Easter Race Camp

Easter Race Camp 2024

Tuesday 9th April - Friday 12th April 

Easter Race Camp is 4 days of race training within the Easter school holidays. It is aimed at competent sailors in the HISC Junior and Youth supported classes. Each group will be supported by a Race Coach or competent instructor who will tailor the content to improve racing ability. The week will be concluded on the last day by some class specific short course racing. In 2024 we are offering 6 groups that are outlined below. This will be bookable from 27th February via the Elite Live App. The cost will be dependent on the group you are in. Any questions please contact the office on 02392463768.

In an effort to keep costs down, parents will be expected to act as RIB Crews and Shore support, if you are happy to volunteer please let us know at the club.

Fevas Into/Race Skills (Fevas, Stage 3+) MAX 16 People, 8 boats

Lead Coach: Edwin Johnson 

This group is aimed at people that are competent sailors or at stage 3 level looking at transitioning into the RS Feva Class. The instructors will up skill the group, so they are more confident sailing in a Feva utilising all 3 sails. The Feva is a double handed boat so each booking I for 2 spaces 1 boat). If you don’t have a partner, you can try and connect with one via the class WhatsApp group. If the group allows it will be split into 2 groups, one with more focus on racing and the other on transitioning. 

Any hire boats needed will have to be booked separately.

ILCA Transitioning (ILCA 4.7/4 and Radial/6) 8 boats.

 Lead Coach: Jude Stanley

This group is aimed at people that are competent sailors looking to transition into the class or already in an ILCA and take part in racing at club level. The instructor will work on racing skills to make the participants better sailors.

Any hire boats needed will have to be booked separately

 29er’s 24 people, 12 boats. 8th-10th Only (3 Days)

Lead Coach: Alan Sign

Day 1 - focus on boat speed - windward leeward against the clock etc
Day 2 - focus on starts - sprint races
Day 3 - focus on race strategy and management - fully coached racing

Intro to the “Bay” (Opi) MAX 16 boats.

Lead Coach: Megan Farrer

Feel confident to head out to the bay for Main fleet racing in the HISC open, and the nationals later in the year. Sailors should have been regularly sailing through the winter period and feel confident in high wind strengths. Sessions will be long (4-5hrs) on the water, and lunch will be on the water too. Videos to be used for briefing. High safety to sailor ratio. Sailors will be expected to launch, recover, and right their boats unaided, although training will cover the nuances of doing this in tides/waves. The group will operate at a lower ratio of 1:6 for more focused support and coaching.

Content:

- Self launching/Recovery from the East Beach

- Safety: Handling capsizes in waves/strong currents, staying calm, correct equipment (whistles, tow ropes, and buoyancy bags), gear checking before going afloat and notifying others

- Tidal basics: Flow/Eb, the effects of depth, reading tidal flow speeds, eddies, confused waters, and how all this effects the different parts of the harbour from Sandy through to West Pole

- Waves: reading waves, spotting current flows, identifying steep vs shallow ascends, understanding the relationship between waves and the seabed profile

- Upwind speed in waves, what changes, sail tuning, tacking, avoiding closed hauled, wind flows over waves, getting out of irons, and body weight movements

- Downwind speed, speed is your friend - how do you maximise your speed, learning to surf, avoiding pitchpoling, understanding rig tuning effects and gybing whilst on the crest.

Racing skills (Tera) MAX 8 boats.

 Lead Coach: Ben Tuttle

The coach will work on racing skills to make the participants more confident racers. This group will be sailing in the bay when weather allows. Participants in this group are expected to provide their own boats. Sport or Pro Sails will be accepted and participate together.

“In harbour” Racing skills (Opis) MAX 14 boats

 Lead Coach: Melvyn Cooper

Aimed at optimist sailors who are currently racing, likely to be in the Regatta Fleet at the HISC Optimist Open and want to learn how to take advantage of Pilsey. Ideal wrap up for those who are coming out of winter training looking ahead to the season in front.  

 Content:

- Non-dependent Launching/Recovery from the West Beach

- Safety: Handling capsizes, staying calm, correct equipment (whistles, tow ropes, and buoyancy bags), gear checking before going afloat and notifying others

- Tidal basics: what happens on Pilsey, what are the tidal flows, the shape, reading them, and then using them to your advantage

- Tuning: Ashore & afloat; non-dependent fixing of common issues

- Mark Rounding: effects of tide, core rules for multiple boat rounding, last in - first out - how?

- Starts (not the core focus): how to be on the line, boat control, mid-line sags

- Upwind speed: light vs heavy wind techniques, wind shadows, understanding the difference between pinching and close hauled, constant checking and tuning the boat

- Downwind speed: light vs heavy wind techniques, catching waves, how to close the gap, wind shadows, and defending