ISA AFFILIATED CLASSES PROMOTING JUNIOR AND YOUTH

Picking which best suits each sailor

1 Contents

Introduction – ISA Affiliated Classes 3

Consider Both Single-handed and Double-handed Options 4

Competition Classes at Youth & Junior Level 5

Junior Sailing - the Affiliated Classes promoting it 6

Youth Sailing - the Affiliated Classes promoting it 7

How the ISA Help can Help 8

2 Introduction – ISA Affiliated Classes

Double-handed: Single-handed: Offer Offer Active Class Associations support the successful opportunities to opportunity to dinghy classes in Ireland and the ISA works closely develop crewing hone personal with the Classes affiliated to it. skills and how to skills more use multiple sails quickly Affiliated Class Associations, both dinghy and and rig keelboat, play a key role in introducing newcomers combinations to the Sport and supporting them in the development of their sailing and competitive skills. Classes cater for a

different interests – Double-handed This guide is directed at those young dinghy sailors local racing, national WHAT TO classes keep a who have reached the Improving Skills level and are circuit or some more wider range of considering what Class of boat will best suit the type CONSIDER sociable sailors active of racing and general involvement in the Sport that most interests them. Cost Comparisons: It looks at the ISA Affiliated Classes popular at Junior Some classes Classes are new, secondhand may be popular and Youth Levels and highlights a number of the key availability, designed for considerations for a sailor choosing the boat best in your club different Helm residual value and OR suited to their future participation. maintenance costs and Crew More Suited to Weights Choosing the boat to sail or purchase is a personal your location decision but it can be difficult to know what boat best suits each sailor’s interests, physique, preferred type of participation, competitive potential and financial capacity.

3 Who helps make an active and growing club Consider both Single-handed and Double-handed Options

A Balance between Single and Double Handed boats is key to Retention and Participation

Single-handed require less crew Double-handed management sailing can be more sociable and fun. Easy to start in single-handed but Double-handed offer more not progression SINGLE OR flexibility with regard to route for all DOUBLE-HANDED: physique, gender and age combinations Single-handed: THE BENEFITS easier for traveling sailors Sailing in a double handed boat is excellent way to Instructors need start and crewing a skill both double and Some sailors prefer required for later ages single-handed to Crew rather than skills. to Helm: allows specialisation in specific skills like spinnaker handling

4 Who helpsCompetition make Classes an active at Youth and& Junior growing Level club

Double and Single-handed both have a place – it often suits to learn the basic skills in Single-handed boats and then move into Double-handed as either helm or crew when you progress further in racing.

Competition: Your Location: Participating in Local Choose Classes already Racing is a key time in active in your club or development of Life Long location Sailors

Age & Weight: WHEN CHOOSING A Double-handed: Boats and rigs should COMPETITION CLASS: more sociable, learn suit the weight and age more skills and can of the sailor/s CONSIDER? share costs

Class Associations: Vibrant Class Associations encourage class growth

5 The Affiliated Classes – Promoting Junior Sailing Junior Classes are classified as those sailed up to 15 years. Some Classes may span Junior and Youth categories and allow juniors an extended career in the boat depending on their own size, and for double-handed boats, the size of their crew.

OPTIMIST TYPE: Single-hander Size/forgiving nature make it good for introducing sailors at an early age. SKILL LEVEL: Start/Basic Skills Recognised as also providing a foundation to the physical, technical and RECOMMENDED AGE: 7 - 15 Years racing skills needed in competitive racing. WEIGHT RANGE: 38- 50 Kgs Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland TOPAZ TYPE: Double-hander/Single-hander Robust and suitable as introductory boat with flexible rig options to SKILL LEVEL: Start/Basic Skills convert to a single or double-hander. RECOMMENDED AGE: 10 – 15 Years

WEIGHT RANGE: 60/100 Kgs (depending Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland if single or double-handed) TYPE: Single-hander A single-handed boat with standard or reduced sail options. A prominent SKILL LEVEL: Start/Basic Skills feeder into the Youth Classes RECOMMENDED AGE: 8 – 15 Years Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland WEIGHT RANGE: 45 – 58 Kgs TYPE: Double-hander A double-handed boat with symmetric spinnaker available in wood or SKILL LEVEL: Basic/Improving Skills GPR RECOMMENDED AGE: 11 – 15 Years

COMBINED WEIGHT RANGE: 85 - 110 Kgs Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland RS FEVA TYPE: Double-hander Is a double-handed asymmetric boat with a flexible rig configuration SKILL LEVEL: Basic/Improving Skills which is a good feeder boat to many of the Youth Classes. RECOMMENDED AGE: 11 – 15 Years

COMBINED WEIGHT RANGE: 85 – 110 Kgs Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland 6 6 The Affiliated Classes – Promoting Youth Sailing Youth Classes are classified as those sailed up to 18 years. Some Classes may span Youth and Adult categories and encourage sailors to continue in the boat depending on their own size, and for double -handed boats, the size of their crew.

LASER 4.7 TYPE: Single-hander A single-handed sail feeder Class for to both the Radial and SKILL LEVEL: Improving Skills that allows sailors transition easily using the same RECOMMENDED AGE: 14 – 16 Years with different sail and lower . WEIGHT RANGE: 54 – 64 Kg Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland 420 TYPE: Double-hander A double handed trapeze boat with symmetrical spinnaker. The Junior SKILL LEVEL: Improving/Advanced Skills Classes feed this Class and after a number of years sailors can RECOMMENDED AGE: 14 – 18 Years progress into senior classes. COMBINED WEIGHT RANGE: 115–130 Kgs Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland TYPE: Single-hander The women’s single-handed Olympic Class, a popular single-handed SKILL LEVEL: Improving Skills boat for men and women and the transition class for boys to the RECOMMENDED AGE: 15 – 18+ Years Laser Standard Class. WEIGHT RANGE: 64 – 70 Kgs Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland RS 200 TYPE: Double-hander A double-handed boat with an asymmetric spinnaker sailed by those SKILL LEVEL: Advanced Skills who have progressed to advanced skills level. Some may continue to RECOMMENDED AGE: 16 – 21+ Years sail as an adult or family boat while others transition into the RS 400. COMBINED WEIGHT RANGE: 120 – 155 Kgs Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland GP 14 TYPE: Double-hander SKILL LEVEL: Advanced Skills A double-handed boat with symmetric spinnaker and sailed at RECOMMENDED AGE: 17 – 22+ Years youth and adult level. It is available in wood or GRP. COMBINED WEIGHT RANGE: 130 - 180 Kgs

Class Website Distribution of Classes in Ireland 7 7 H How can the ISA help

ISA Regional Development Officer ISA Regional Development Officer ISA Regional Development Officer Eastern Region Southern Region Western Region Sarah-Louise Rossiter Gail MacAllister Ciaran Murphy E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected] M: 087 939 0488 M: 086 221 4724 M: 087 880 0744

 ISA Affiliated Classes (link)  ISA Affiliated Clubs (link)  ISA Calendar of Events (link)  ISA News (link)

Information compiled by David Harte for the ISA Training Policy Group

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