All Optimist Sailors Welcome!
On 21st - 22nd September Blackwater Sailing Club hosts it's Optimist Open Weekend which consists of three separate events catering to all levels of Optimist sailor:
- Saturday: IOCA East open training. Please register with IOCA East here!
- Sunday: BSC Optimist Open Meeting. Main and Coached Regatta fleet river racing. Please register with Blackwater Sailing Club via this page
- Saturday & Sunday: Beginners Optimist lake training. Please register with Blackwater Sailing Club via this page
If your sailor wants to do Saturday's IOCA East training and Sunday's BSC Open meet please register with both events.
In addition, after fun on the water:
- BYO food BBQ supper (we'll supply the BBQ)
- Disco for sailors in Cadet room
- Lower bar open for parents
- Free camping Saturday night
- Exclusive event Tshirts available. Order separately here.
Please ensure you:
- register with both IOCA East AND Blackwater Sailing club events separately if your sailor wants to do both Saturday's IOCA training and Sunday's BSC Optimist Open Meeting.
- pay in advance of the event to ensure the organisers can focus on getting everyone on the water!
- bring what you need to eat & drink! This is a non catered event and there is no food available onsite although you can use the members galley.
- read the "Additional Event Information"lower down this page as it probably answers your questions for the event
Saturday 21st September - IOCA East & Lake Training Timings:
- 10:00 - Registration opens upstairs for IOCA & Lake Training
- 10:00 - RIB drivers, coaches & Instructors safety briefing
- 10:30 - Beginners Optimist Lake training starts
- 11:00 - IOCA East Training river sailors briefing on the patio. Sailors rigged & ready!
- 12:45 - IOCA East Training Fleet launch
- 15:50 - High tide
- 17:00 - All boats ashore
- 19:00 - BYO BBQ (we'll supply the BBQs - please bring food to cook)
- 20:00 - Evening entertainment
Sunday 22nd September - BSC Optimist Open Meeting & Lake Training Timings:
- 10:00 - Registration open upstairs for Open Meeting
- 10:00 - RIB drivers, coaches & Instructors safety briefing
- 10:30 - Beginners Optimist Lake training starts
- 12:30 - BSC Optimist Open Meeting River sailors briefing on the patio. Sailors rigged & ready!
- 13:15 - Open Meeting River Fleets launch
- 14:00 - First river start
- 16:20 - High tide
- 17:30 - All boats ashore
- 18:00 - Prizegiving
Sailing Instructions & Notice of Race:
The following documents are available to view and download - 2024 documents coming soon:
Entry Fee & Costs:
- Saturday IOCA East open training £40 book direct with IOCA here
- Saturday & Sunday Lake Training Non members (£40)
- Saturday & Sunday Lake Training BSC members (£20)
- Sunday Open meeting Non members (£20)
- Sunday Open meeting BSC members (£10)
Registration:
Please complete a registration form for each sailor taking part.
If your sailor wants to take part in the IOCA East training on Saturday please book with IOCA. Please note, this does not include the Sunday Open Meeting.
All payments are expected in advance of the date to take part.
Post registration you will be sent an invoice with a reference on it that you can use to settle the bill via a bank transfer. If you have more than sailor you will receive more than one invoice and obviously need to pay each one.
Payment Details:
Please make a bank transfer before the event using the details below:
- BACS Details: HSBC
- Account Name: Blackwater Sailing Club
- Account Number: 30132926
- Sort Code: 40-31-35
- Reference: invoice
Which Fleet?
To help decide which event and fleet your sailor would be best suited for please read below:
IOCA East open training: one day IOCA East open training event led by Bryan Ormond, Anna Ormond and Anna Watkins. This is an indicator event for the Team East Training Group for sailors able to sail around a triangle in a force 3 to 4, who are capable of self-rescue.
Main Fleet: confident sailing in open water, racing around a course on all points of sail and able to self recover from a capsize. This fleet's race course will be positioned downriver from Blackwater Sailing Club (towards Osea Island) and start from a committee boat so may feel more "open water" hence require more competent sailors.
Coached Regatta Fleet: able to independently sail a course using all points of sail, have some understanding/experience of racing and can recover from a capsize. The course will be nearer Blackwater Sailing Club so a bit closer to shore and coach boats will help this fleet around the course.
Lake Training: for new sailors and those still learning and needing to build their confidence.
There is a limited number of Blackwater Sailing Club "optibat" boats available (these are the GRP heavy training oppies). If there are more sailors than boats, the lake instructors work out a rota to give everyone some time sailing.
It's upto you and your sailor if they want to bring/sail their own boat if they have one.
It's my first Open Meeting and I'm worried: don't stress, Blackwater Sailing Club is a very welcoming place and there'll be plenty of people to help you whether it's worries about the right fleet, helping rig or getting a boat of a trailer.
Additional Event Information:
Important Reminders
- Lunch isn't provided. As you can't purchase food at BSC make sure you bring something - FYI there is a member's galley if you need to heat up food
- Registration: everyone has to register to ensure payment has been taken and we know who's on site. We will also supply sail streamers and trolley tags that need attaching
- Volunteers: If you've volunteered for duties please bring appropriate clothing
- Boat Insurance compulsory
- Parents must remain on site and ensure you're contactable
- Please pay in advance using BACS details on site or in your email
- Volunteer if you can or just turn up and get involved
- Medical conditions: please advise us of any health concerns when you register
- Photography: a photographer and drone pilot will be on site. Our terms advise anyone registering for an event has given consent. Any concerns please reply
- BYO BBQ: we'll supply the BBQs so please bring a bag of charcoal, sausages, burgers, buns. We'll do our best to help cook on the day and the priority will be to feed the kids first
Parking:
Given the number of visitors we need to keep space for car parking. As such please use the guide and map to park your vehicle or trailer.
Car Parking: drive past laid up yachts and camper/caravan parking and find a spot in the gravel rows on the LHS marked on the map in lime green. Please do not drive beyond the last row of parking.
Trailer Parking: find a space between the layed up cruisers marked on the map in blue. Please leave space for cars to get through.
For lake sailors with your own boats please take your boats on trolleys straight to the lake. No trailers by the lake please.
For river sailors, please take your boats on trolleys up towards the BSC club house.
Again please don't take trailers up to the club house area.
Campers:
As with parking please use the guide and map below to help you find a spot.
Camper vans and caravans: please park immediately after the layed up yachts on the LHS marked on the map in yellow. There are electric pickups and water available.
Tents: as with Campers & Caravans, please pitch immediately after the layed up yachts on the LHS marked on the map in pink but towards the back of the row of dinghies. Don't use the gravel car parking and ensure people can get their boats out and cars can get through.
FYI: The ground is VERY hard so bring tough tent pegs, hammer and airbeds!
Facilities: you can use the club galley kitchen and fridge space (if you can find any), loos and showers
If you've read through the above and still have a question please contact optimist@blackwatersailingclub.org.uk