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THE
BEGINNING
Koh Samui Junior Sailing Squadron
The weekend of 25 and 26
August 2007 saw the launching of the Youth Sailing Program and presentation of
the Optimist sailing dinghies.
Members of the Royal Thai
Navy were present to oversee the weekend.
The
Optimist presentation began
with speeches from the Royal Thai Navy, Thai Hotels Association head Khun Ruengnam and several
school headmasters.
Lieutenant
Navee and Lieut.Commanders Worasat and Sunthon then showed the
instructors how to correctly rig the boats and helped get the children
on the water for their first sail.
The weekend of 1st and 2nd September
will be the first of the Optimist lessons and then on every weekend
except the last weekend of each month which is the monthly regatta
weekend
The
aims of the Junior Squadron were
discussed between committee members at the November meeting at
Tradewinds Resort and it was decided that all income
derived from future monthly regattas either through
entrance fees or sponsorship would go towards
establishing a Junior Sailing Squadron on Koh Samui.
4 Optimist Sailing Dinghies
have been purchased
and through the schools on the island we invite children
from age 8 to 15 to partake in sailing courses using the
International Optimist sailing dinghy free of charge.
Samui Yacht Club Regatta members have offered to train the
children with the eventual aim of sending the top three
to the annual Thailand Optimist National Championships
held at Ocean Marina Pattaya.
The Royal Thai Navy supports
our team and have provided sailing instruction books in
Thai language and have offered support from the Royal
Thai Navy base at nearby Songkla.
The International Optimist
An Introduction
The Optimist is, quite simply, the
dinghy in which the young people of the world learn to
sail.
Sailed in over 110 countries by
over 150,000 young people, it is the ONLY dinghy
approved by the International Sailing Federation
exclusively for sailors under 16 years of age.
At the Athens Olympics over 60% of
the skippers and 70% of the medal winning skippers were
former Optimist sailors.
Why sailing?
-
Sailing is fun: a great
social life, now and for the rest of your days
-
Sailing is for all: tall?
short? fat? thin? girl? boy? green with pink spots?
- sailing is for you
-
Sailing builds self-reliance,
physical strength, quick thinking and a love of the
environment
-
Sailing doesn't cost a
fortune
Why
the Optimist?
-
Optimists are designed for
kids. They can handle them without danger, fear or
back-strain
-
Single-handed is best. They
didn't learn to ride a bike on a tandem
-
Over 150,000 kids in over 100
countries cannot be wrong The Optimist is not only
the biggest dinghy class in the world, it is the
fastest growing
-
The only dinghy recognised by
the ISAF* exclusively for under 16s *the world
organising body for sailing
-
Former Optimist sailors were
over 50% of the dinghy skippers at the last Olympics
-
Builders on five continents.
-
Your local sailing club
has them - and if it doesn't, it will!
What will it cost?
In North
America add around 30% to the prices below.
Around US$500 a year.
It works like this (very like the
secondhand automobile market):
US$ 500 - 800 buys a good first
boat (pre-owned) - and you can expect to drop $200 when
you sell
Trade up every year or so. Reckon
on adding around $300 a year to your investment
When
you sell your last Optimist you have the price of a good
secondhand Laser or 420 - and the path to a lifetime of
sailing
If you want to buy new, beginners'
boats start around $1,600 + any sales taxes. But see the
warning on the technical page
Add a good buoyancy aid/PFD
(personal flotation device) and some clothes according
to your local weather Check out fees at your local
sailing club
That's all, folks! Now check out
your local sailing club or contact your
national Optimist association.
For an overview on IODA and its
activities see their
Yearbook.
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