Why do we practice capsizing? Aren’t we supposed to avoid that? Yeah well, if you -never- capsize you’re just not pushing hard enough, plus it is a good idea to learn how to keep control of the boat when it is not going according to plan.
Yesterday afternoon, our local high school junior ROTC had capsize practice at the YMCA pool. Last week it snowed like heck, and it’s snowing again now (wait I thought this was the South!) so we are officially grateful to get in some sailing related activities at all.
This sailing program is a little different from most others I have seen. The kids come from all walks of life, for most of them this is the first time they have been on a boat of any kind. They learn a lot, and they learn fast. We have a small group of “advanced sailors” who have been in the program for a few semesters, they rig the boat up and help demonstrate how it works.
This program is more about teamwork… the kids carried the FJ thru a narrow gate and into the pool building… and of course practicing leadership… than it is about pure sailing. The only ones of these kids that have any racing experience in this group are the ones that crew on keelboats in the local PHRF fleet; they also take a turn in the mark boat for local club races. But this program could not care less about starting techniques and roll tacking. The goal is for them to learn the basics, work together to apply the basics, and practice leadership directing their peers in this activity.
The young man holding the bow in this picture started sailing in this program as a freshman, this summer he’ll be off to college with more confidence that he can succeed in a new & strange environment… after all, it won’t be anywhere near as treacherous as going out on the water as a newby… and is hoping to get on that school’s sailing team. The young man holding the centerboard lived for much of his life so far in a refugee camp. He has excelled here. I don’t think he needs the sailing experience as much, but it’s good to see him having fun too.