3 Day Syllabus
Day 1	Responsibility	Getting to know ourselves
Start 10 am	Skipper	Welcome and Introductions. Why am I doing what I am doing and why am I here today? Questions?
	Participants	My name, what do I expect from this experience?
	Skipper	Introduction to the boat(s): Sottovento, Jilasi, Blurrr (see handout)
	Skipper and participants	What do I do as a Captain? What do you do as the boat’s crew? What do your agency’s staff do? Any questions?
	Sailing Plan	What are we going to do today? Charts, schedule, wind and weather. Sailing for pleasure vs. sailing with a purpose or set end point.   Split group into three and go over the next section on board prior to leaving
	Terms and Definitions
	group 1 Orientation to the vessels	The basics of being on board:   fore, aft, port, starboard, on deck, down below, helm/wheel, bow, stern, abeam, abaft, amidships, fenders, lifelines, fairleads, head, cabin, tiller, port holes, headlines, sternlines, navigation equipment (support with handouts or passarounds?) Location of Safety Equipment on board What to do during an emergency Other safety measures Safe vessel boarding procedure
	Group 2 The Rigging + the sails	Standing rigging + Running Rigging: Explain the difference between standing and running rigging and point out a few examples   Point out a few of the following and briefly explain its use: halyards, sheets, boom vang, downhaul, Cunningham, outhaul, topping lift, cleat, horn, cam, jam etc, winch, gooseneck, stanchion, lifelines, stays, booms. (support with handouts or passarounds?)   Types of sails: main, jib/genoa, spinnaker, mizzen (if applicable) (support with handouts or passarounds?) “Sails are named for the stay or spar they are set on”   Location of Safety Equipment on board (support with handouts or passarounds?) What to do during an emergency Other safety measures
	Lunch 12-12:45	Please ensure appropriate conduct on premises. Youth must be accompanied by staff at all times.
	Short check in:	Each person shares one thing that they found interesting/new/surprising about the morning session. Ask a few quiz questions to make sure everyone was paying attention in the morning (for example “what do we do if someone falls in the water?”)   Take time to answer questions before preparing to leave.   Skippers: keep an eye out for youth who might need more support in their learning.   Everyone on board.
	We are going sailing! Skipper	What sails will be set and setting stations.   Donning Personal Floatation Devices (see handout) Radio communications   Group is divided into 2 teams: One for lines and fenders and one for setting sails. Make sure to review stations with youth. Let the youth do the work — volunteers should be there to support and step in before something goes wrong. Be encouraging and engaging!!! Positive reinforcement builds confidence.   After we leave the dock: where are lines and fenders stowed, finish coiling lines, the importance of keeping decks clear and tidy.
	Basics of sailing the vessel	Skippers — this is the first time the sails will be set… Please allow enough time for volunteers to fully explain the stations for setting the sails and provide demonstration. This first time setting will inevitably go slower than normal.   Terminology learned  while underway halyards, sheets, traveller, main sail, jib/genoa, outhaul, topping lift, winch easing, hauling, making fast, coiling lines, tacking, gybing, wearing ship, hove to, roller reefing, cringles, roller furling, jiffy or slab reefing, mainsail furling,Parts of the sail: tack, clew, luff, foot, leech, battens, hanks, slides, ticklers, telltales make sure these are pointed out while the sail is set, as much as possible have the youth touch the part of the sail you are explaining  Knots: reef, clove hitch, round turn & 2 half hitches, bowline, figure 8 (support with handouts or passarounds?)   Points of Sail: what each point is — include what point of sail the boat is currently on. (support with handouts or passarounds?)   Sailing Downwind – Sail Angle  Reaching – Sailing Across the Wind. Sailing Upwind Stopping – Basic ‘Hove-To’ Position Tacking – turning the front of the boat through the wind Getting out of ‘Irons’ (being stuck head to wind) No Go Zone Gybing – turning the back of the boat through the wind (support with handouts or passarounds?)   Safety drill: COB, fire, flood, involuntary jibe
	Back to shore 15:00	Vessels are “squared away for next session Each participant shares one thing about their sailing experience Q & As
	Crew departs 15:30	See you tomorrow!
Day 2	Gear and Equipment	What, how, why
Start 10 am	Skipper and participants	Welcome back! What did you enjoy in the first session? What is one thing you learned that you never knew before? Any suggestions for today? What did you dislike and how did you manage it?
	Review	Review of key learning points from session 1: don’t give the youth the answer right away, try and quiz them on the really easy stuff and move up to some harder termsIf someone is struggling, encourage them and make sure to use positive reinforcement (“you’re doing great,” “it’s okay if you don’t get it right away”
	Required Equipment (New info for today)	Transport Canada – what do they do, our requirements, difference between pleasure vessels and commercial sailing vessels. Leave time for questions after this, TC can be confusing, especially for new sailors and there will likely be questions. Required Equipment – personal protection, boating safety, visual signals, navigation and aids to navigation, fire fighting, ROR (support with handouts or passarounds?)
	Use of Required Equipment	Personal protection – testing for buoyancy, storage and maintenance, buoyant heaving line, lifebuoy   Boat safety – anchor, bailer Firefighting – fire extinguishers Visual signal – flashlight, flares, Navigation – sound devices, radar reflector, compass, navigation lights (support with handouts or passarounds?)   Be sure to take your time explaining how these items work — where possible pass items around to group so they can see and touch them this helps learning reinforcement.
	Recommendations	Batteries, bulbs, first aid kit, tool kit, spare parts, safety harnesses, emergency steering, navigation charts and equipment, radio, lead line or depth sounder, drinking water, snacks, rain gear, whistle, knife, float plan
	Pre-departure	Where are we going today? Split group on to different ships[1] . Take time for orientation to new vessel, make sure youth know where emergency equipment is prior to leaving. goo through pre-departure items donning life jackets/pfdsstations for leaving the dock stations for setting sails
	We are going sailing!	Today we change boats and tomorrow, too[2] !
	Safety	Top priority
	Carrying Lights Underway	Names, type, placement, requirements (see handout)
	Hypothermia	Stages, methods to minimize
	Cold Water Immersion	Phases – shock, incapacitation, hypothermia, circum-rescue collapse   If weather permits, and if participants are comfortable, might be a good idea to do a clothed swim to demonstrate difficulty swimming while fully clothed.
	Fire and Explosion	Sources– gasoline, propane, alcohol, battery compartment, waste holding tank Remedies – proper use, prevention, equipment maintenance (support with handouts or passarounds?)
	Diving Flags	Divers– International Flag Code (support with handouts or passarounds?)
	Discharging Flares	Types, characteristics, recommendations   If we have expired flares that are “useless” – it might be a fun idea to do a flare demonstration while underway. Will need to inform the marine police (VHF 12)  and make an announcement on VHF 16 before conducting drill.
	Rules of the Road	General rules, rules for sailboats (see handout)
	Lunch 12-12:45	This will be at a Marina or a Yacht Club. Please ensure appropriate conduct on premises. Youth must be accompanied by staff at all times.
	How to win a water balloon competition Ms. Serpes, Mr. Niro	If the weather permits If the weather is poor we will have alternative games/activities or a visit to the Toronto Marine Police Unit or the Harbour Firefighters
	Weather
	The Causes of Weather	Wind: scale and speed. Where’s the wind? Points of Sail. Warning times (support with handouts or passarounds?)
	Rope work	CoilingStowingSecuring to a cleatFigure of eight knotRound turn and two half hitchesBowline (support with handouts or passarounds?)
	Back to shore 15:00	Vessels are “squared away for next session Each participant shares one thing about their sailing experience
	Crew departs 15:30	See you!
	Great Lakes, Emergency Procedures Celebration	History Practice National Club’s Desert Special
	Skipper, volunteer and participants	Welcome back! What did you enjoy in session 2? What did you dislike and how did you manage it? What is one thing you learned that you never knew before? Any suggestions for today?
Day 3	Pre-departure Skipper, volunteers and participants	Where are we going today? Split group on to different ships. Take time for orientation to new vessel, make sure youth know where emergency equipment is prior to leaving. Go through pre-departure items donning life jackets stations for leaving the dock stations for setting sails
	Great Lakes Skipper and Volunteers	History, geography, economy, employment and education opportunities. (see handout)
	Lunch 12-12:45	This will be at a Marina or a Yacht Club. Please ensure appropriate conduct on premises. Youth must be accompanied by staff at all times.
	Taking charge and becoming a leader all	What are your dreams and your plans for your future? Emphasize that it does not have to be marine related — especially if this question is met with silence
	Emergency sailing procedures Captains, First Mates	Boat handling – launching and recovery Getting a boat under way at this point in the programming, allow a participant to attempt taking the boat on or off the dock with supervision. Participant controls the wheel, Captain or First Mate control throttle for engine and intervenes before things are going awry.Leaving the dock – onshore windComing ashoreCapsize recovery Golden Rule – stay with the boat Righting the boat
	Back to shore 15:00	Square vessel away, everyone stays on or near vessel until this is done. Give everyone a job, when they are done — find someone who needs help. If no one needs help, have a seat on the dock until everyone is finished.   Each participant fills out post-evaluation formmake sure to leave enough time for this before anyone leaves
	Celebration	National Desert Special and round table: share one thing you will always remember
	Farewell: Sign up for the Mid-Summer Get-Together 14 August! Sign up for Come Back Mondays! Sign up to Sail Playfair! Sign up for the Regattas! Sign up for the Winter Program! Sign up for the March Break! Sign up for volunteering next season! Sign up for sailing next year!

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