www.plymyachtclub.org.uk

CLUB YOUTH SAILING EXPERIENCE

PLYM YACHT CLUB: PICO SAILING

1. Cadet Sailing will take place on a Tuesday evening from 5.30 pm to 8.00 pm approx. and will operate from Oreston slipway. We will start on April 13th with a short presentation, briefing and registration session in the club, the first session afloat will be on April 20th and run for about 14 weeks until mid to late July. If there is a demand, sailing will also be organised at other times.  

2. We will have 3 Picos afloat and expect to be able to teach up to about 12 cadets. There will usually be 2 youngsters in each boat and each cadet will be able to sail for about half the evening. Our ‘target’ age range is10 – 15 but youngsters just outside this range will be considered. (Rising 9s is the youngest age.)

3. The PYC RIB and Plym Pilot will be afloat. The RIB is the primary rescue boat and will be manned by qualified personell. (RYA PB2 with safety boat endorsement.) For all matters of safety we will follow RYA guidelines. Instruction will be by experienced sailors with a love of the sport.

4. The Club will be open for light refreshments, we need parents to stay close by, Volunteers, to assist in any way whatsoever, will be welcomed with open arms!

5. We strongly advise cadets to have their own wetsuit – a shortie is OK. In some circumstances only those with wetsuits may be allowed afloat. PYC will provide buoyancy aids. It is best if youngsters can come changed ready to go afloat and also bring a towel and complete change of clothes.

6. Our aims are that cadets should learn to sail in a safe environment and enjoy doing so. They may also prepare to take RYA certificates.

7. Costs:  We wish to set payments at a level that does not deter participation; at the same time, we need to bear in mind the costs of running Pico sailing.

1. Cadet sailing will be free for children of Family members. Family membership costs about £90 pa.  We very much wish to encourage families to join the club and participate in our activities.

2. Cadet membership is £16 per year and is available to youngsters age 12 and over. Cadet members, who are not children of family members, will pay a sailing fee of about £50 for the year.

These details have been updated on 15th February 2009.

Further information and queries to Chris Compton, Rear Commodore Sail:  rcs@plymyachtclub.org.uk

We are grateful to the RYA for their support with this project.                              

Youth Sailing Manual

the Pico’s in Action

CADETS

After starting with three Picos last autumn, the number is now up to six often joined by other members’ boats. As fast as we launched a new Pico we had the trainees to fill it, all attending regularly and keen to become competent sailors and now there is a waiting list.

The sessions are having a great spin-off with parents joining the club and taking part in events such as the recent Treasure Trails when cadets brought mums and dads to follow fiendish clues round old Oreston and Hooe Lake.

It is very worthwhile encouraging youngsters to take up a sport that teaches them so much, but we could not do it without our dedicated training team. Team leader and chief organiser is Chris Compton (Rear Commodore Sail) who works extremely hard running the weekly sessions, really encouraging our young sailors.

But many more are involved – Rib teams Jon Keeping or John Arrowsmith as skippers, with Claire as our new Chief Instructor, and Liam Arrowsmith as crew. The Pilot teams are run by Roger Bloomfield or Dan Crawford as skippers.

Shore teams are Frank Edwards, Ashley Crawford, various parents and others. Emily Keeping is Cadet Secretary and register Holder. As always more members help is needed. It takes a big team to provide a safe professional environment for our young sailors, we need more volunteers to be trained as back-up.

And we owe a big Thank You to the anonymous benefactor who was so impressed with the cadet success that they donated £1500 towards the Pico Fleet