Osprey class coaching programme launched
by Alan Henderson 4 Apr 2017 11:15 BST
30 March 2017
Tim Rush (right) © Alan Henderson
The Osprey class launched its 2017 class coaching programme at Blithfield SC, on Friday 30 March. This coaching day was immediately followed by the class's Welsh & Midlands Championship at Blithfield on the Saturday and Sunday, and gave competitors a good day of practice and tips to help get warmed up for the season.
The day was led by top coach Tim Rush, who gave participants a good variety of exercises and onshore briefing. An unusual exercise was practicing spinnaker launching on a tight or beam reach, which could be tricky in the moderate breezes. He then ran starting exercises, follow my leader, and gave participants excellent feedback on their rig and sail settings after the day's sailing. Tim also gave feedback on spinnaker setting on the way back to the shore.
This was the first of the Osprey class's programme of coaching days, which are provided free to class association members.
The next will be at Poole Yacht Club, which later in the year will be hosting the Osprey Nationals, on 10 to 13 August, so Osprey sailors have the perfect opportunity to get to know this venue. The Poole coaching day will be on 23 June, again immediately before the Poole open meeting.
The third coaching day will be at Castle Cove SC on Friday 7th July, with local coach Adam Bowers, who is current Osprey Nationals champion crew. This precedes the Castle Cove open.
The Osprey class association is keen to welcome both newcomers and old hands to the coaching days, and it funds the class coaching programme as a way to help people quickly make progress in getting the most out of their boats.
The Osprey class is a fast single trapeze dinghy, with symmetric spinnaker. Boats are available in all construction types from wood, to GRP to the latest epoxy FRP Mark V Ospreys, and at all budgets. Older boats are very competitive in this class, which appeals to people of different ages and weights, and includes many lady helms and crews.
So next coaching days are:
- 23 June, Poole YC
- 7 July, Castle Cove SC
Put them in your diaries. More information about the class is at
www.ospreysailing.org.uk or the
Sail Osprey Facebook page.