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WELCOME

Dear SBJSA Families,

Registration for the 2026 sailing season is now open — and we are excited to share a clearer, more structured program model for the upcoming summer.

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While our curriculum remains strong, we’ve refined how programs are organized to better align:

• Class sizes
• Instructor assignments
• Boat availability
• Advancement guidance

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The result is a clearly defined Sailing Pathway that guides sailors from their first day in an Optimist through performance training and competitive racing.

What you’ll notice this year:

✔ Clearly defined levels
✔ Defined enrollment caps
✔ Specific skill goals for each class
✔ Logical “Next Step” recommendations

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This structure helps families confidently choose the right level and ensures quality instruction and proper safety coverage on the water.

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We encourage you to review the Sailing Pathway before registering. If you are unsure which level is best for your sailor, please reach out — we are happy to help.

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As you scroll down this page you will see the Goals for each stage as well as the next logical progrression in the main curriculum.

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LTS Opti Beginner

What your child will learn in LTS Opti Beginner (10 sailors max)

GOAL: To sail safely with a partner in an Optimist in addition to: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • Assess water comfort with a supervised swim check with lifejacket on. 

  • Rig and derig an Optimist with assistance 

  • Launch and land with assistance

  • Tie Eight and Square knots

  • Identify Optimist boat parts : mainsheet, tiller, rudder, sail, sprit pole, tiller extension, hull, daggerboard, mast, boom, port, starboard 

  • To get in and out of the boat safely

  • To right a capsized boat: find your crew and stay with the boat

    • Scoop method

  • Learn basic points of sail

  • To identify wind direction

  • Perform simple sail adjustment for points of sail 

  • Learn to tack and gybe

  • Learn to avoid collisions

  • Get in and out of safety position 

  • Practice Manoverboard 

  • Learn and practice on the water hand signals for: help, go into safety position, come here, I’m ok

  • Intro Rules of the Road: small sailboats keep clear of larger sailboats, sailboats stay away from barges, motorboats avoid sailboats

 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTS Opti Beginner

  • Register for LTS Opti Middle (description here) 

LTS Opti Middle

What your child will learn in LTS Opti Middle (10 sailors max)

GOAL: To sail safely with a partner in an Optimist with encouragement to try solo sailing.    

Building on all prior skills PLUS:

 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • How to tie a bowline, clove hitch, cleat knot and coil

  • Tack and Gybe with proper sheeting and form

  • Perform launching and landing maneuvers from beach with assistance 

  • Proper sitting form, tacking/gybing form, sail trim

  • Introduce upwind and downwind sailing

  • Less time in irons 

  • Simple navigation: North, East, South, West 

  • Execute a safe tow

  • Rules of Road: add Port/Starboard, Tacking Boat Has No Rights

  • Capsize recovery solo: traditional recovery method: rotate boat until hull is facing into the wind

  • Right a turtled boat 

  • Discuss and demonstrate what do if caught under the boat 

  • End week with the Novice Cup Race: fun race, no start

 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTS Opti Middle

  • Register for LTS Opti Advanced 

LTS Opti Advanced

What your child will learn in LTS Opti Advanced (7 sailors max)

GOAL: To sail safely and confidently in an Optimist alone 

Building on all prior skills PLUS: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • Launch, land, dock, on motorboat with minimal assistance 

  • Sail a defined course (windward/leeward, triangle)

  • Respond quicker to instructor commands on the water

  • Minimal time in irons

  • Head up, fall off, trim in, ease out

  • Right a turtled boat

  • Avoid collisions at all times

  • Getting better at proper sitting, weight distribution, sail trim

  • Sailing backwards

  • Maintain boat control at all times

  • Landing, tie up and release from mooring with bowline 

  • Intro parts of the sail

  • Knots: add rolling hitch, sheetbend

  • Sail longer distances, variety of points of sail 

  • Intro hiking

  • Rules of Road: add windward/leeward, overtaking boat keep clear 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTS Opti Advanced

  • Register for LTR Opti 

  • Register for LTS Laser Beginner 

 

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LTS Laser Beginner

What your child will learn in LTS Laser Beginner  (max 12 kids)

GOAL: To sail safely with a partner in a Skiff, Laser Full or Radial Rig

Building on prior skills PLUS: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • How to rig and derig assigned boat with some assistance 

  • Learn boat parts 

  • How to perform all on the water maneuvers as did in Level 1 and 2 in assigned boat

  • Perform all points of sail, tack/gybe

  • Manoverboard drill 

  • Proper commands to crew when tacking and gybing

  • Right capsized and turtled boat as a team

    • Rotate turtled boat into horizontal capsize position with hull lying on its side and the sails pointed to leeward

  • Avoid collisions

  • Maintain boat control 

  • Launching and landing at beach with assistance 

  • Safe towing

  • Capsize: walk over method - requires practice and good timing 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTS Laser Beginner

  • Register for LTS Laser Advanced 

LTS Laser Advanced

What your child will learn in LTS Laser Advanced (8 sailors max)

GOAL: To sail safely solo in a Laser full-rig or radial

Building on all prior skills in PLUS: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • Rig and Derig with minimal assistance

  • Sail backwards and sailing without a rudder and why these drills are helpful to know 

  • Land and launch from beach with minimal assistance and in all wind directions

  • Land and launch from instructor boat with minimal assistance 

  • Land, tie and release from mooring and dock

  • Sail on dead run without gybing

  • Gybe broad to broad without rounding up into the reach.

  • Proper sitting position, sheet form, body weight, tiller holding, proper sail trim with minimal instruction 

  • Remain in complete control of boat at all times

  • Know boat parts: batten, leech, clew, stays, aft, hard to lee, gooseneck, hiking strap, jam cleat, fairlead, block, traveler, cunningham, downhaul, foot, cotter pin, pintle, gudgeon, boom vang, astern 

  • Explain and demonstrate concept of surfing and planing 

  • Introduce roll -tacking 

  • Explain and demonstrate power and depower of sail 

  • Learn and use tell talesheader/lifts

  • Vang, cunningham, traveler tension use and adjustments

  • Demonstrate Rules of the Road: starboard/port, windward/leeward, Overtaking boat keep clear, Tacking boat has no rights, Bigger boats/barges 

  • Introduce starts, courses, finishes 

  • End the week with a Race-Off: LeLand Lee 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTS Advanced

  • Register for LTS 420 Beginner 

  • Register for LTR Lasers 

  • Register for Adventure Sail (

LTS 420 Beginner

What your child will learn in LTS 420 Beginner (12 sailors max)

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GOAL: To sail safely as a team in a 420

Building on all prior skills PLUS: 

 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • Getting to know a 420: boat parts, rigging, derigging, doubled handed seating positions

  • Skipper and Crew responsibilities 

  • Capsize and recovery

  • Safe tow 

  • Leaving and returning to dock, beach, mooring

  • Sailing on all points of sail, a variety of courses

  • Safety position 

  • Tacking and gybing with proper form, sitting position, switching positions, sheet trim 

  • Review rules of the road 

  • Hiking 

  • Person overboard 

  • Unregatta - explanation 

 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTS 420 Beginner

  • Register for LTS 420 Advanced 

  • Register for Adventure Sail 

LTS 420 Advanced

What your child will learn in LTS 420 Advanced  (12 sailors max)

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GOAL: To sail safely as a team in a 420. 

Building on all prior skills PLUS: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • Trapezing 

  • Spinnaker : rigging, hoists and takedowns, flying and gybing, problem-solving on water, testing the guy and trimming the sheet, flying without a pole, flying on beam reach, hiking 

  • Reading weather apps, radar, weather patterns 

  • Double handed roll tacks: sit together “butt to butt”, hold tiller at the end

  • Recognizing headers and lifts

  • Proper sail trim using tell tales

  • Sail without a rudder

  • Backward sailing 

  • Understand a race course: starts, finishes, laylines, roundings, favored end, protests, rules

  • Demonstrate proper positioning in boat (leeward heel for light wind, windward heel for downwind, forward position in boat) 

  • Demonstrate proper controls for light and heavy winds (outhaul, downhaul, vang)

  • Demonstrate mooring and docking procedures for various wind directions

  • Rules of the Road

  • Shroud tension and tuning 

  • Sailing over waves, how to steer in waves 

  • Downwind sailing: trim, control, weight placement

  • End the week with a Race-Off: Dryer Cup 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTS 420 Advanced

  • Register for LTR 420 

  • Register for Adventure Sail 

  • Register for 420 Racing Team 

LTR OPTI

LTR Optis (7 sailors max)

 

GOAL: To sail safely alone in an Optimist to complete a race course appropriately and competitively

Building on all prior skills PLUS: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork on and off the water

  • Balance of regular program fun and intro to racing tactics 

  • Sail a rectangular course 

  • Respond quicker to instructor commands on the water

  • Right a turtled boat

  • Avoid collisions at all times

  • Maintain boat control at all times

  • Types of racing courses

  • Learn how to start a race

  • Mark rounding - wide and tight 

  • Intro Headers and lifts

  • Intro Favored end of starting line

  • Penalty turns

  • Intro a protest 

  • Racing Rules of Sailing: Windward/Leeward, Tacking boat has no rights, Overtaking boat must keep clear, Port/starboard, Marking rounding rules “buoy room” 

  • Finding clear air

  • Using tell tales

  • Sprit pole, daggerboard and boom vang adjustments 

  • Daggerboard positions 

  • Intro Roll tacking 

  • Gybing: s-gybe (downwind gybing) vs. c-gybe (regular gybing) 

  • Hiking 

  • End 2 weeks with a Race-Off 

 

NEXT TIME:

  • Repeat LTR Opti

  • Register for Opti Racing Program 

  • Register for LTR Laser/420 

  • Register for LTS Laser Beginner 

  • Register for LTS Laser Advanced 

LTR Laser/420

What your child will learn in LTR Laser/420 

(4 sailors for Lasers + 8 sailors for 420s = 12 sailors max)  

GOAL: To sail safely and competitively as a team in a 420. 

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Building on all prior skills  PLUS: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • Balance of regular program fun and intro to racing tactics 

  • Sail a rectangular course 

  • Respond quicker to instructor commands on the water

  • Right a turtled boat

  • Avoid collisions at all times

  • Maintain boat control at all times

  • Types of racing courses

  • Learn how to start a race

  • Mark rounding - wide and tight 

  • Intro Headers and lifts

  • Intro Favored end of starting line

  • Penalty turns

  • Intro a protest 

  • Racing Rules of Sailing: Windward/Leeward, Tacking boat has no rights, Overtaking boat must keep clear, Port/starboard, Marking rounding rules “buoy room” 

  • Finding clear air

  • Using tell tales

  • On the water equipment adjustments

  • Intro Roll tacking 

  • Gybing: s-gybe (downwind gybing) vs. c-gybe (regular gybing) 

  • Hiking 

  • Trapezing 

  • Spinnaker : rigging, hoists and takedowns, flying and gybing, problem-solving on water, testing the guy and trimming the sheet, flying without a pole, flying on beam reach, hiking

  • End 2 weeks with a Race-Off 

NEXT TIME

  • Repeat LTR Laser/420 

  • Register for Laser/420 Racing Team 

  • Register for LTS 420 Beginner 

  • Register for LTS 420 Advanced 

  • Register for Adventure Sailing 

Adventure Sailing
Weeks 3,4,5 only

What your child will learn in Adventure Sailing (5 sailors max)

(5 sailors )max

GOAL: To sail safely as a team in a keel boat.

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Building on all prior skills  PLUS: 

  • Safety, Sportsmanship, Accountability, Respect and Teamwork both on and off the water

  • Assess kids’ interests and build programming based on needs and wants 

  • How to rig and derig assigned boat

  • Demonstrate the proper rigging of the sails, halyards, sheets, blocks, and winches.

  • Overboard Rescue Methods:

  • Distance sailing, lake sailing 

  • Sailing to and leaving a mooring

  • Types of anchors and proper uses

  • Leaving and landing at docks: spring lines, fenders

  • Safely rafting with other boats

  • Flying spinnakers 

  • Channel sailing 

  • Use and maintain engines 

  • Learn electronics, navigation, compass and radio channels 

  • Learn about weather patterns and apps

  • Larger boat etiquette both on and off water 

  • Boat owner responsibilities for guests 

  • Manoverboard drills 

  • Big boat maintenance 

  • Flags, lights, buoys

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NEXT TIME

  • Repeat Adventure Sailing

  • Register for Laser/420 Racing Team 

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