Lesson Syllabus

The basic rating for the club, and the goal of most new members, is the LWH rating. This is the first rating allowing a member to check a boat out on their own, and to help teach novices the basics they've just learned provided they are supervised by club members of a higher rating.

Training 

Shore

1. Basic Boating Knots (Link to www.animatedknots.com)

   • Bowline

   • Double Half-Hitch

   • Clove Hitch

   • Square Knot

   • Sheet Bend

   • Figure 8 Knot

2. Rigging and Derigging the FJ

3. Basic Sail Theory (points of sail, how the boat goes into the wind)

4. Club Rules & Regulations

5. DNR Iowa Boating Regulations

On-The-Water

1. Tiller Training (steering the boat in a straight line)

2. Sailtrim Training (speeding up and slowing down using the sails)

3. Tacking and Gybing

4. Man Overboard Drill (picking up an object in the water)

5. Docking

6. Righting the Boat after a Capsize (very simple, and actually quite fun!)

Testing

Once the training is complete, and the student-member feels confident with the shore and water skills, he/she will take the LWH test. The test merely consists of performing the skills above for a member who has an ALWH rating or above. After successful completion of the test the member's log book will be updated to reflect the skills they have demonstrated, and the official progression to the next rating is recorded by the membership chair in the members log book as well as in the club's records.

Note: If you come to the club with the skills listed above, the process is simple - you will just go out in a boat with a member with a HWH rating or better, and sail around, demonstrating your skills. In this case, you can forego the training program.