After four weeks, a Beginner Optimist sailor should know how to….

 

Safety

Follow program and harbor rules

Be safety conscious

Stay protected from the sun

Use a safety whistle appropriately

Avoid collisions

Put on and take off a PFD in the water

Tread water without a PFD for two minutes in the sea

Get in the safety position

Capsize and recover

Execute a squall/storm drill

 

Seamanship

Be comfortable in an opti on the water

Tie an 8-knot, square knot, cleat knot, bowline, half hitch, and clove hitch

Coil and throw a line

Rig and de-rig

Name the parts of an Opti

Know where the wind is coming from

Take care of his or her boat

     - proper and neat stowing and securing

     - washing

Use the paddle while steering

Steer responsibly on a tow

Stay out of the no-go-zone except when tacking

Recover from irons

 

Boathandling

Leave the dock

Return to the dock

Maintain proper body position and weight placement in the boat

Hold the tiller and mainsheet correctly

Gybe

Tack

Reach

Run

Sail upwind

Sail a figure eight

Sail a triangle

Sail a square

 

Sportsmanship

Respect others

View sailing as a team sport

Work in a team during rigging and activities


After eight weeks, a Beginner Optimist sailor should also know how to……..

 

Seamanship

Tie sail ties

Attatch a sail onto spars

Do simple navigation

     - North, South, East, West

     - recognizing landmarks

     - navigation buoys

     - water depth

Identify current and tides

Recognize the approach of puffs and lulls

Explain how a sail works

     - push

     - pull

Use sailing as a way to get somewhere

Row

Anchor

Sail as passenger or crew on a big boat

 

Boathandling

Use telltales for upwind steering

Sit (and where) for different wind and water conditions

Adjust the daggerboard for different conditions

Maintain proper weight and body balance in the boat

Stop and start

Adjust (when and why) sail controls

     - sprit pole tension

     - outhaul

     - vang stop

     - boom vang

Execute a 360

 

Racing

Understand sportsmanship in racing

Start

Round a mark

Find clear air