SBSC Sailing Course Week 5

A good blowy sailing day today, even though we feared a repeat of last week's gales when we first arrived at the clubhouse. The westerly wind was coming acorss us at between 8 to 12 knots so Chief Instructor David decided that today we would experience the skills involved in crewing two person boats (using two Trio Comets and the Radar from the previous week's session).

The girls all took turns at working the main and jib sheets. In addition they had the opportunity at times to helm the larger dinghies which they found great fun. As the pictures below show the girls really did let their hair down today, quite literally!

SBSC Sailing Course Week 4

Well our good luck with the weather couldn't last! A very large, damp, grey rain cloud was sitting directly over Sutton Bingham to greet us as we arrived and refused to move until we left. This did little to dampen our spirits however and the girls all very bravely took the option, in two separate groups, of journeying up the water in a large 'Radar' club boat.

At times this proved a little hairy even for the hardiest of sailors as we were beating up the water against a headwind of 22 knots , gusting to 28 knots in some patches!! The large Radar did keel over quite considerably and as the rain lashed into our faces everyone felt the feeling that Dame Ellen must have felt at times in the Southern oceans. (Well maybe a little less extreme!)

To compensate for their big adventure on the 'high seas' the girls also enjoyed a fun sailing quiz and a knot tying session back in the club house from Chief Instructor David Thomson. Everyone enjoyed the experience of high wind sailing but we are also looking forward to calmer conditions in the weeks ahead.

SBSC Sailing Course Week 3

Another beautiful afternoon greeted our arrival at the sailing club for a session where many girls made great progress. The instructors divided the group up into two, with one set taking the Optimists out and the other group trying out the club's brand new RS Teras. During the land based introduction session the children focused on points of sailing theory and rigging the boats. Out on the water everyone had time to practise their tacking and beating up wind moves. All the girls thoroughly enjoyed the club session this week and there were no capsizes!!!