Junior Sailors Get Capsize Recovery Practice

Coach Carlson demonstrates how to safely step a mast in heavy air Picture by Susanna Tellschow

The wind was really blowing Tuesday for Junior Sailing - a little too much wind. However, it gave our Junior Sailors an opportunity to get some practice on capsize recovery.

The evening started with a Trivia Contest. The sailors divided into four groups and conferred on answers as Coach Dolan read fifteen questions. The questions were mostly on items covered in the first session, such as "To tack, does the tiller go toward the sail or away from the sail?" Then there was some fun with "List all the ways you can think of for how to stop a sailboat" - getting quite a few creative ideas from the extreme "blowing up the boat" to the accidental "running aground" to the more practical "turn into the wind and luff the sail". One group got all but one question correct.

Laser sailors went off with LSC Laser Fleet Champ Doug Carlson to get a better understanding of how to use all the sail controls. How a control changes sail shape and knowing what shape is needed for different conditions is very important. These Junior Sailors also got a chance to learn more about how to safely step a mast when the wind is blowing hard.

Meanwhile, the other sailors rigged and tied four sunfish to the dock - and, under the watchful eyes of LSC Coaches worked in groups of three or four on capsize recovery. One sailor was the skipper and the others capsized the boat. Meanwhile, the skipper tried to get over the side of the boat and on the centerboard to bring it back upright. Most sailors got dumped in the water in early attempts, but many were able to get over the side. The final challenge was to get back on board as the boat came upright. Some, like the sailor pictured below, were able to do this.

You don't necessarily need to be big to recover from a Sunfish capsize

The boat is coming up - now if I can just get back into the cockpit

Made it - and almost without getting wet Pictures by Susanna Tellschow

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