Teaching progression question

dcharlton · Joined: 24 Apr 2002 Posts: 414

I've got my neighbor into the sport recently and he just bought a 200 ltr Bic, 6.7 Sail and all the rig slightly used for a great deal. He's very stoked to get into this and can uphaul consistently, go up wind and is starting to tack. I've been teaching him on and off since December 07.

My biggest regret about this sport is I didn't learn waterstarting until my 3rd year in which severely impacted my ability to get to the smaller boards and broader range of conditions. Fear of not being able to uphaul in certain swell or higher winds kept me from the really good stuff for longer than it should have.

Should I try and teach Waterstarting next or go the standard "tack, harness, foot straps, waterstart, jybe, double forward loop followed by a spock" progression? There's a certain amount of selfishness here as I don't want to be stuck in flat water conditions when the fall get's here.

Any Thoughts?

DC

speedysailor · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 841

Progression depends on location. If you sail with lots of high wind days, you will want to learn to waterstart early. However, with a 200 liter board, you aren't going to be using it in high winds unless you are crazy. For me, learning how to sail upwind was first. Getting in the straps (a planing skill) came after water-starting and gybing. "I knew how to do a forward [loop] beore gybing!" Daida Moreno

ScuzzyBreeze · Joined: 25 Jul 2008 Posts: 36 Location: Southern MA

If you're teaching from a shoreline, try working on beach starts and teaching your beginner how to manipulate the rig and board around. This is also good to practice when he's too tired to keep uphauling, but too stubborn to give it up for the day.

vims · Joined: 16 Nov 2016 Posts: 0

I agree with Scuzzy Breeze. Waterstarts are a bit much for this stage, but you can start working on beach starts anytime.

The main thing to make your friend "seaworthy" for long sessions in stronger winds is to get him comfortable with the harness, and then the footstraps. Once he is cool with that he will probably be more motivated and addicted, and ready to tackle the waterstarts.

It wouldn't hurt to get a formal lesson, or at least some video instruction, at some point, since teaching skills beyond the basics of uphauling and tacking is pretty difficult.

-James

-=koLLac=- · Joined: 11 May 2008 Posts: 39