OYC

THANK YOU!

On May 2nd Youth in Philanthropy made a grant to the Okoboji Sailing Center to double the size of our 420 fleet as we grow interscholastic sailing (7th - 12th grade) in the Iowa Great Lakes Area.
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Again, thank you YIP for your efforts and your incredible gift!

Animated Text discover who you can be

-10F Windchill
Time to sail HARD water ...

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​CAPPY CAPPER CLINICS
These clinics are designed to develop student athletes into top performers.  Crew will focus on boat speed and handling; tactics, strategy.  ​
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OPTI

X BOAT
X Boat teams will have an opportunity to develop skills over the summer as well as gain skills on-site in preparation for the ILYA Championships on Lake Minnetonka   
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C420
420 sailors get ready to learn how to sail under trapeze and spinnaker in preparation for a summer of racing at Okoboji Yacht Club.   
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​INTRO TO RACING

​CREW U
Learn to RACE! This series goes through the entire process Prep to finish.  Learn how sailboat races work, the rules associated with racing, as well as the finer points of crewing in an racing environment.  Great for people new to the sport and those looking to hone their skills - Open to the public.

Schedule to be announced Spring 2019

INTRO TO SPINNAKER HANDLING 
AGES: 12+
This is a course for any one is serious about sailing spinnakers on keel boats in a competitive environment -  multiple platforms will be used.   
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HIGH SCHOOL RACING 
AGES: 13 - 19
A course that will introduce students to a new regional club sport. You will learn about the format, time commitments, how to get your school involved, and spend time sailing in a 420. 

No sailing experience is needed for crew.   
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SAILING SOCIALS
x

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
is about getting
READY for SPRING!



IDEAS FOR YOUR SAILOR
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FOUL WEATHER GEAR
  • Dingy Tops and Salopettes keep sailors dry and comfortable in warm and moderate weather sailing.  Look for features that provide zipper necks, rubberized collars and cuffs and always a pocket to hold gear in the front.  Costs are driven by effective breath-ability of the fabric, from Polyamide to Gore-Tex, it makes a difference in comfort and sweating. Pricing is a broad range from $40 to $400 and unless you are wearing gear in warmer conditions for long periods, the low cost solution may work well enough for our short racing programs.
  • Wet Suits for late Spring and Fall sailing is driven mostly by fit and neoprene thickness.  These garments are critical in keeping sailors warm when water temperatures are typically below 70F and above 55F. Suits come in one piece  as well as a two piece option giving sailors flexibility in those in-between seasons.  Pricing ranges with pricing starting around $60 and up.
  • PFDs (USCG Class III) The best life jacket is one you feel comfortable with eating dinner in!  No kidding.  If you can sit at the table and eat comfortably in a PFD  having a full range of motion with no tugging or pinching you are close to a perfect fit.  A large front pocket is great with a Less is More attitude on the design so snaps and adjusting straps don't get caught in rigging. we advise ordering a couple you like and return the ones that don't work out.
  • Foot wear is important! Boots for cooler/cold days and sailing shoes for warmer. Make sure they have good socks too and wear them in both to reduce the sailing smell!​
  • Gloves are great and having a pair that feel right is critical.  When I wear gloves, I personally like 3/4 fingers where I can feel the lines.  Some sailors like full fingered gloves to protect those tender digits.  Pricing ranges from $20 to $50. Cold weather options are made from neoprene and make life so much better for early and late season sailing.

Gill, Zhik, Musto, Helly Hansen, West Marine, and others all offer great choices and a range of price points. 

See sites like Amazon, APSLTD, Vela Sailing, West Coast Sailing, West Marine and many others for great holiday pricing.

Give a gift
that lasts a LIFETIME!
 

[Print out a your Certificate here.]
Gift certificates are good for the 2019 Season and can be used to purchase any eligible programming or available merchandise.  Redeemable by contacting OSC Program or Executive Directors during registration.


​Whatever holiday you celebrate there is always a question of what to get a loved one for a gift. 
​Let me tell you, we have been getting calls on help for those last minute surprises.

TECHNOLOGY 
  • Watches are a great start! ​The key s to have a watch that has a count-down function.  Best are those that are adjustable for multiple fleet starts as well as can accommodate a 5, 3 and 1 minute sequences. Adjustable bezels to set compasses headings are fantastic, but hard to find. Pricing start at $20 and can go as high. Most god sailing watches are around $50-$75.
 
  • Polarized glasses helps sailors see the wind - seriously a huge advantage. NO sailor should be without them! Pricing start at $15.  For the more expensive glasses, get them on a leash!
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  • Games and Apps are available for sailors that want to stay on top.  Everything from simulators to knot tying.  
    • WINDY (A great wind / weather App)
    • Knot Guide (You guess it, knot tying)
    • Race Master (App that can used with a Apple watch)
    • Sail X,Sailaway, and Sail Simulator (Sailing Simulators)
    • UK Sailmakers Rules Quiz (See if you know your rules)



From all of us at 
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​We wish you a safe and wonderful holiday season.
SEE THE "BIG PICTURE" 
Big data yields big revelations.
Great coaching gives athletes accurate and timely feedback on performance. We use the programs  Kattack and RaceQs that can easily track each boat with a fleet while training on the water.  This virtual perspective helps our athletes visualize and understand the impacts and outcomes of decisions in tactics and on strategy.
​DETAIL THE DETAILS
A picture is worth a 1,000 words.
We give student athletes a new perspective on their boat dynamics through on and off boat videography.  This allows our coaching staff to review improvements with our athletes that develop a detailed inventory of performance enhancements in the areas of boat handling, crew work, weight distribution, and sail trim. 
PERSONALIZE THE ASSESSMENT
Engagement is personal.
Our one-on-one caulk talk approach is an opportunity for our coaches to focus on each program and give specific commentary tailored to each team. This is done by meeting with each team and through an online portal where student athletes can login for weekly coach notes feedback and obtain lesson plans for improvement.

​Coaching

An Old School approach supported by analytics drives performance to the next level.

We know that nothing replaces experience and time on the water.  We also know that nothing helps athletes, with a wide range of skills, more than the ability to demonstrate capabilities from multiple perspectives.

A curriculum of clinics with nationally recognized instructors provides students and staff with the latest techniques, drills, and information on performance improvements.  Couple this with leveraged data, we quickly establish baselines to build lesson planning with our clinicians that is objective, personalized and drive results.

OPTI RACING




​Let's get you racing 

HIGH SCHOOL RACING
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Okoboji Sailing Center is devoted to sailing for our athletes beyond the X Boat.  We are developing sponsorship of the Iowa Great Lakes Region High School Sailing Team, a regional high school sailing club located in northwest Iowa.  

2017 X Boat Fleet

The Okoboji Sailing Center promotes fleet racing with our strategic partner Okoboji Yacht Club.
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​OYC's racing series are the proving grounds for our student athletes, where they are able to demonstrate learned skills in real life conditions. 

In addition to our local racing, we coordinate and sponsor coaching to many of the regattas offered within the Inland Lakes Yachting Association's (ILYA) throughout the summer.  
Skipper                                    Boat Name             Crew                                                                     
P3     Derek Hale                        X-Hale                     Douglas Hale & Kathryn Hale
P6     Anna Smith                       x                               Zane Rosenberg & David Smith
P7     Brandon Wagner             Break Away           Max Holmes & Carter Thoreson
P9     John Baker                         x                              Michael Puett & Kwanele Sackett
P19   Bradley Wagner              Red Fox                  Sean Callaghan and Nic Phomsouvanh
P21   Wesley Carlton                x                               Andy Baker
P31   Audrey Farrar                  Thirty-OneDerful   Mary Kelly
P45   Rob Baker                         x                               Emma McMillian and Kwanele Sackett
P90  Carter Thoreson               Sea Salt                   Sam Meyer
P99  Henry Jensen                     Sfidante                  Hayden Jensen and Bennett Jensen
P00  Nicholas Phomsouvanh   Jester                       Will Graves
​ILYA Regatta Schedule
GLSS Dinghyfest Regatta
All Iowa Regatta
GLSS X Invitational
US Junior Olympics Festival
X ILYA Championship 
Interlake Regatta
Blue Chip Regatta
We see these championship level events as a capstone to our summer long training.  We support and encourage all our athletes to participate in these fun opportunities as they build confidence, community and connections that will last a lifetime.

If your child is interested in racing at the club level, we encourage you to meet with our Program Director to discuss your child's readiness and the best steps to getting involved with membership to the OYC and the ILYA.
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SMOOTH SAILING
A Nautical Art Workshop


​AGE GROUPS: 6-9  &  9-12

'What if I design a new sailboat ...?' 
​'What if I paint a picture ...?' 
'What if I make a sculpture ...?'

If you like to feel the wind, to dive under a wave, and to walk barefoot along the beach you are close to art.  Looking at the world in new ways to form ideas and to do something with them is what the Smooth Sailing Art Workshop is all about. 

See the shape of a sailboat, the shadows it reflects, and how the light is caught in the water as inspiration for art.  

Explore the materials of pencil, watercolors, wire, wood shapes and clay with Diane O'Hern, a K-8 Art Educator for a 2-day workshop where nautical themes are discovered in a new light!​

​Coaching

An Old School approach supported by analytics drives performance to the next level.

We know that nothing replaces experience and time on the water.  We also know that nothing helps athletes, with a wide range of skills, more than the ability to demonstrate capabilities from multiple perspectives.

A curriculum of clinics with nationally recognized instructors provides students and staff with the latest techniques, drills, and information on performance improvements.  Couple this with leveraged data, we quickly establish baselines to build lesson planning with our clinicians that is objective, personalized and drive results.