Category: Training

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Training

Intro to I-14 Clinic

Have you ever wanted to get out sailing on an  I-14 but you were not sure how too? Maybe you are new to skiff sailing or are thinking about transitioning from a 29er into something bigger or maybe you are finally ready to ditch the lead. Well you are in luck! Our annual Intro to I-14 Skiff Clinic is happening January 24-25 at San Diego Yacht Club. We have been hosting this event for around 20 years now and many current fleet members found their start at this event.

This clinic is designed to be fun, low key, and get you acclimated to high performance skiff sailing. It covers the basics of skiff sailing starting with a chalk talk and land drills, followed by an on the water sailing session, and the finished up with questions and a debrief back on land. We provide the boats, coaches, and loaner gear if you need it.

Participants should have a strong sailing background and be physically fit enough to swim and recover from capsizes and be able to right the boat consistently.This is a great opportunity to sail these incredible boats, meet the sailors, and learn from some of the best in the fleet. 

This is the only clinic we have scheduled to date so far, so please take advantage of it. We will have several current and former class champions on-site coaching and available to sail with. 

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by filling out this form:I-14  clinic questionnaire  We will send you further details. If you know of additional sailors who would like to attend, please let us know. We will try to keep the group sizes small, so everyone gets quality time on the water.

This is a free event, although we are taking a suggested donation of $50 that goes directly to the class to help pay for future events like this. Please print out and sign the Waiver and Release form and have it with you on the day of the event.

If you have any questions please reach out to Brad Ruetenik at bwrdpmsail@msn.com and please check out our pages for further information. 

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Training

SDYC Skiff Clinic – 2024 Write-Up

Another San Diego skiff clinic for 2024 just finished. A total of 18 new and semi-new skiff sailors came to San Diego Yacht Club for this introductory skiff clinic. We had participants fly in from Ohio, Seattle and San Francisco. We had young Junior high and High school sailors getting their first skiff sailing experience or stepping up from a 29er. We had a 68 y.o. grandmother sailing from the wire for her first time. Lots of college and recently graduated college sailors, we had coaches and very experienced sailors joining relatively new sailors. For coaching we had several of the top US I-14 sailors, both skippers and crews. Lots of National and North American, Pacific Rim Champions on the coaching side.

Sat. Morning started with a welcome to the clinic and get to know a little about each sailor and their sailing background. We introduced the boats and some of the International 14 history as the oldest International dinghy class in the world. We touched on some of the many developments brought to sailing through the I-14 class as well as some of the history of the participants in the class from around the world. We then moved on the chalk talks. We introduced some nuances of trapeze harness fit and adjustments as well as proper techniques so as to reduce the development of poor techniques and bad habits. We went on to discuss foot work through the boat for tacks and gybes for both skipper and crew. We also discussed and showed hoists and douses of the kite. We then discussed the inevitable capsize drills and proper ways to retrieve and enter the boat without damage to the boat or yourself. These were then all practiced with on land drills on boats in cradles on the sail dry lawn. Each participant was run through each drill numerous times on land so as to improve out on water time and efficiency.
Sat afternoon we spent switching out of two powerboats in and out of four high end I-14s. We had a Bieker 5 and 6 as well as two Hollum design boats sporting both single and double spreader rigs. After 3-4 hrs of relatively light air, mostly double wire sailing we got back to the dock for a rinse and debrief of the days activities. Several participants then retired to the SDYC clubhouse for refreshments and dinner.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sun. started with another question and answer period followed by more dry land drills on the grass focusing on the things learned the first day and adding additional information, in particularly some more focus on driving from the wire and maneuvers from the drivers perspective. We were on the water again by 1200 and sailed out tp the ocean were a sea breeze filled in to 10-12 kts. with a decent westerly swell out past Point Cabrillo. Several more rounds were had with the addition of another B3 for Sun. All of the participants that were ready got to do some driving from the wire and learned just how twitchy these boats can be. We all made it back to the docks safely with some tired but excited sailors. Again some debriefing and cold beverages topped off the weekend.
Thanks to all the participants as well as the coaching staff along with SDYC for welcoming the 14 fleet to San Diego.
Coaches
Kate Shaner
Garrett Brown
JP Barnes
Terry Gleason
Paul Galvez
Cameron Puckey
Aidan Mobley
Matt Megla
Devonn Zink
Channing Hamlet
Brad Ruetenik
 
Categories
Training

(ANNOUNCEMENT) SDYC Skiff Clinic – 2024

Hello Sailors,
Our next training event will be the 2024 I-14 Skiff Clinic on January 27-28, at San Diego YC. Here is a link to last years’ write-up (2023 Intro Clinic). We will be hosting the event again free of charge! 
This clinic is designed to be fun, low key, and get you acclimated to high performance sailing. 
It covers the basics of skiff sailing starting with coach talks, then land drills and on the water practice, followed by questions and a debrief back on land. We provide the boats, coaches, and gear if you require. You will learn a ton and have fun doing it. 
Come one or both days for another fun opportunity to sail these incredible boats, meet the sailors, and learn from some of the best in the fleet.
This is the only clinic we have scheduled to date so far so please take advantage of it. We will have several current and former class champions on-site coaching and available to sail with.
If you are interested in attending, please RSVP and I can send you further details. If you know of additional sailors who’d like to attend, please let me know. We will try to keep the group sizes small, so everyone gets quality time on the water. Hope to see you there. I will forward more details once I get RSVP’s from you. Any questions, please contact Brad or myself. You can also visit: https://i14usa.com/
 
 
Regards,
 
Paul Galvez
US I-14 Class President
 
Brad Ruetenik
San Diego Fleet Rep
Categories
Training

Intro I-14 Clinic at SDYC

Intro I-14 Clinic at SDYC

It was a rainy and wet weekend but we had 4 boats out and loads of new crews trying out the boats. Starting each day with some land drills, then launching with the extra students in the chase boats for quick swap outs, followed by a full debrief back on land. Exhausted and cold, but pumped for more. By the later half of day two, new crews took over all the boats as crew and skipper and were sailing well enough to get around the course on their own.

Big thanks to all the owners for bringing their boats to share and the coaches that were available on hand. Big grins all around. It’s always fun to watch someone’s first I-14 experience!

If you were at the clinic as a new sailor, I will be sending you a separate email with contacts in your specific area to meet up with and get you on the water again.
-Paul