FremantleSailingClub - Dinghy Sailing

Dinghy Sailing

Dinghies are small sail boats which are sailed by adults and children. Depending on the type of dinghy these boats are sailed by between one and three sailors per boat. We have two types of dinghies used in our Training Centre – Optimist Dinghies and Puffin Pacer Dinghies.

The Optimist dinghies are sailed by children and are a single handed boat. Picture a bath tub with one sail and you have an idea what these look like!

Puffin Pacer dinghies are approximately 3 metres in length and can be sailed by adults and children and any combination of. These boats have both a main sail and jib creating roles for both a skipper and crew person. They can comfortably fit two sailors on board and could easily accommodate 1 adult with 2 children.

When learning to sail dinghies you can expect to get wet and even take the odd dip. Learning to right your boat after capsizing is one of the important skills to achieve. You will also have a heap of fun as dinghies are fast and responsive and a great way to learn to sail. The best sailors in the world have started in dinghies so any training taken in these boats is useful as you move into the larger yachts.

The dinghy programs run in our Training Centre are part of the Yachting Australia Get Into Small Boat Sailing scheme which is a national program covering 5 developmental sailing stages:

Get into Small Boat Sailing – Level 1
Get into Small Boat Sailing – Level 2
Get into Small Boat Sailing – Better Sailing
Get into Small Boat Sailing – Racing Skills 1
Get into Small Boat Sailing – Racing Skills 2

We offer 4 different courses using Dinghies:

Ø School Holiday Programs for Children and teenagers – we recommend that children are 8 years of age or older when taking sailing lessons and they must have a good level of swimming ability. We offer both Level 1 and Level 2 courses during the school holidays.

Ø Racing Skills for Children – this program is suitable for children who have completed the first 3 levels of the Get Into Small Boat Sailing Scheme and have been sailing for a season or two.

Ø Adults and Kids Dinghy Lessons – dinghies are a great family boat and can be comfortably sailed by adults and children together. Compared to most boats they are relatively inexpensive, easy to store and transport and lots of fun.

Ø Adults Dinghy Lessons – the content of these courses is the same as for those run for kids but uses the Puffin Pacer dinghies. Skills learnt in this course have relevance for those who wish to continue sailing in dinghies or on yachts.

Proficiency Levels within the Small Boat Sailing Scheme

Performance Area	Basic Skills 1	Basic Skills 2	Better Sailing	Racing Skills 1	Racing Skills 2
Plan and Prepare	Group and individual safety awareness, clothing, safety equipment, sailing stretches		Trapeze harness selection	Basic fitness principals, sailing stretches	Physical preparation for sailing, performance enhancement, injury prevention, planning and recording, preparation for a series/championship
Rigging	Wind awareness, awareness of parts of and rigging on the training boat	Independent rigging of training boat	As for Basic Skills 2 using all boat equipment
Ropework	Figure of eight, round turn and two half hitches.	Reef knot, bowline
Sailing techniques and manoeuvres	Paddling and rowing. Basic heave-to, primary boat controls, reaching, helming under supervision	Sailing to windward, sailing downwind, gybing and tacking, points of sailing, helming with minimal guidance	(Independent) Boat speed control, sailing backwards, getting out of irons, heave-to, (jib aback), roll tacking, roll gybing, spinnaker handling, trapezing (when applicable). Boat handling in moderate wind conditions	Starting techniques, mark rounding, boat handling in moderate to fresh wind conditions.	Tuning/controlling power/rig control, sailing blind, sailing rudderless.
Rescue procedures and drills	Capsize recovery drill, towing	Crew recovery drill, capsize recovery
Launching and recovery	Leaving and returning to the beach/launching facility with instructor guidance, effective launch and recovery of craft, lifting, trolleys.	Care of equipment, coming alongside/docking, to fixed/anchored structure	As for Basic Skills 2 with regard to all equipment, coming alongside/docking to fixed/anchored structure and securing
Sailing theory and background	Basic rules: Avoid collisions, power/sail right of way, exceptions	Right-of-way rules (Collision regulations): Port/starboard, windward/leeward, keep to the right in channels, overtaking vessels	Navigation markers/bouyage, first aid awareness/injury prevention	How sails work/basic aerodynamic theory, components of a race and effects on race outcome, racing rules, team work	Introduction to the compass, basic tactics and strategy
Meteorology	Storm Clouds		Weather: Sources and information
Winds, tides and currents	Wind awareness, direction and relative strength indicators	Gusts and lulls, tides – time between tides, reading tide tables, direction of tidal flow	Lifts and knocks, twelfths rule and relationship to tidal flow (strength), sea and land breezes	Geographic, oscillating and persistent wind shifts, identification of sea breeze pattern