Pequot Yacht Club when they attend regattas.

JSA of LIS (and a brief history of junior sailing on LIS)

Traditions

Volunteering

The Pequot Junior Program has a long history of volunteerism. It takes over 20 people working since October to prepare for the 8-week Junior Program. The Junior Committee meets monthly and agenda items include initiatives in the program, hiring instructors, planning our Pequot regattas, registering sailors for the summer, designing T-Shirts, maintaining the fleet of club boats, and much more! While it is a lot of work, it is really fun for everyone. We look forward to working with you!!

Junior Clubhouse Commissioning

The Junior Clubhouse commissioning ceremony is the official opening of the Junior Program, held the Sunday evening of the first week. The Junior Yacht Club Officers officiate the ceremony. The Senior Club’s Reverend blesses the Junior Club with a prayer, followed by a few words from the Senior Yacht Club Commodore. The Junior Yacht Club Flag and the U.S. Flag are hoisted on the Junior Flagpole.

A casual pizza dinner follows in the Junior Clubhouse.

Annual Awards Dinner

The Annual Awards Dinner is hosted by the Junior Yacht Club Officers. The list of perpetual trophies is listed in the Appendix. Additionally, each instructor awards their “Coaches” award for each of their classes. The evening is wrapped up with a slide show of the season’s highlights.

Jennings Cup Parent-Child Regatta

Arthur O. Jennings started this tradition so that he could see how much his children learned in the Junior Sailing Program. Each year, the Jennings family organizes this one day regatta on a Saturday in August. Rules and boat classes are announced prior to the event and vary; the regatta has been contested in boats ranging from club-owned Ideal 18s, where the Junior Sailor is the skipper, to remote-controlled “pond yachts”, where the Junior and parent alternate at the controls. The winner is awarded the Arthur O. Jennings Trophy at the Awards Dinner.

Pequot-hosted Regattas

Opti Rumble is a one day regatta for experienced Optimist sailors and is a qualifier for Opti Champs. These sailors are generally between 10 and 13 years old.

The Pequot Invitational Regatta is a long running tradition at the Club. Established in 1954, the regatta attracts 12–15 year olds from all over Long Island Sound. This year the Invitational is anticipating classes to include Fevas, 420s, Lasers, and potentially other classes to be determined when registration opens.

Perpetual Awards and Trophies