Okoboji Sailing Center
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OYC

REWARDING​ TEAMWORK

High Sailing Clinic... Get your Feet Wet!

​No Experience? / No Problem!

Intro to the 420 and High School Racing Program

September 26th, 9 am to 1 pm

REGISTER TODAY!
​Everything you wanted to know about sailing for YOUR High School.

This is a sport dedicated to athletes that love being outdoors, on the water, and want a social and competitive experience with students from the quad state area of IA, MN, SD, and WI. 
​
This CO-ED sport is open to ALL schools and independent learning programs that allows
​Grades 7th through 12th to sail in regional, fall competitions or just for fun.


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MORE INFO SOON!

Don't forget to stop in for fun activities
​​for "kids" of any age!

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​Join us January 25th from 10:30 to 2:00
and register for FREE sailing lessons!


What will we have going on?
  • Fun nautical activities for the kids
  • Laser rides back and forth from Lakeside Lab
  • Hot chocolate bar
  • Bonfire and S'Mores
  • Cash Bar with Hors d'oeuvre
... and so much more!
 

INTRO TO SPINNAKER HANDLING

REGISTER
AGES: 12+
​
Leveraging the course downhill is a great way to make big gains or consolidate within the fleet.  Spinnaker handling is critical skill to master as our young sailors look to their next level, whether in sport boats or cruising. 

This course will review mark rounding rules, downwind positioning, roll-gybing and other technical skills primarily to setting and dousing symmetrical spinnakers in racing conditions.

Many opportunities are available to club race within the keel boat and E Scow fleets at the Okoboji Yacht Club, as well as prepping skills that will translate into high school and collegiate sailing programs.

Prerequisites:  
  • Prior approval is required for students that have taken Opti Racing or X-Boat Racing programs
  • Repeat students of the Intro to Spinnaker Handling Course
REGISTER

X
CHALLENGE

Calling All X Boaters to Take the Challenge!


You and your crew can take the challenge to race around West Lake Okoboji on August 1, 2019.   

[ See the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions ]
I'M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE!

This is going to be a BLAST!

Serious action packed sailing out on West Lake Okoboji May 18th and 19th. Learn what it's like to rip across the lake hanging off a wire while getting ready for a summer of fun in the Spinnaker Class C420! Sign up each day to sail and check out our informational meeting Saturday as well.

SIGN UP NOW
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ADULT SAILING

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Sign up TODAY!


​Invite your friends to get out on the water for an evening of fun... 


REGISTER TODAY!
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NETWORKING ON THE BEACH

​A Chamber Members Event
Okoboji Sailing Center
1900 Manhattan Blvd, Spirit Lake, IA 51360
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"BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP"

Learn how local organizations come together to create robust programs
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Tuesday, July 9th
Cash Bar, Appetizers, and Mini-Instruction in Miller's Bay*
​

​Don't forget your sandals!
* Boating is weather dependent and requires a Release.
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THANK YOU!

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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.
​[MORE]

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 ...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
is about getting
READY for SPRING!

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IDEAS FOR YOUR SAILOR
​


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!
 

$25 Gift
$50 Gift
$100 Gift
[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!
​
  • 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.
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Up to date weather for West Okoboji Lake
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.
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