CENTREBOARD TRAINING
Welcome to the Alfreds
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
Junior Centreboard Training
The RPAYC Junior Centreboard Training program is for participants who have completed the Tackers program, or equivalent club learn-to-sail programs, and are ready to advance their skills and knowledge with the support of club coaches.
To participate you will require your own boat, or you can use a club training boat through our Halvorsen Lease Scheme. Contact our Sailing Office for more information about the ‘Halvo’ lease program.
Program Information
Junior Centreboard Training is an introductory ‘coaching’ program, where participants learn how to train and race following successful completion of the Tackers program.
This level of sailing is focused on developing the fundamental sailing skills, including foundation racing activities in a fun and safe environment. The program will improve a participant’s boat handling techniques, build their confidence and independence on the water, and introduce basic racing knowledge needed to take part in club sailing activities and regattas. By the end of the program, participants will be competent in launching and retrieving their dinghy.
To join the Junior Centreboard program participants must be an RPAYC member and have their own training boat, or alternatively lease a club boat. Supported classes of boat for training are single-handed Optimist’s, double-handed Manly Juniors and Flying 11’s.
Schedule
Training is conducted on Sunday afternoons, from 12:30 PM to 15:30 PM, with the support of RPAYC coaches. Sailors should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start of a coaching session to rig their boat and prepare for the session. The session will begin with a briefing with our club coaches, followed by on water drills and activities.
October to December 2024 Training Days:
- Sun 13 Oct 2024
- Sun 20 Oct 2024
- Sun 27 Oct 2024
- Sun 03 Nov 2024
- Sun 10 Nov 2024
- Sun 17 Nov 2024
- Sun 24 Nov 2024
- Sun 01 Dec 2024
Training schedule is subject to change, based on club events and external regattas, coach availability, and weather.
Competency Requirements
It is recommended and desirable that participants have progressed through all levels of Tackers, or equivalent, to have a suitable level of competency to progress through the Junior Centreboard Training program. Prior to joining the program, participants must be able to demonstrate an adequate level of skill and boat control in a dinghy. This is to ensure that all participants will remain safe, learn new skills and have fun at all times on the water!
All registrations are reviewed by the Head Coach to ensure that participants are placed in the correct group suited to their ability and experience.
Once participatns have demonstrated boat control and handling skills in stronger winds, including launching and retrieving their boat independantly, then they will be ready to move into Centreboard Racing.
Program Fee & Boat Lease
The Junior Centreboard Training program is $300, for October to December. This includes casual entry fees for races where the fleet decide to go racing with the support of a coach or parent volunteers.
Halvorsen Optimists are available to lease. For new participants to the Junior Centreboard Training program, the lease is complimentary (FoC) for the first program that the sailor participates in. For the next program onwards, the Optimsit boat lease is $200 ($100 per month).
RPAYC Youth Membership (ages 6 to 22) is $234.00 for one year, including the mandatory $60.00 contribution to the Youth Competition Support Fund. Membership fees are current to April 2025.
Centreboard Racing
Come join the fun with RPAYC’s centreboard division! Meet new families, make new friends and enjoy the excitement of the weekly racing competition.
RPAYC offers the best facility for dinghy racing on Pittwater for all ages, and classes in a welcoming friendly atmosphere. RPAYC centreboard promotes community participation, inclusion and cohesion, and provides a range of classes (inc mixed) and skill based divisions to suit everyone from first time sailors, to kids, youth, adults and those future Olympians.
There is a range of boats that sail from entry level Optimists, Manly Juniors, Skiffs to foiling high speed performance Waszp and Multihulls.