Bronze Fleet at Lymington Optimist Flotilla

The Bronze Fleet Captain is Ian Thomas and he is in charge of organising race training for Red/Blue Pennant level Optimist sailors at the Salterns Sailing Club. The Fleet meets once a week on a Sunday morning from 10.00 am to 13.00. The purpose is to prepare sailors to train with the Silver and Gold Fleets on the river and to race on the National open meeting circuit. You can see all the Bronze Fleeters in the Members Area

Training session at the Salterns

What does Bronze Fleet do?

We teach children how to race and how to sail fast. Sailors need to be rigged and ready for a briefing at 10.00. The session commences with around one hour of training exercises, which are followed by a series of races and a debriefing. The training follows the IOCA training syllabus and the IOCA logbook is used to record progress and racing experience.

Can anyone join?

Yes, but you must be able to sail before you can join. Bronze Fleet is a racing group. Before you can start racing you need to practice until you can sail confidently on a beat, a reach and a run. You need to be able to tack and to gybe. You need to be able to steer your boat close to the wind and you need to be able to sail a triangular course efficiently. As a rule, you should have your red pennant and be well on your way to your blue. And of course, you must want to learn how to race.

Do parents have to stay?

Yes, but not always! There is a qualified RYA coach in charge every Sunday. He/she will need at least one assistant on the water and also someone on duty in the clubhouse to organise the mid-morning break and to assist with breakages and casualties etc. All parents take their turn on the rota in one capacity or other - approximately every other week.

How do children join?

To join he Bronze Fleet you need to join the Salterns Sailing Club. Although there is a long waiting list for the Salterns, preference is given to older children, who can already sail. For more information contact the Membership Secretary. Children will also have to be IOCA members

Ian Thomas heads
up the Bronze Fleet

How much does it cost?

There is no charge per session but each sailor brings biscuits, or orange squash or sausage rolls etc, to share out at break time. We leave the surplus provisions as our contribution for the Salterns afternoon session. All Bronze Fleeters need to be Salterns members and join IOCA.

Sailors will need their
own racing Oppie

Do I need my own boat?

No, it is not essential but we much prefer everyone to sail a racing optimist. The club has only two boats like this, so in practice you will either need your own boat or you will have to share one of the club racing boats with who ever else is using them. We discourage the use of Polyethylen boats because they cause too much damage in the event of a collision.

Duty parent deals with a
bang to the head