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March 28-29, 2009
By Richard Demmler
A dozen Optimist sailors spent the last weekend in March attending a racing skills improvement clinic sailed out of Shilshole, taught by Canadian professional Tine Moberg-Parker. The three day event was organized by Laurian Toland, volunteer promoter of junior sailing, and sponsored by CYC, Seattle Yacht Club and parents of local Opti sailors.
Clinic instructor Tine Moberg-Parker is currently the executive director of BC Sailing, the regional organizing authority and promoter of all things sailing in western Canada. She is also the Opti coach for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, where she has 33 of the 65 young team sailors under her tutelage. Tine has sailed Olympic campaigns in Ynglings and won a silver medal at the '92 Europe dinghy worlds. Elected 1994 Canadian Sailor of the Year, she was also voted 1991 Sailor of the Year in her native Norway.
photo by Laurian Toland
Ranging in age from 8 to 15 years old, the attending sailors were more impressed with Tine's teaching skills than her resume. The clinic started with an hour long chalk talk Friday evening at Seattle Yacht Club's junior clubhouse covering fleet tactics. The students were assigned "homework" compiling a manual of ideas for developing clear air and boat speed in big fleets. A second hour was devoted to physical conditioning, with Tine leading drills for developing core strength, flexibility, and coordination.
Saturday morning found coach Tine and the sailors sharing rigging tips, with boats off the docks at Shilshole by 0930. Leaving the calm of the breakwater, the kids sailed into a cold, gray, rainy spring morning. None of the sailors seemed to mind the gloom; with southerly winds in the low teens, it was perfect weather for sailing drills. Instead of standard rabbit starts, Tine had the sailors line up bow to stern following the coach boat on a reach. At the whistle, the boats head up to close hauled and begin sailing to weather, practicing pinching, footing, and working on boat speed, mimicking the first 200 yards of a fleet race. Some "races" involved a long time on one tack for the development of speed and steering skills. Other "races" required a tack on each whistle signal to develop roll tacking expertise.
A brown bag lunch break was held at Corinthian Yacht Club, followed by a chalkboard review of the morning's lessons. The afternoon brought another two hours of on water practice. The planned afternoon exercise session to wind up the day was cancelled due to freezing rain and a cold northerly. The students voted for a round of hot chocolate and dry clothes instead.
photo by Richard Demmler
Sunday morning brought beautiful sailing conditions with wind in the mid to high teens, sunshine, and a snowy frosting over the Olympic range. A huge ebb tide against the northerly created big waves…well, … at least big enough to hide an eight foot long Optimist in the troughs. The kids were sailing like champs, using body movement to work their boats through the waves and wind chop. With no downtime between drills, the boats would practice crowded mark roundings by repeatedly circling around the coach boat. At noon, it was time to head back to the barn with a downwind run in surfing conditions. Top Canadian Opti sailor Cameron Ho took the lead demonstrating his flawless downwind technique: one pump on the main and a smooth weight shift had him making gains on every wave.
Tine wrapped up the clinic Sunday afternoon with some boat handling drills in the diminishing breeze, followed by a debriefing at Corinthian YC. The kids eagerly recounted newly learned skills and areas for improvement, seeking to put the clinic experience to use at the next regatta.
Thanks are due to Tine Moberg-Parker for her excellent instruction and amazing ability to remember the name of every child she coaches. Laurian Toland ran a flawless event and cheerfully handled any minor shore side problems. Bruce Sherman and the Corinthian Yacht Club generously provided a warm venue for lunch and debriefings. The Seattle Yacht Club provided the use of two coach boats, and finally, thanks are due to Brian Ledbetter and Ben Glass for making sure the coach boats were sitting at the dinghy float, fueled up and ready to go.
There are plenty of opportunities for those interested in local junior sailing.
CYC has been largely absent from the junior sailing scene for several years, since its junior program morphed into Sail Sand Point. However, a committee led by board member Michael Cenname is ramping up the club's junior program and held an organizational meeting on April 1.
The Seattle Yacht Club runs an excellent series of week long sail camps in the summer, with different sessions tailored to a range of young talent. Sail Sand Point provides training in all sorts of boats, including Optis, with camps and programs geared towards introductory racing and general recreational sailing.
Meydenbauer Bay YC provides Opti training and fun racing in a great environment for beginners on the eastside during the summer months. Boats are provided and there is no long term commitment required in these programs.
Seattle Yacht Club also has a sailing team that supports junior racing from Optis to high school seniors sailing Lasers. The future of our sport depends on young people showing an interest in boating, and in having the opportunity to advance their skills. Support junior sailing!