Opti TV

Hanging out with another opti coach the other day the conversation inevitably turned into comparing opti sails, how this one kid did this or that, and comparing videos we took of our kids. However, he brought up a good story where one of his kids was having his best regatta ever, 4 points shy of first after one day of racing, and in the middle of the first race of the second day, his mast cup wears out Kid freaked out. Luckily, my friend had a spare mast cup - and long story short instead of missing out on a whole day of racing, he managed to swap the cup out and the kid went on to take 2nd at the event.  Which got me to thinking, Opti coaches have to carry around a lot of things - their foul weather gear, communication items, tools and spare parts - as any sailing coach has to. But the Opti has some particular requirements that if a coach is not prepared for, can make or break a training block or a sailing day.  What's In Your Bag? Here are our 10 recomm...

Purchasing Sailing Gear can be confusing and brings up a lot of questions. The ones we hear the most often are ● What do I need to buy? ● Where can I buy it? Is it at west marine? ● This is very expensive, can I find it somewhere cheaper? ● My sailor lost this thing, do they really need it? Not to worry! We've put together this general guide to sailing gear to hopefully help all of you answer these very important questions. As you read this keep in mind that the most important thing is feedback from your sailor, as they are the ones who will be wearing this stuff! The first and most important thing is Sailing is a sport where you are at the mercy of the elements and the proper equipment and clothing make a world of difference in enjoying your time out on the water, or in certain cases, being able to survive it! How to choose Sailing Gear  In order to choose the proper sailing gear what you need to understand are two main points – Where in the world are you, and what ki...

My First Away Regatta  by A. Olivo Out of town regattas are great opportunities for Opti sailors to expand their skills and share great experiences with their families. To get the most out of these activities advanced planning and commitment from both sailors and parents will be required. Look at the schedule and decide which regattas you plan to attend. Ask your coach any questions that can help you make a decision. Not all venues offer the same quality or conditions  If I plan to go, what do I need to do?  Let your club/coach know you will be attending this event. Try to do this as soon as you've decided that you are attending the event. It is important to coordinate with your program and coaches because arrangements need to be made for coaches depending on the number of kids attending the event. Waiting until the last minute to decide and register for the vent can cause problems with your program as logistics have to be arranged well in advance. Go to...

Saint Petersburg Sailing Center February 7-9 2020 visit The venerable St. Petersburg Sailing Center is located on Demen's Landing (address 250 2nd Ave SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701) and has served the city of St Petersburg since the 1940s. The St. Petersburg Sailing Center is one of the most active sailing facilities in the United States. Operated by the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, the Center is host to numerous regional and national regattas, sailing classes, adaptive sailing, summer camps, youth racing teams, and community sailing memberships open to residents of the Tampa Bay area. USODA Valentine's Day Regatta Since its inception, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club has made optimist sailors a focus, hosting the USODA (United States Optimist Dinghy Association) Valentine's Day Regatta for more than 30 years. As one of the original regattas on the Opti circuit, the Valentine's Day Regatta attracts many sailors from all over the cou...

From The Center Console Part of, and crucial to, the Opti Apparatus is the fleet of coaches that support the thousands of Opti sailors out there. They are the heroes (and sometimes the villains) to the protagonists that are Opti sailors. Coaches are crucial to the development of sailors and critical to ensuring that kids stay in sailing. With the growth and professionalization of the class over the last few decades the Optis have seen the fleet and presence of coaches grow exponentially. Some say this is a detriment to the class as any serious Opti sailor now requires coaching in order to be competitive, which incurs tremendous costs and potentially pushes a kid out of Opti sailing We have found that whatever is the case, most coaches are good people who just want to give their kids a chance to find the greatness in them and don't care if a sailor isn't winning regattas right after stepping on the boat for the first time. Of course, you will find coaches that are tough...

Ahoy There! Welcome to Opti TV Media. This is one man's dream to bring together information and sources directly to you on everything that is Optimist Sailing. New to sailing? Your kid's first regatta? We've got you covered.  Based in Miami FL we dive into regattas, regatta venues, coaching tips, gear reviews, opti sailing news and everything in between.  Stay tuned, as Episode 1 drops later this month.