GENERAL INFO
Instructional Guidelines
for
Teaching in Lido 14's
Junior Skipper Practical Sailing Test
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gives Junior tests?
Senior Skippers, Cruising Skippers, and specially designated Junior Skippers (those who have passed the Senior dinghy practical sailing test) may give Junior Skipper practical sailing tests. People wanting to take the test can find a list of these skippers on the bulletin board on the back wall of the clubhouse, or can ask the Dayleader to point them out. If you have trouble finding these skippers, try calling them and make arrangements to meet at a specific time. Persevere!
When can Junior tests be given?
Junior sailing tests must be given when winds are at least ten knots (12 miles per hour). Ten-knot winds are common in the summer, but infrequent during the winter. Wind speed can be observed on the anemometer (wind speed indicator) in the clubhouse. As a rule of thumb, if you see whitecaps on the water past H's Lordships Restaurant, the wind is over ten knots. Junior sailing tests are commonly given after Saturday morning lessons and Sunday morning races, but they can be given anytime sufficient wind and a tester are available.
How should you prepare for the test?
Practice the sailing maneuvers described in the blue CSC handbook or the "Instructional Guidelines for Teaching in Lido 14's." Concentrate on performing tacks, jibes and person-overboards in increasingly stronger winds up to (and over) ten knots. During a lesson, ask your instructor to show you how to perform maneuvers you have not tried yet. Get as much sailing time as you can -- it really helps if you can take a couple of lessons each time you come down. Or, ask a skipper to take you out by yourself for an hour or so to get in a lot of practice. You are not expected to sail perfectly -- you should be reasonably competent and obviously able to sail a Lido on your own without endangering yourself or others. Complete all the other requirements -- written test, rigging test, and two hours extra work (in addition to the regular two hours per quarter).
How should you be prepared the day of the test?
On the day of the test, it is recommended to bring a change of clothes (or a wetsuit) and a towel. Rig a Lido, or obtain one already rigged. Be sure to fully examine the Lido before taking the test, to assure that all the required equipment is on board, sails are properly rigged, and nothing is broken.
What maneuvers will you be asked to perform?
You will have to perform at a minimum the following maneuvers: leaving the dock (sailing backwards), tacking, jibing, person-overboard retrieval, anchoring, capsize recovery, and docking (slow sailing). In addition to these basic maneuvers, you probably will be asked to perform one or more of the following maneuvers: sailing in circles around a buoy, heaving to, and reefing the main while under way.
What do you do after the test?
Before you celebrate, have the person who gave you the test sign off on your card to make it official. Move your card from the novice book to the Junior Skipper book. You can now take out a Lido on your own anytime a Dayleader is there. You can now also get yourself checked out to use the other Junior Skipper dinghies, including Lasers, Bytes, Rhodes 19's the 470 and the JY-15. Pass the written racing test, and start skippering in the Sunday morning Lido races. Start taking keelboat lessons (Wednesday evenings at 6:00 at J Dock). You're encouraged to also start teaching students yourself. It's a great way to improve your own sailing, help out the club, and earn free memberships.
