420 & Laser Racing

2-Week Half-Day Sessions: Starting June 12, 2023

Schedule: 1pm – 4pm Monday through Friday

Program Cost: $450 per student
An advanced program focused on performance development and competitive tactics for sailors ages 12-18. The perfect place for any hungry sailor who has taken camps or adventures and wants to go faster and compete in local races/regattas.

Who should take this course?
This course is for sailors who have completed 6th-12th grade (12-17 years old), with some sailing experience that have expressed an interest in learning more advanced sailing skills like refining upwind technique, hiking, spinnaker, trapeze, and Laser sailing. Completing 420 Adventure, Optimist Racing, or a HS Sailing season are recommended before registering for these courses. C420 Skippers are encouraged to sign-up with a designated crew but sailors can also register as individuals and be paired up with another student in the course.

How are the classes structured?
Racers will train under the racing rules of sailing for practice and will learn to compete in events with other sailors of their talent level in low key learning races. Advanced students will train in either Lasers or C420 sailboats (reserved by registration) and may switch for certain events. This course will hone each sailor’s individual talents through a focused look at techniques, tuning, racing rules, and strategy.

Club Racing on Fridays!
NEW FOR ‘22! On Fridays, we will be doing club racing (Optis, lasers, 420’s) during the afternoons on the off-weeks of WMYSA events. If you are signed up for race class, you will automatically be in this mini-regatta. We will be strongly encouraging students to participate in our inter-club Friday racing (as well as WMYSA events) even if they are not currently registered for the session.

WMYSA Team Mac Racing
Sailors are encouraged to participate in Western Michigan Youth Sailing Association(WMYSA) regattas held on Fridays at the various lakes throughout the summer. For qualified sailors, travel to out-of-state regattas is also available and encouraged. Tuition fees cover training at the sailing center and coaching at regattas. Fees for registration, travel, and additional regattas expenses are not included.

The Tentative WMYSA Regatta schedule for 2023:

• June 24, 2023 at Spring Lake Yacht Club
• July 7, 2023 at Macatawa Bay Yacht Club
• July 21, 2023 at White Lake Yacht Club
• July 28, 2023 at Muskegon Yacht Club

Do we need a boat?
All C420s will be provided for our courses, however, Laser sailors have the option to register to use an MBJA boat in their ClubSpot registration. Boats will be provided for Laser sailors if registering for the (MBJA boat) option. If you have your own laser, please register for the (BYO boat) option and contact MBJA for storage. C420 Skippers are encouraged to sign-up with a designated crew but sailors can also register as individuals and be paired up with another student in the course.