Fall 420 Sailing - Annapolis Yacht Club

ANNAPOLIS HS | INDIAN CREEK | KEY SCHOOL
SEVERNA PARK | ST. MARY'S | AYC COMBO

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO TRYOUT
Previous sailing experience is mandatory for ALL FLEETS.
You must be an AYC or JAM member in order to participate in our High School Sailing Program at Annapolis Yacht Club.

- Please encourage your team to register early so we can plan ahead for regatta scheduling.
- You will not be charged until the completion of the first full week of practice.
- Refunds will be granted up until the completion of the first full week of regular practice.
- Once teams complete their first full week of practice, ZERO REFUNDS will be granted. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Fall Season will commence with Tryouts following Labor Day each year.
Spring Season Tryouts will be the first full week of March each year.
More details will be posted on the GOOGLE CALENDAR at the bottom of this page as tryout dates are finalized for each season.
- The first full week of regular practice will begin following Tryouts.
- Our seasons will run through early November (FALL) and mid-May (Spring), pending teams' qualifications for Championship regattas.

Report Time 3:30pm
Rigged & Ready 4:00pm

All sailors, including returning sailors and varsity sailors, are required to attend tryouts.
We cannot guarantee every sailor will make the team.
Pre-JV will only be accepted if there is space remaining after filling JV teams.

The following gear will be needed for the sailing season (Including, but not limited to):
- All sailors must own their own USCG-Approved, Type III PFD.
- Sailing Gloves
- Sailing Boots
- Foul Weather Gear (spray top, spray pants, jacket, etc.)
- Warm non-cotton layers
- Drysuit (Spring sailing only)

Simply fill out the JAM application form on our website.
Please remember, your JAM number from 2023 must be renewed for the 2024 season.
JAM accounts are valid for one full year from January 1st until December 31st, of that given year.

(Tryouts Registration Through ClubSpot)
****All Registrations after September 15th (FALL) or March 15th (SPRING), will incur a late Fee of $25.********
If you have submitted your JAM application and are waiting on a member number, write "Applied."
Before submitting your information, please double check to make sure your emails and cell phone numbers are correct & up to date,
otherwise you may miss out on important details and information about practices and regattas.
Important information pertaining to registration and dates will be conveyed initially through ClubSpot emails.

Once you register via Clubspot and complete tryouts, you will be assigned to your team in TeamSnap.
Your SAILOR will receive an email at the start of the season with an invitation to join your school's TeamSnap group, which they must accept before parents are able to be added.
This group will have an event schedule of regattas for the season as well as give sailors a safe and effective avenue
to communicate with AYC staff/coaches, teammates, and parents.

PRACTICE SCHEDULE

JV & Pre-JV: Tuesdays & Thursdays
Varsity: Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Regattas on weekends - schedule TBD by MDISA LEAGUE
Regular practice times will be 4:00 - 7:00.
4:00 means RIGGED & READY and on the porch for a briefing.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mitch Powell, High School Head Coach at [email protected].

If you would like to apply to receive financial assistance, you may do so at https://www.aycfoundation.org/
(We strongly encourage Applying for Financial Assistance, if necessary, the AYC Foundation is willing to support our High School Sailors in many ways!).

What to do Before Showing Up for Tryouts
- Before Tryouts
  1. Register for HS Sailing
  2. Read the Handbook
  3. Buy your gear and a drysuit (drysuit for spring only). Drysuits are required whenever the water temperature is below 50ºF or whenever a coach deems it necessary. The drysuit must be in working condition with no tears or ripped seals. Coaches and Regatta organizers reserve the right to require drysuits at any given practice or regatta. Sailors will not be allowed to go out on the water if they do not wear a drysuit when it is required.
  4. Have all the required gear. This includes, but is not limited to:
  > USCG Approved Type III PFD - sized appropriately with no rips or tears.
  > Whistle
  > Closed-toe shoes or sailing boots
  > A sailing watch with a timer that counts down (for start sequences)
  > Appropriate non-cotton layers for both hot and cold conditions
  5. Label EVERYTHING with your Last Name
About AYC's High School Sailing Program
- Boats
  Most high school sailing is done in 420s, FJs, or similar double-handed boats. High school sailing does have a singlehanded National Championship - the Cressy Trophy held each Fall in Lasers and Laser Radials. The focus of the AYC high school program is on doublehanded sailing, but we will support any sailors with experience interested in qualifying for the Cressy.
  
  Coaching
  As well as daily coaching at practices, AYC provides coaching at weekend regattas. Junior Varsity teams typically travel to local events lasting one day. Varsity teams attend local events and travel to venues requiring overnight stays several times a season. Organization of all local and overnight trips is the responsibility of team captains and parents. Tuition covers all coaching expenses for regattas during the regular season. Additional coaching fees may apply for teams participating in the National Championships and other post-season events such as the Atlantic Coast Championship and Great Oaks Regatta. Tuition also covers the use of the 24 club-owned C420s, Coach Boat Usage and Fuel, our club's premium facilities: classrooms (video instruction capabilities), docks, locker rooms, etc.
  
  Tier 1, 2, & 3
  Coaches divide sailors into Varsity and Junior Varsity teams based on observed performance and personal knowledge regarding skill levels. In-League regattas are labeled by Tier - Tier 1 is for the top sailors, Tier 2 is for mid-level sailors, and Tier 3 is for beginner sailors.
  
  Fall and Spring Seasons
  Teams participate in a number of regattas throughout the Fall and Spring seasons. The Fall season runs from September to November and the Spring season from March to May.
  
  Fleet Racing
  For fleet racing, teams are divided into A and B divisions comprised of different skippers and crews for each division. Teams may substitute sailors as long as prescribed substitution rules are followed. Short courses are used, typically windward-leeward with a gate. Course completion times average 18 minutes. Except in rare cases, only one fleet is on the water at a time. Two races are completed and then divisions switch, and the boat being sailed by each team is rotated. This allows for coaching and a break. Boat rotation eliminates the possibility of any team having an advantage because of an inherently faster boat.
  
  Team Racing
  In Team Racing events, each team fields three boats to sail against three boats from another team. Teammates work together to outmaneuver the other team so that their combined race scores are better than the other team's combined scores.
  
  For more information, or to see if you can train at AYC, contact the Junior Fleet office via phone at (410) 263-9267 or email at [email protected].