Intermediate Optimist Sample
Eight Week Teaching Outline Weeks 1-2
Week 1Program and harbor rules / Rules of the road Sportsmanship - team sport - working together - safety consciousness (Rule 1) Health - exercise - protection from sun Parts
of Boat….. all Find
where wind is coming from Bowline,
8-knot, cleat knot Avoiding contact (Rule 14) Proper
rigging and de-rigging Checking
mast preventer Where,
when, and how to sit Safety
position Swim tests Capsize and Recovery Towing and towing rules Leaving and returning to
dock Sailing simple
courses….use for assessment and make them fun! - figure eight - square - sausage….upwind/downwind and reach - triangle - wacky courses….use your imagination |
Week 2 Identifying points of sail Square knot, clove hitch Coiling and throwing a
line Boat care - proper and neat stowing and securing - washing boats - checking sail for ties - tying ties No
go zone review Getting
out of irons Refitting sprit pole on the
water Upwind sailing - close-hauled - steering a straight course…..paying attention - watching for speed and balloon in luff - telltales Tacking Squall/Storm Drill |
Intermediate Optimist Sample
Eight Week Teaching Outline Weeks 3-4
Week 3Instigate rule of the week
Port/Starboard (Rule 10) How
a sail works - pushing - pulling Sail
Controls - ouhaul - boom vang - gooseneck More upwind sailing - hiking Downwind sailing - sail trim dictated by where wind is - body position and placement - steering Gybing (i.e. the
controlled gybe) - S gybe as apposed to C gybe - pull in sail and center tiller Stopping and Starting - heading into wind - backwind sail to stop - pull in and head off to start |
Week 4Windward/Leeward (Rule 11) Seamanship week
Review knots Navigation - North, South, East, West - using landmarks - using a compass - water depth - reading a chart - navigation buoys Current Weather - simple weathers systems - clouds and what they mean - wind and weather - weather reports - barometric pressure Rowing - pulling oars - getting in row boat - docking Land and sea orienteering Sailing as a way to get
somewhere - using navigation skills - long distance sail |
Intermediate Optimist Sample
Eight Week Teaching Outline Weeks 5-6
Week 5Racing…..make
it fun and not too competitive! Starting
sequence Where
to be at the start…basics - clear air Mark
rounding - the mechanics of it - the rules of it (Rule 18), but be
basic Finishing Executing
a 360 when foul occurs Rules
in Racing - review and use rules learned - introduce the protest Sportsmanship
in racing - responsibility - fair sailing Assessing
wind on a course Avoiding
La-La land (i.e. sailing up the middle) Intro
to regattas Team
spirit - be creative…. the class as a team |
Week 6Tacking
rules (Rule 13) Learn
the finer points of boathandling and sail control Daggerboard
positions Sprit
pole adjustment More
on sail controls Sail
shape - for different weather conditions - for different points of sail Balance
and weight placement - steering with weight - how body placement and movement
affects the boat - for different weather conditions - for different points of sail Backwards
sailing |
Intermediate Optimist Sample
Eight Week Teaching Outline Weeks 7-8
Week 7Clear
ahead – Clear astern (Rule 12) Actual
vs. Apparent wind Anchoring Intro
to big boat sailing - relate the Opti to a big boat - MOB drill - navigation - sailing as a way to get somewhere Sailing
by the lee |
Week 8Changing
Course (Rule 16) More Racing
Wind
Puffs and Lulls - what to do when racing Adjusting
sail controls on different legs Adjusting
weight for speed Fun
club series - serious races - fun races - include other activities – knots,
swimming, navigation, rigging/derigging,
seamanship, teams, boat decoration - a time for review and fun |