All sailors of ages 8-18 that have been recommended by their Sail Camp instructor are eligible to participate! Our instructors, coaches, and Gig Harbor Junior Sailing leadership will place your sailor in the team that is the best fit for them once they are invited to join in.

We require an instructor invitation because it is important that sailors have a strong foundation of sailing basics, taught in our Sail Camps, so that they have the skills they need to participate in racing safely and have a rewarding experience. Generally, sailors are invited after they learn most of the skills offered in our Opti Intermediate or Teen Intermediate camps.

The Narrows Race Team has 3 seasons of competition:

• Spring - March to June
• Summer - June to September
• Fall - September to November

Our team practices for 2-3 evenings a week depending on level and season:

• Opti Race Team: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30 - 7:30 PM
• Junior Varsity Race Team: Mondays and Wednesdays, 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
• Varsity Race Team: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
• Note: these days & times vary season by season

Practice locations vary by season as well.
Spring & Fall:

• Varsity: West Shore Marina
• JV: West Shore Marina
• Opti: TYC Wollochet Bay Outstation

Summer:

• Varsity: TYC Wollochet Bay Outstation or West Shore Marina - depends on the type of boat your sailor races
• JV: West Shore Marina
• Opti: West Shore Marina

Team placement depends on sailor age, size, skill level, and maturity. We want to ensure that your sailor is competing in a boat that fits them well, and is part of a team that will support their sailing goals. Your sailor will be placed in one of our race teams by their instructor and/or Gig Harbor Junior Sailing coaches & leadership.

Here’s some criteria that we consider when we place your sailor on one of our teams:

Opti Race Team:

• For sailors who have graduated from Opti Intermediate Camps
• For sailors of ages 8-15
• For sailors under 5 feet tall and under 110 lbs. (the Optimist is a small boat!)
• For sailors who enjoy sailing alone
• Opti Green Fleet: For sailors new to racing
• Opti Champ Fleet: For sailors who are ready for greater competition

Junior Varsity Race Team:

• For sailors who have graduated from our Opti Intermediate or Teen Intermediate camps
• For sailors of ages 11-16
• For sailors that are at least 5 feet tall or over 110 lbs.
• For sailors who enjoy sailing with a partner

Varsity Race Team:

• For sailors who have graduated from our Opti and JV Race Teams
• For sailors of ages 13-18
• For sailors who are ready for a higher level of competition

We want to make sure that your sailor has the best experience that they can in developing higher-level sailing skills on our Race Teams. In order to create an atmosphere conducive to learning and comfort, sailors must be matched with a boat that works for them. If a sailor can’t move underneath the sail of a small boat, or can’t handle the size and wind forces of a bigger boat, their safety and capabilities will be compromised. This is why we take your sailor's approximate dimensions into consideration when placing them on one of our teams.

Our Opti Race Team uses Optimist sailboats – these small one-person sailboats are best for youth under 5 ft tall and under 110 lbs. This boat is a fantastic starter boat for building strong sailing skills & habits - but can feel quite cramped if your sailor is too big for the boat.

Our Junior Varsity Race Team sails FJ’s. This boat has more space in the cockpit and larger sails, best fit for older sailors. If your child has been recommended to join the race team and is over 110 lbs or over 5 ft tall, then ask about the Junior Varsity Race Team!

Our Varsity Race Team sails in FJ's, Club 420's, and Lasers. All of these boats are a good fit for teens, and each boat has nuances that lend themselves to certain kinds of people. The boat you sail in this team is primarily determined by which season of competition you participate in, but your coach will also work with you to find the right fit when boat class choices arise.

Our race teams are organized on a season-by-season basis. You register your sailor for one season at a time through our ACTIVEWorks platform (similar to our Sail Camp) to make sure we have all of the information we need.

After you are first invited to the race team and you register for the season through ACTIVE, your family will get invited to our team’s TeamSnap page. Our day-to-day race team operations are managed through the free TeamSnap app/website - this is how families communicate their attendance for individual practices, and where they receive regular communications about regattas (competitions), work parties, and other race team events.

To register for individual competitions, we use a Google Sheets spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is used for signing sailors up for individual competitions and organizing travel logistics, as we bring all of our own boats & equipment with us to competitions. We send out regular reminders & informational emails throughout each season via TeamSnap, which will usually include a link to this spreadsheet.

Sailboat racing requires warm, durable & movement-focused watersports gear - Sailor gear varies season-by-season, but here are some general guidelines:

Gear Guide - a highly detailed guide authored by Narrows Race Team parent Rachel Rainbolt! This provides high-quality, nuanced information and a slew of recommendations on brands.

REQUIRED ITEMS:

• Type 3 Lifejacket - buy a nice one for your sailor or borrow a basic one from us
• Wetsuit - required in Spring and Fall seasons. Full-leg wetsuits recommended
• Closed-toed footwear
• Adequate gear & layers for warmth in the conditions your sailor is sailing in (this is for you and your sailor to determine)
• Food, water & sunscreen at all events
• Bring two personalized bailers - tutorial on how to make one here - Arizona Tea jugs work fantastically for this because they are stiff and durable

RECOMMENDED ITEMS:

• DO NOT WEAR COTTON - absorbs water, weighs down & leeches energy
• Waterproof “splash gear” - jackets, bibs, salopettes, pants, etc. with sealed gaskets to keep water out
• Sailing dinghy “hiking” boots - neoprene with grippy soles & reinforcement on the top of the foot
• Sailing gloves - durable gloves for grip when pulling ropes & hand warmth - open-finger recommended
• Timing watch - can be any waterproof watch with a stopwatch/count-up feature, or a nice sailing race watch
• Underlayers
  
  • Summer: Rash guards & synthetic layers
  • Spring & Fall: thermal long johns, fleece, wool, etc.
• Socks - wool, neoprene, etc. - warmth & comfort layer underneath sailing boots
• Hat - sun protection and/or head warmth
• Helmet - low-profile watersports helmets recommended

EXTRA NICE ITEMS:

• Drysuit for cold conditions
• Hand warmers and/or warm beverages in Spring and Fall
• Opti Race Team: Sail ties & wind indicator (or a full spare parts kit)

Sailing gear is a significant investment in your sailor's racing experience, so we have taken efforts to provide opportunities for obtaining quality, affordable gear for families.

To start, check out this Gear Guide - a highly detailed guide authored by Narrows Race Team parent Rachel Rainbolt! This provides high-quality, nuanced information and a slew of recommendations on brands.

Also, take a look at our NRT Used Gear Store! Our race team families donate used but good-quality gear to this store, and our volunteer Gear Sales Coordinator manages & distributes items.

We also do yearly group orders for Gill sailing gear that usually provides 40-50% discounts - great savings on a well-known brand!

Other recommended brands:
West Coast Sailing - Use code ISSA at checkout for discount
Zhik - great sailing gear
Ronstan - great sailing gear
Helly Hansen - great cold-weather layers
Stohlquist - good lifejackets
HEAD - good wetsuits

This team participates primarily in the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC) summer series and development events, as well as occasional USODA (United States Optimist Dinghy Association) events, representing our team ("Narrows Race Team"). The events our team regularly attends are held all over Western Washington and northern Oregon. All of this team's competitions are in the fleet racing format.

Though this is a development-focused class, the Opti provides great growth opportunities for new sailors and seasoned racers alike! New sailors on this team will participate in the Opti Green Fleet, while seasoned sailors who are ready for higher levels of competition will race in the Opti Champ Fleet.

Read up on the NWYRC further down on this page for the most current competition schedule - look for events with “Opti” in the boats listed!

This team participates in the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC) representing our team ("Narrows Race Team"). This team competes in events offered for the FJ sailboat class. The events our team regularly attends are held all over Western Washington and northern Oregon. All of this team's competitions are in the fleet racing format.

The Flying Junior (FJ) is a doublehanded class, the primary boat used for High School and Collegiate racing on the West Coast, and a great boat to learn racing fundamentals. This class serves as a development class in the NWYRC, meaning that sailors of middle-school and high school age newer to racing compete in this boat to learn the ropes and solidify racing fundamentals.

Read up on the NWYRC further down on this page for the most current competition schedule - look for events with “FJ” in the boats listed!

This team has the most opportunities for competition in our program, racing in multiple circuits, boats, and formats across the Pacific Northwest! Our Varsity Race Team’s competition schedule changes primarily by season:

Spring and Fall Seasons - High School Sailing (NWISA)

All high-school-aged sailors can participate in High School Sailing, but if there are four (4) or more sailors from one school, then they can form a full team representing their high school and have the opportunity to qualify for district & national championships. High School & Collegiate regattas are held primarily in two formats: Fleet Racing, and Team Racing. Our current largest full teams represent Bellarmine Preparatory School and Gig Harbor High School - we want you no matter which school you go to!

Summer Season - Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC)

The Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC) is a series of competitions for youth to compete representing themselves or their home club (our sailors represent the Narrows Race Team in this circuit). This season puts a focus on developing skills in high-performance boat classes, and our Varsity Race Team will split between three (3) types of boats depending on the sailor’s skills, maturity, and goals. This circuit is sailed in the fleet racing format.

Read more about the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC) and the Northwest Interscholastic Sailing Association (NWISA) further down on this page!

All of our race teams primarily participate in One-Design racing. This means that all sailors in the same race/circuit sail the same boat design, so that the competition focuses on sailor skill instead of boat design advantages. Each level of our race team practices and competes in boats that are designed to be appropriate in size, skillset, and safety level for the age group. Here are the boats our team competes in:

Optimist - a singlehanded pram design that is small and convenient to transport, but with features that encourage strong sailing habits & technical knowledge. This is the most popular youth sailing class in the world for good reason - it develops strong sailors! Our Opti Race Team (both Green Fleet and Champ Fleet) practice and compete in this kind of boat.

FJ (Flying Junior) - A doublehanded boat that distills the racing experience to encourage building strong fundamentals. This boat makes racing more accessible, and is a great fit for sailors of all levels of racing experience. Sailors that are too big for the Opti fit well in this boat. Our Junior Varsity sailors almost exclusively race this boat throughout the year in the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC), and this design is also the primary boat used in High School Sailing (NWISA).

ILCA (Laser) - A singlehanded, physically demanding boat that is very rewarding to sailors that are athletic and technically-minded. This class is a great boat for intermediate and advanced racers, with different sail sizes allowing for a wide range of sailors to compete. Sailors that enjoy sailing alone, are athletic, or are larger are usually a good fit for this boat. Many of our Varsity sailors compete in this boat in the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC).

Club 420 - A doublehanded boat that is focused on high-performance racing, utilizing equipment for flying spinnakers and using trapeze wires. This boat is the best fit for sailors who are highly skilled and have the maturity to operate their boat safely with such equipment. Sailors of high-school age and on the smaller side are the best fit for this boat. Many of our Varsity sailors compete in this boat in the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC), and a non-spinnaker-non-trapeze version is often used in High School Sailing (NWISA). Read up on the NWYRC and NWISA circuits further down on this page!

Regattas, clinics and other travel events are a big part of what we do on the Narrows Race Team. These events provide sailors with great opportunities to test themselves on a bigger stage, learn new skills from other sailors, make friends in far places, and connect to the wider youth sailing community. We practice so that we can have a great time at regattas - these events are what it’s all about!

Typically regattas & other events span the course of a weekend, with multiple hours spent racing for each day of the event. A typical regatta day will involve sailors setting up their boats & changing into their gear in the morning, attending a competitor’s meeting, sailing out to the race course, then participating in a certain number of races. Once all of the races are done, they sail back to shore, disassemble their boats, and pack them up to be stowed away or transported home. Regattas are not a sprint - they are a marathon!

In order for regattas to be successful, it requires a team effort from everyone involved. When we travel to these events, we often bring our own boats & equipment with us. This means that for every event, we load our boats onto trailers and pack extra equipment in cars, parents & coaches tow the trailers to the event, and then the boats are assembled at the event to be ready for racing.

Depending on the circuit the team is participating in at the time, regattas can look a little different. Read up on the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC) and the Northwest Interscholastic Sailing Association (NWISA) further down on this page!

Your sailor's team placement and attendance at regattas and other events are subject to the decisions of our coaches & program leadership. Our coaches make event roster decisions based on team placement, their maturity, their sailing ability, and the number of available spots for sailors to attend. We take these factors into account when sending sailors to events to ensure that the opportunity is a good fit for the sailor's stage in their sailing growth, development & skills.

The Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC), run by the Sailing Foundation in Seattle, is a youth sailboat racing circuit that runs in the summer, offering club-style competition for youth sailors of all ages in the region. Competitive brackets are organized around the type of boat sailed, and the results for each event in the summer series are accumulated into an overall series score for each boat & sailor. Our team has gotten sailors to place in the top-3 podium for several classes in this series in the past, and the series is now expanding club-style sailing opportunities to more events throughout the year!

For each regatta, sailors are matched with the same boat (& same partner in doublehanded boats) for the whole event. During the sailing time, they spend their whole day out on the water racing.

Sailors eat, drink, and receive coaching in between individual races, with the coach on a safety motor boat accompanying them. This can lead to great strides in development, as sailors are receiving a ton of quality sailing experience. Your sailor must have an assigned chaperone on shore during the whole event so that they can receive help if they need to go to shore early; the coach must stay on the water with the rest of the team. You can see the schedule for the Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC) here!

The Northwest Interscholastic Sailing Association runs the High School Sailing circuit in our region, operating underneath the national governing body (Interscholastic Sailing Association, ISSA). Our Varsity Race Team participates in this circuit during our Spring and Fall seasons, and sailors get to compete representing their high school. All high-school-aged sailors can participate, but if there are four (4) or more sailors from one school, then they can form a full team representing their high school and have the opportunity to qualify for district & national championships.

Sailors are matched with a group of 4-6 sailors, of which the members of the group rotate through boats between different races. Your sailor will spend about half of the time on shore and the other half racing.

While sailors are on shore, the coach helps them observe the current races with a critical lens, with focus on race course features, wind patterns, and fleet dynamics. They then can utilize this information to improve their performance when it’s their turn to sail, and share knowledge with teammates. The coach stays on shore for these events, and sailors get more time to rest and socialize.

Spring season is the most active season for NWISA Events , as there are regattas at least every other weekend during the season. Sailors may attend fleet race regattas, team race regattas, and/or clinics (big-fleet practice events). You can see descriptions of different forms of sailboat racing here

Feel free to ask us any questions you may have about camp, sailing, the Narrows Race Team, private lessons, or our organization via email or phone!

Email: info@gigharborjuniorsailing.org

Phone: (253) 214-6131