
The Winchester Boat Club offers an 8-week sailing program with lessons for beginner, intermediate, advanced, and adult sailors. Children must be nine years old or entering the 4th grade to participate in sailing lessons. We aim to develop sailing and boating skills that will last a lifetime and will help to nurture a sense of independence, responsibility, self-esteem and respect for the water in our junior sailors.
We welcome and encourage the involvement and support of parents. We need volunteers for a variety of events this summer. Please contact the Sailing Director or Fleet Captains if you would like to get involved!
| Class | Days | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | M, Tu, Th | 7:30 - 10:30 AM |
| Intermediate | M, Tu, Th, F | 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM |
| Tactics | M, Tu, Th, F | 1:15 - 4:00 PM |
| Junior Race Team | M, W, Th | 1:15 - 4:00 PM |
| Adult | W | 8:30 - 11:30 AM |
Teaches the fundamentals of sailing for novice and younger sailors. Sailors will be instructed in rowing, rigging of boats, basic maneuvering, and safety.
To advance from Beginner to Intermediate the sailor demonstrates the following skills while sailing alone / independently:
The overall importance of this test is to make sure that the child understands the wind. He/she should understand that it is the interaction between the wind and the sail that makes them move, and therefore they must pay attention to their sail, keep the right sail trim, and know where the wind is coming from.
Sailors will have passed the Beginner level. Sailors will work on refining basic sailing techniques and building up to racing.
To advance from Intermediates to Tactics the sailor demonstrates the following skills while sailing alone / independently:
Sailors will have passed Intermediate level. Sailors are taught the advanced tactics of racing using the club's 420 racing boats. This class races most days during lessons and is encouraged to compete both on and off the lake.
After two summers of tactics, sailors can elect to try out for the Junior Race Team. To be considered for the team, the sailor should demonstrate the following skills while sailing a club 420:
Note: sailors may use a crew of their choice while demonstrating these abilities.
Team members will have passed the Tactics level. The Junior Race Team is a competitive group of 420 and Laser sailors who wish to pursue competition on and off the lake, building team work skills and bringing racing tactics learned in previous years, to a higher level. They will learn how to make the Club 420 and the Laser go fast in different wind conditions, using strategy, tactics and tuning. While mostly focusing on fleet racing, the group will also learn team racing. Sailors will become well-versed in the racing rules, protests, regatta registration and boat care and transport. Team work and good sportsmanship are key elements in the daily operation of this team, on and off the water. The race team will practice three days a week in the summer.
Casual lessons to teach adults the basics of sailing.
Private sailing lessons can be scheduled to supplement our sailing program. Private sailing lessons may be arranged for both adults and children.* The rate is $40 per hour per boat. Members should contact the instructor of their choice directly to schedule a private lesson. Payment is made directly to that instructor. Instructors may only schedule private lessons during their off hours.
For the most part, private lessons will be conducted with the instructor joining the sailor in his/her boat. If a club motorboat is required, permission must be granted by the manager on duty.
*Private lessons are made available for children to supplement our summer sailing program. They should not be arranged in lieu of participating in the sailing program.
topBeginner sailors may use either an N10 dinghy or an Optimist (Opti) dinghy. We encourage two beginner sailors per N10. The Opti is designed for one sailor. Intermediates may also use N10s or Optis, however, all sailors in this class are expected to sail solo to become more proficient with their skills. Sailors in the Tactics class primarily use Club owned 420s, a two-person dinghy with two sails (mainsail & jib). We have a total of thirteen 420s available to support our more experienced junior sailors and, depending on participation levels, we will incorporate other boats such as lasers, N10s, and Snipes as needed.
In order to participate in sailing lessons, children must complete the sailing swim test before July 5, 2010. The sailing swim test entails swimming two lengths of the pool fully clothed in long pants, a fully-buttoned long sleeve shirt, closed-toe shoes, and a bathing suit. Upon completing the two laps, the sailor must disrobe down to his/her bathing suit while treading water, and then tread water for five minutes more. The entire test must be completed in a continuous manner, without the participant taking any breaks or touching the pool wall. The clothes should be light weight and easily removable because they must be taken off before treading water. The test is administered by the lifeguards during adult swim. If a child does not pass, he or she may repeat the test again until they do pass.
There are numerous WBC regattas held on the lake for all levels of junior sailors for both the N-10 and Opti fleets. Check the WBC Calendar for dates.
| Regatta | Age | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Swanson Cup | 9 to 13 | N-10 |
| Raphael Cup | 13 to 18 | 420 |
| Dillon Cup | Any age (including adults) | N-10 |
| Opti Cup | 9 to 16 | Optimist |
| Opti Challenge | 9 to 16 | Optimist |
| Generation Race | Junior Skipper, Adult Crew | N-10 |
Parents are responsible for getting junior sailors and their boats to and from off-lake regattas. We will help organize this effort. Instructors are not authorized to transport sailors to regattas.
Off-lake regattas that may be of interest include the following:
Check the WBC Calendar for all the regatta dates.
| Club (click below for club website) |
Address (click below for map/directions) |
Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Cottage Park Yacht Club | Orlando Avenue, Winthrop MA 02152 | +1 (617) 846-9801 |
| Hingham Yacht Club | 211 Downer Avenue, Hingham, MA 02043 | +1 (781) 749-9779 |
| Hull Yacht Club | 5 Fitzpatrick Way, Hull, MA 02045 | +1 (781) 925-9739 |
| Medford Boat Club | 99 Lake Shore Drive, Arlington, MA 02474 | +1 (781) 648-1087 |
| Pleon Yacht Club | 42 Foster Street, Marblehead, MA 01945 | +1 (781) 631-1076 |
| Squantum Yacht Club | 646 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, MA 02170 | +1 (617) 770-4811 |
| Winchester Boat Club | 65 Cambridge Street, Winchester, MA 01890 | +1 (781) 729-0584 |
| Winthrop Yacht Club | 649 Shirley Street, Winthrop, MA 02152 | +1 (617) 846-9774 |
PLEASE HAVE YOUR BOAT READY TO SAIL THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS!
It is the responsibility of the parent to arrange a boat (own, borrow or share) and partner for their junior sailor. (See the last page of this handbook for helpful boat borrowing guidelines.) These arrangements must be made BEFORE the first day of sailing classes.
Our sailing instructors are not authorized to use valuable instruction time to find boats and organize partners. This is not the job of the sailing instructors and when they have to leave the docks to do so, it causes safety concerns for our sailors.
The WBC is not responsible for finding any lost, misplaced, forgotten or stolen parts. Be sure that both you and your child know what parts belong to you, and that your child knows to put everything away after class instead of leaving it on the docks.
This is by far the most commonly misplaced item. Children often forget to put it away after taking the sail out of the bag and leave it on the docks to be blown into the water. They also all look EXACTLY the same, so it is a good idea to put your family name and sail number on the bag (with a permanent marker) to identify it.
This is by far the most stolen or unintentionally swapped item. Just like with the sail bag these all look EXACTLY the same. Make sure to put your family name and sail number/boat name on the rudder in permanent ink, and do something to it to make it unique at a glance. For example: buy multiple colors of electrical or duct tape and wrap it around the rudder/tiller in a unique pattern (make sure to do this ABOVE the waterline).
Not very often misplaced, but be sure to know your sail number just in case. It can be very easily spotted if it is accidentally switched with another boat.
*If your boat needs work, you may hire an instructor to work on it. However, this must be by private arrangement and must take place outside of instructor work hours. The private rate for boat repair is $15.00/30 minutes plus cost of materials.
Please be sure that you have arranged for a mooring and a locker and that you and your child both know your correct mooring number, locker number and lock combination. Your mooring number and locker number may change from year to year, so you must sign up for each at the start of the season.
Parents are responsible for dropping off junior sailors promptly at the start of their sailing class. Parents are also responsible for picking up junior sailors who are under the age of 10 (and therefore not allowed at the club without adult supervision) in a timely manner. There is no instructor supervision when the program is over.
All sailors must have the following equipment on the first day of class:
All Sailors will need a lifejacket the first day of classes and will be required to wear the lifejacket at all times on the water and on the dock. Lifejackets can be purchased at West Marine in Woburn on Washington Street or at many sporting goods stores. The lifejacket must have the proper fit, not be sized to grow into, and the sailor should like the color and style of the jacket, as they will wear it often.
The following are optional but strongly recommended:
Only registered class participants (no parents, siblings, guests, etc.) and Club employees should be on the floating docks during pre-lesson rigging, lesson times, and post-lesson de-rigging. One of the main goals of our program is to encourage independence in our junior sailors. In addition, the docks are very crowded during this time and we cannot afford to have the extra bodies on the docks. If you are seen on the dock, you will be asked to leave. Please respect this rule.
If your child will be absent from class for one day or for a week, please make sure to notify his/her partner so that they can make alternative partner arrangements for that time period (try to find someone else whose partner is also absent from class).
Occasionally, we will put three sailors in an N10, but only on a temporary basis. In addition to the safety issues and the capacity for instructors to maintain the attention of three sailors in a boat, the sailors will not get enough hands-on time with the tiller or the mainsail, and they will be fall behind the rest of the class.
Parents should be aware of our discipline policy. All participants in the sailing program are expected to follow all the Rules and Regulations outlined in the WBC Handbook. In addition, all sailing program participants are expected to follow the directions of Sailing Instructors and all members of the WBC staff. To the extent possible, Sailing Instructors/Staff will address violations of the Club Rules and Regulations (or of the policies set forth by Instructors or Staff) directly with the student. In cases of consistent infractions, or infractions that jeopardize the safety of the individual or others, Instructors may need to remove the individual from the class. Students that have to be removed from class will be sent to the Club office and the Manager on duty will notify parents. If behavior consistently hinders the ability of Instructors to teach and ensure the safety of the entire class, parents will be notified and the student may have to be removed permanently from the Program.
If you have any other questions about the Junior Sailing Program please refer to the Sailing FAQ or contact the Sailing Director.
The WBC has a very dedicated Race Committee that officiates at all the weekend races on the lake. It is very interesting and fun work for anyone who wants to get out on the lake without sailing, and the committee is always looking for volunteers. To learn more, contact our Race Committee Director. There is also a Race Committee Handbook if you are interested in reading about the process. To sign up for Race Committee, visit our race committee schedule page.
Check the Calendar for all the N-10 Regatta dates. The N-10 Association requires that all boats be weighed prior to competing in any official N-10 Association regattas. The N-10's must meet a minimum weight requirement in order to pass the test. Contact the N-10 Fleet Captain if you need to have you N-10 weighed for competition. Please remember that ALL boats must be registered with the N-10 Association to participate in regattas. A completed registration form and the annual dues should be collected when attaining a mooring or signing up for the sailing programs,
Check the WBC Calendar for all the OPTI Regatta dates.
Sailing of club 420s is encouraged for all qualified members provided that the conditions are safe and that the on duty staff is informed and available to assist in the event of an on the water emergency.
To facilitate the safe usage of the club 420s, the WBC requires that sailors pass a basic sailing test before using the boats. This test can be administered by any of the club's full time instructors as well as other qualified members. Office staff will help in arranging for one of these individuals to meet with you at a convenient time. The sailing test will consist of simple rigging and sailing. The rigging test ensures that the boats are setup safely and rigged correctly. The sailing test would determine if the sailor is approved for sailing in light air or heavy air.
Once you have passed the test, your name will be placed on a list of sailors who are qualified to use the 420s. (Office check in is still required before each use of a boat but the test does not need to be repeated.) Junior members who wish to sail a club boat during non-supervised periods must be approved by the summer sailing instructors for boat use and must have a parent's approval on file with the office.
In all cases the club manager should have the final say as to who is allowed to sail the club owned boats.
Please inquire in the office for further info.
Check the WBC Calendar for all the 420 Regatta dates.
Check the Mystic Lake Snipe Fleet Website for more information on the snipes; including their fleet racing calendar.