The Train & Race Regatta Fleet event is aimed at younger sailors and new-comers to the circuit to hone their racing skills through a full day of race training, followed by a day of coached racing.
 

Day 1 – Training 

The coaching team, formed of some of the Class’s most experienced race coaches, will be focused on training the sailors on all aspects of racing, from understanding:

• Checking and rigging our boats correctly

• Interpreting “simplified” SIs (Sailing Instructions) – what does it all mean and why is it important to read and understand them?

• The Course – Start Line, Windward Mark, Wing Marks, Leeward Marks, Gates, Finish Line

• Understanding some of the key rules and how and when to take a penalty

• Starts – flags, countdown to start, finding the right end of the line, finding your space

• The windward leg

• Mark rounding – the windward mark

• The run and the reach

• Preparing and timing a gybe

• Mark rounding – the wing mark

• Mark rounding – the leeward mark

• Crossing the finish line – what to expect

 

There is plenty for the sailors to take on board for Day-1 and we are sure they won’t recall all of it, as we well know, practise makes perfect and time on the water and participating is the best way to improve.  So, Day-2 moves on to Coached Racing.

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Day 2 – Coached Racing

As the Coached Racing isn’t something that is generally permitted with the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS), the Coached Racing part wont operate under the guises of a proper racing event, but our aim is to get our sailors operating as close as possible with its boundaries, respecting the rules and taking appropriate penalties where appropriate, which could ultimately end in disqualification, if they don’t follow the guidance of our coaches – after all, they are there to teach our sailors how to race correctly, not to control discipline.
 

There will be a simplified set of SI’s, so that our sailors start to understand the instructions and the importance of reading them before going on the water

Racing will be setup as if a proper event on a separate area to the main racing

The coaches will encourage and help sailors around the courses:-
Course A will be for Sprint Racing, to ensure the sailors get as many starts as possible, which will enhance their starting ability – we may decide to split them into two groups for starts for this part of the racing, to reduce numbers on the start line.
Course B will become a full triangular course with slightly longer race time and the full group on the start line at the same time, if there is a wide spread of abilities, it may be that two Windward Marks are placed, where the more experienced sailors head to the outer mark and the less experienced to the inner mark, to facilitate a closeness at the finish.
The aim is to get as many races as possible in a possible.  The sailors will be given finishes, and encouraged in true Tera style, to thanks the Race Office when they cross the finish line.
 

All regatta fleet sailors will be winners – the RS Tera Regatta Fleet is all about participation and developing our sailors to a stage where they feel comfortable moving forward to our main fleet racing at future events.  There will be some Spot prizes, where our coaching team feel that a particular sailor has done something special to stand out to ensure that this is acknowledged.  We will also be giving some of our sailors a graduation certificate, which means they have graduated from the RS Tera Regatta Fleet and will only be able to enter main fleet at future events (something that any sailor can obviously choose to do, if they wish).

What we expect our sailors to have:

1. An RS Tera in good condition, with either a Sport or Minisail (this should be dependent on size of sailor and wind conditions).

2. A windex or burgee – if they can’t easily tell where the wind is coming from or shifting to, then they are missing out on some of the basics

3. A race timer watch, that is easy to use

4. Be suitably dressed for going on the water

5. Boat should meet requirements as set out in main NOR