Like Clockwork
Today, we had another small craft warning about boating on Biscayne Bay. The wind was forecasted to blow out of the Southeast 10 to 15 kn with gusts up to 20 kn, which is a little bit more than we need, but it is doable. We had a new coach joining us today. Her name is Ella, and she is an L-2 certified youth coach. Today’s STEM class was the second day of module five, water quality, testing part B. The kids were pretty excited about it. First, they were in the classroom on the second floor, then collected water samples in three different locations and tested the water in the first-floor breezeway.
We had two RS ventures and two RS Fevas out sailing today. Coach Elly and coach Justine commanded one of the RS ventures. The other venture was Skipper by Jian Li. The conditions were perfect for Sailing to the Viscaya Sandbar, where all the boats gathered. We were hanging out for a while. Kids were playing on the mattress, exploring the Sandbar, and having fun. The NextLevel kids rested in the Boston Whaler for the most part. They were kind enough to lower the jib sail so they would not flog. Flogging the sails is never good because it wears them out ahead of time. It’s always bad seamanship, like running around and not knowing how to tie the boat up at the dock. We all have one thing in common: we want to look good!
Check out the pictures and videos below. Also, review the teaching moments and see if there is something new you haven’t seen before.
Teaching Moments
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Flogging the sails refers to a situation where the sails are flogging uncontrollably in the wind. It could be any sail, main, jib, or spinnaker. This usually happens when a boat is head-to-wind or tied to a mooring or a dock. The remedy is to trim the sail in or lower it.
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Hull Damage – Running aground can cause severe damage to the hull, leading to leaks, structural issues, or even sinking.
Propeller and Rudder Damage – The propeller, rudder, and keel can be severely damaged, affecting maneuverability and performance.
Crew and Passenger Safety – A sudden stop from grounding can cause injuries, especially if people are moving around the boat.
Stranding and Rescue Risks – A grounded boat may become stuck, requiring costly and time-consuming rescue efforts.
Environmental Harm – Grounding can damage fragile ecosystems like coral reefs, seagrass beds, or marine habitats.
Legal and Financial Consequences – In some areas, damaging marine environments can result in fines or liability for restoration costs.
Loss of Control – Once aground, the boat may be vulnerable to wind, waves, and tides, making recovery more difficult.
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Personal Preparation and Safety
Wear protective clothing, sunscreen, and a hat.
Wear closed-toe shoes.
Wear a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket with a safety whistle attached.
Identify three program safety rules.
Identify emergency steps on land and water.
Towing
Check your bow line for towing.
Hand your bow line to the instructor safely.
Steer the boat in-line and keep it flat while attached to a tow line.
Recoil and stow the bow line after release.
Capsize Recovery
Stay with the boat, untangle the mainsheet, and swim to the centerboard.
Press down on the daggerboard/centerboard/leeboard to upright the boat.
Get back into the boat.
Identify three ways to prevent capsizing.
Identify three capsize safety guidelines.
Demonstrate recovery from a turtle position.
Overboard Rescue
Alert others by saying "Crew Overboard!"
Keep visual contact and point if possible.
Tack to return to the person/object in the water.
Stop in a safety position with the person on the windward side.
Retrieve the person over the stern or pick up the object.
Review Beginner Sailing Skills
Review completed Phase 1, 2, and 3 Beginner Sailing Skills.
Understanding Wind
Define "puff" and identify two visual cues.
Define "lull" and identify two visual cues.
Parts of the Boat
Identify common boat parts (windward, leeward, transom, gooseneck, etc.).
Identify boat-specific parts.
Identify standing vs. running rigging.
Parts of the Sail & Control Lines
Identify three types of telltales.
Demonstrate how outhaul, cunningham, boom vang, and halyard affect sail shape.
Mast Rake
Identify when the mast is raked forward, backward, or neutral.
Adjust mast rake using rigging.
Steering with Rudder, Body Weight & Sails
Hold a steady course with the tiller while adjusting body and sail trim.
Steer up/down using body weight.
Steer up/down using sail trim.
Controlling Speed
Ease sails to slow the boat.
Stop completely head-to-wind.
Stop completely on a reach.
Speed up by trimming in sails and moving the tiller.
Controlling Heel
Maintain a flat boat using sail trim and body weight.
Demonstrate "Ease, Hike, Trim" in moderate winds.
Departures & Landings
Sail backward for three boat lengths.
Quickly transition from sailing backward to forward.
Sailing Backwards
Sail backward under mainsail power.
Transition quickly back to forward sailing.
Phase 2 Sailing Skills
Adjust body position, tiller, and mainsheet.
Steer using tiller/tiller extension.
Avoid collisions ("Tiller Towards Trouble").
Using Telltales
Name three telltale locations.
Adjust course and sail trim based on telltales.
Points of Sail
Identify all points of sail and their sail trim/degrees from wind.
Demonstrate all points of sail with proper trim.
Upwind & Downwind Sailing
Hold a close-hauled course.
Tack three times upwind.
Hold a broad reach course.
Jibe three times downwind.
Adjust blades (centerboard, daggerboard, or leeboard).
No Wind Kinetics
Quickly flatten the boat with body weight.
Demonstrate continuous rocking in no wind.
Sailing a Course
Sail around buoys.
Sail within a confined area.
Round a buoy without touching it.
Weather Awareness
Identify three signs of bad weather.
Identify basic cloud types.
Identify sea breeze vs. land breeze.
Water Awareness
Describe how current and tide affect course.
Differentiate between flood and ebb tide.
Identify boat draft location.
Read depths on a navigation chart.
Float Plan
Record weather forecast, current, and tide before sailing.
Navigation
Identify navigation aids (buoys, markers, hazards, etc.).
Read navigation charts.
Explain "Red-Right-Returning" for waterway entry/exit.
Rules of the Road
Identify right-of-way between:
Starboard vs. port sailboats.
Leeward vs. windward sailboats.
Overtaken vs. overtaking vessels.
Using a Compass
Identify intercardinal directions (NE, NW, SE, SW).
Read compass degrees (N=0, E=90, S=180, W=270, etc.).
Knots & Line Handling
Cow Hitch (Tie, undo, and give an example of its use).
Coiling (Coil and uncoil a line neatly).
Round Turn & Half Hitches (Tie, undo, and give an example).
Heaving & Receiving a Line (Demonstrate safe handling).
Sheet Bend (Tie, undo, and give an example).
Clove Hitch (Tie, undo, and give an example).
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A Portuguese Man o’ War (Physalia physalis) is a marine organism often mistaken for a jellyfish, but it’s actually a siphonophore—a colonial organism made up of specialized polyps that function together as a single creature.
Key Features:
Floating Gas-Filled Bladder: It has a translucent, blue, or purple gas-filled bladder (pneumatophore) that sits above the water, acting like a sail to catch the wind.
Long, Venomous Tentacles: Below the surface, it has tentacles that can extend up to 165 feet (50 meters), though they are usually around 30 feet (10 meters). These tentacles are covered in nematocysts that deliver a painful, venomous sting to prey and potential threats.
Drifting Lifestyle: The Man o’ War has no means of propulsion and moves with ocean currents and winds.
Danger to Humans:
The sting can be excruciatingly painful and sometimes dangerous, causing skin welts, allergic reactions, or even breathing difficulties in severe cases.
Tentacles can still sting even after being detached or washed up on the beach.
Where It’s Found:
Warm ocean waters, including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Common in Florida, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
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Seaweed floating in the ocean is most commonly referred to as Sargassum; a type of brown algae that can form large, floating mats on the ocean surface, providing habitat for various marine life and often found in tropical and subtropical waters.
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Trust one another
Engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas
Commit to decisions and plans of action
Hold one another accountable for delivering against those plans
Focus on the achievement of the collective results
F.Y.I SYSTEM=SAILING+YOUTH+STEM
@healthylittlehavana, @careelementary, @damianpardod2, @coconutgroveelementary
It’s a win-win
Thank you, volunteers, students, teachers, parents/caregivers, and benefactors for making my dream come true. Removing any of the categories above would have prevented our achievements today from happening. Thank You!
NEXT LEVEL HOMEWORK
Consider this homework. I’m urging the NEXT LEVEL sailors to scroll to the bottom of the page and study what‘s there. From now on, we must line up together every Saturday we sail. What else? Oh yes, what are the five dysfunctions of a Team? We will be quizzing you on it
LET’S HAVE FUN, BE SAFE AND LEARN A BUNCH
Lining up! This is what’s you should look like. Each boat is not overlapped, but at the very least, they are in the same picture frame, the sails are trimmed correctly and they are all pointing in somewhat the same direction. Let's do it!
Encourage your sailor to learn more, and please visit our online classroom. https://www.teamparadise.org/classroom and https://www.teamparadise.org/next-level-coaching