RS Tera and Tera Pro

Class Captain: Jamie Wilson - teracaptain@hisc.co.uk

To stay up to date on all things Tera related, please ask your Class Captain to be added to the HISC Tera WhatsApp Group or find the QR code on the reception noticeboard.

At HISC we have over 80 RS Teras in our fleet, the sailors of which vary greatly in age and ability, so as a fleet we try to cater for all of their needs and you don't even have to own an RS Tera to get involved - HISC have a large number of RS Tera’s available to hire.
The RS Tera with its bright orange sail is an ideal first boat for children of between 10 to 14 years of age. It is available with two rig sizes; the Sport rig for standard sailing and racing and the Pro rig which is a fully battened larger mylar sail for older and more advanced children.
Tera sailors often start sailing in our sheltered lagoon, a very safe place to find your way around the boat and to practice capsizing! HISC Seals in the lagoon is a great way to get younger children confident on the water whilst making new friends and having lots of fun. Once confident prepare for racing with the hugely successful Red Ribbon Training Club and Saturday Sailing sessions.

Both are aimed at giving them time on the water helping to make a smooth transition into youth racing. When ready, there are numerous opportunities for racing at the club - Sunday Racing, Pennant Weekends, and monthly Sprints racing once per month on Saturdays as well as Youth Racing Week, and Chichester Harbour Race Week and Tera Series Open Meets.

Youth racing is all about having fun whilst developing skills and confidence. It’s often coached from the back and the rules are a little more flexible. All sailors who have the skills to simply sail around a course are encouraged to get involved. It’s low key and great fun.
The key thing to note is that there is no pressure or time/age limit to move up or stay up in the “pathway”. It’s a case of try the next level - if it’s too soon then go back to the level below or do both. It’s all about the children having fun, and their confidence will follow!

The Tera fleet is very welcoming and supportive of children wanting to try racing but who may need a little more support. If you need advice, do come and talk to any of us Tera parents - we are normally found launching boats off the beach to left of the pontoon. We can soon ask the rib crews to give help, encouragement and support on the water, as required, especially if we know it’s needed. Sprint Racing for the RS Tera fleet is back again this year, which involves 6-8 short 1 lap races run back-to-back, so get the dates in your calendar. The idea of the Sprints is to practice “starts” and if you mess one up, so what? It’s only a short race before the next one, when you can have another go - all with lots of safety cover and support from the Race Officer, so those new to racing can come and have a go without any pressure.

There is a Winter Training Program for those Sailors who have advanced beyond Bronze Fleet and keen to continue working on their racing techniques. Some of the days in Winter can be amazing, if not a bit chilly, but they learn so much, and it has them ready for the new season having not had several months off. If you are unsure if your child is ready, and/or what kit you need, please come and talk to me, or any of the “older” Tera sailors’ parents. It’s all about having the right kit and then they have fun. Winter Training normally takes place once or twice a month from November to March.

As the RS Tera fleet involves younger members of youth there is a high level of parent participation and help required both on the water and ashore. This makes the fleet a great sociable environment for both the kids and their parents and siblings.

See the Youth Race Fixture List here