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Development

About Sailing Development

The CSA Sailing Development committee works to support the creation and management of systems and programs that will serve the CSA in delivering on its long-term objectives.

COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES

  • To promote and facilitate the growth of the sport of sailing in the Caribbean Region.
  • To Support existing junior and youth-oriented sailing programs as well as help establish new activity.
  • To support the delivery of existing local, regional and international sailing events held by CSA members within the Caribbean region.
  • To assist Caribbean youth sailors by providing a framework and logistical support that enables them to succeed in learning to sail within recreational sailing activity, as well as participation in local, regional, international and Olympic level competition.
  • To collate and translate relevant information about the current state of junior / youth sailing within the Caribbean region, including keeping a list of up-to-date contact information for regional sailing programs, sailboat fleet inventories, the number and level of instructors / coaches in the region as well as the number of sailors served by each program.
  • To make reports to the CSA Board and share pertinent information and recommendations with Members.
  • To liaise with World Sailing MNA (Member National Authority) delegates in each island country in order to help communicate important development information, secure grants, access training opportunities and communicate the needs and interests of the Caribbean.

Caribbean Youth Sailing Programmes

Encouraging youth sailors and youth sailing program leaders to reach out to one another in order to build regional relationships is a key part of developing the sport of sailing in the Caribbean region. By sharing answers to common questions regarding delivering sail training activities, as well as having a platform to voice concerns related to solving local and regional youth sailing challenges including how to work more effectively with existing resources and events within the region youth sailing can and will grow stronger. If your sailing program is not listed on the list available on the link please email saskia@smyc.com

Youth to Keel & Next Generation

The Youth To Keel Programme (Y2K) was designed to offer a structured pathway for dinghy sailors to advance to keel boat sailing at international regattas. First trialed during Antigua Sailing Week 2018, the programme offers individual youths to sail on board boats racing right across the classes. Depending upon the experience level, age and confidence of the youth, they are ‘matched’ with roles available on boats who registered to take youths on board during the event.

Up to 2024 nearly 200 youths have now gained experienced during ASW racing on board boats either as part of a visiting crew or onboard full youth crews.

In 2023 the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta presented The Next Generation Race during the 43rd edition of the St. Maarten Regatta. 18 selected youth sailors from the Sailing School of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club raced against each other in the RS Zest, during the weekend of the Regatta.

In 2024 the Sint Maarten Yacht Club Sailing School and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta grew the program from 18 students to 24 students, racing on the RS Zest boats during the weekend. This included a mix of experienced Optimist sailors, the regular after school program and the Primary School Program that allows youth to be introduced to sailing at no cost. 10 students are specifically selected from the Optimist Race team and the Primary School Program, the other spots are open to the other students of the sailing program.

The objective is to introduce the students to racing, more specifically keelboat racing and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. It will give them an idea of the pathways ahead of them in their sailing career. Of course it also serves to highlight the local sailing program and its year round efforts to introduce local kids to the marine industry.

The most important thing is that regattas can look at how to implement a youth participation policy in order to get more youths racing and thus inspiring others to be interested in the sport.

A Youth 2 Keel Resource kit is available to interested regattas or clubs who would like to look at how they can roll it out. Anyone interested can contact the secretariat on news@caribbean-sailing.com to find out more.

Sailability

Around the world Sailability operates under different names. Sailability organisations are “not for profit”, volunteer-based, and through the activity of Sailing enriches the lives of people of all abilities – the elderly, the financially and socially disadvantaged as well as people with physical and intellectual challenges.

Sailability is also RYA’s national programme enabling people with disabilities to try sailing and take part regularly. It’s the perfect sport to feel tranquillity and freedom on the water, or progress your skills and become competitive.

Within the Caribbean there are currently two disability programmes in operation. Sailability Antigua provides access to sailing for differently-abled children and adults as part of operations at the National Sailing Academy (NSA).

Programme Director of the Sailability programme is Bob Bailey and Chief Instructor is Sylvester Thomas. Find out more about the progamme at www.sailabilityantigua.org.

St. Maarten Yacht Club has recently launched a programme which is developing offering outreach to different organisations in the differently-abled community. More information can be found at www.smyc.com.

FURTHER RESOURCES

More information on the RYA Sailability programme can be found here https://www.rya.org.uk/get-afloat/Pages/sailability.aspx

For more information on the RS Venture, visit the RS Sailing website: https://www.rssailing.com/project/rs-venture-connect-scs/

The Sailing is for Everyone Foundation keeps an  up to date list of programmes around the world at www.sailability.org.

Resort Instructor Programme

The Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) recognizes how a water sports instructor plays an integral role ensuring resort guests have a safe, enjoyable and positive experience while on vacation.

Through consultation with various hotels and holiday resorts in Antigua, along with other interested parties across the region, the Antigua National Sailing Academy and the CSA identified an issue with the current training requirements of the water sports teams on resorts and the level of training in place. While for many staff the courses do mean that water sports staff are trained to operate a small power boat it does NOT train them on how to instruct guests using sailing craft and provide safety management in a resort environment.

The CSA has therefore created a Resort Instructor Course. In Antigua the course is supported by the Antigua Department for Maritime Services (ADOMS) as per the Small Craft Control Act.

The Resort Instructor Course provides the essential training required to manage the safe and effective delivery of water-based activities.  The 3-day course is split into three fundamental one-day modules, these include:

  • Safety management Systems
  • Customer service.
  • Instructing a Discover Water Sports Session.

PRE-REQUISITES

The recommended pre-requisites for participants to join the course include;

  • Trainees must be 18 years and over
  • A valid nationally recognized powerboat drivers license
  • A valid 1st Aid certificate recognized nationally
  • Evidenced personal competency in the water sport discipline they are seeking qualification for;
  • Dinghy Sailing
  • Multihull (Beach Cat Sailing)
  • Windsurfing

If participants attend the course without satisfying the pre-requisites and they successfully complete the Safety Management and Customer Service modules of the training course their course completion certificate will be endorsed appropriately.

SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

The course recognizes that the safety of guests, staff and members of the public is a priority.  During the course the participants will develop an understanding of how to practically implement and adhere to safety management systems used by a resort to manage the safety of those with whom it is required to provide a Duty of Care.

  • Providing a Safety Briefing – The course will teach the importance of providing a safety briefing to guests prior to them taking part in water sport activities. Conscientious consideration will be given to the contents of the brief with each course participant having the opportunity to demonstrate their confidence and accuracy by delivering a brief during their training.
  • Safety craft use – Small motorboats provide an important safety role within a water-based environment. The course includes fundamental rescue techniques for recovering craft and guests from the water.  It will also train the participants on the best practice conduct expected while driving a power boat, including keeping a lookout, avoidance of 3rd parties and appropriate zoning for different activities.
  • Safety Management Documents – Through this section the instructors will learn about the importance of supporting safety management documentation and how it can be used to practically support the daily activity operations at the resort. Including; Risk Assessments, Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Action Plans, Reporting of Accidents and Incidents.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Maintaining and providing high levels of effective customer is integral to ensuring a positive customer experience.   A resort instructor plays an essential role with ensuring guests have a successful holiday.

  • Instructor Role – During the course the trainee instructor has the opportunity to demonstrate practically that they have the required personal qualities to maintain high standards of professionalism throughout their expected daily routines. The importance of adhering to an organizational Code of Conduct will be confirmed with the trainees during the program.
  • Interpersonal Skills – The program provides the opportunity for the instructors to practice and improve the effectiveness of their communication skills, including the quality of delivery and improving their ability to listen effectively. A section on how to deal with complaints is included in the program.

DISCOVER WATERSPORTS

It is the role of an instructor to ensure that all training and coaching provided to their guests is of the highest quality.  This module will provide the fundamental knowledge required to ensure that any tuition guests receive will allow them to enjoy a positive water sports experience.

Primarily this module focusses upon how to teach the fundamental techniques required to sail a sailing Dinghy or Beach Catamaran.   The CSA recognize that the majority of resorts provide sailing activity using Hobie Waves.

Upon request it will be possible to tailor the level of training to meet the individual requirements of the resort dependent upon the types of water sport craft they use.

COURSE DESIGN & TRAINING

The course syllabus has been developed through consultancy with an internationally appointed Coach Developer (MSc Performance Coaching) who has 20 years experience of performing Water Sport and safety management audits for Resorts and Hotels.

In Antigua two experienced Antiguan Coaches  deliver the training and have been appointed as CSA Resort Instructor Trainers. Both have extensive experience of managing, training and coaching in a resort environment.

Application to Run the CSA Resort Instructor Course

The course has been designed to be a revenue generator for sailing clubs and programmes however because many of the islands have small markets the CSA wishes to work with MNA’s to agree which operations by island can run the programme. In order to gain access to the programme both the MNA and the Programme or Club must be a member of the CSA.

To apply for the programme please email alison@caribbean-sailing.com.

Official Centres Appointed to Teach the Resort Instructor Course

National Sailing Academy, Antigua

Instructors official Appointed as CSA Resort Instructor Trainers

Shawn Ambrose, Antigua
Sylvester Thomas, Antigua
Nick Dupre, Nevis & St. Kitts