Lymington Oppies
The Optimist dinghy needs little introduction - 300,000 children sail these boats in 120 countries around the world.
Colloquially called ‘Oppies’ or an ‘Opti’ if you live on the other side of the Atlantic, they are known to many as the ‘medal factory’ - 85% of the sailors competing at the 2016 Olympic Games started out in Oppies. To others, these dinghies are fondly recognised as the boat that many young people find their life-long passion for sailing.
Here in Lymington, the iconic white sprit-rigged sails are out on the water regularly. We have in excess of 60 active oppie sailors at the Club and organise in the region of 75 training or racing activities each year.
The Royal Lymington Yacht Club won the prize for the best Club at the 2019 Optimist National Championships and both the 2018 and 2019 British National Champions are RLymYC members!
Sailors typically join us in the ‘Regatta’ fleet from 8 years old once they can competently and confidently sail upwind in a moderate breeze before progressing in to ‘Main’ fleet as they get older and racing skills develop.
One of the secrets of the Royal Lymington Optimist fleets’ ongoing success in nurturing Champions as well as life-long sailors is the location we are fortunate to enjoy. The river gives sheltered sailing should sailor experience or weather conditions require, Oxey Lake offers a large expanse of water with little tidal stream and the Western Solent provides strong breeze, complex tides and challenging wave conditions.
RLymYC Optimist Training provides:
- Regular weekend training and racing
- Monday evening racing
- Tuesday evening Spring and Autumn term training
Please do get in touch with the Class Captains Valeria Sesto, Richard Breese & Dan Howe cvia lymingtonoppies@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to find out more about sailing Oppies in Lymington
We are delighted to announce the RLymYC Optimist Class Winter Training Program 2019-2020.
Run by our great team of local and not so local coaches, this will consist of multiple weekends throughout the Winter, bookable individually.
The aim of this program is to develop and reinforce the sailors skills throughout the Winter, coaches working with the sailors to set goals and a plan of how to achieve these.
We will aim for a ratio of 6 sailors to a coach and to place sailors of a similar level together - where possible we will aim for sailors to consistently sail with the same coach and in the same group to aid continuity.
Generally, we will meet at 09:30 for Classroom work, briefing & rigging then on the water for approx 4hrs (11:45 - 15:45) followed by debrief and finished by 16:30/17:00.
For ful details of the program and to make bookings please follow this link
https://webcollect.org.uk/lymingtonoppies/event/optimist-winter-training
We really look forward to seeing you throughout the Winter!
Joining the Royal Lymington
They are two ways that children can become Members of the Yacht Club:
1. Full Family Membership
If a parent or both parents join then the children can become family Members. This is the preferred way and offers lots more benefits, such as subsidised coaching, cheaper tariff in the bar, full use of the Club's facilities and access to training courses and opportunities to support the Juniors.
2. Junior Membership
Children can join in their own right as Junior Members. The annual subscription is the only as much as the cost of a buoyancy aid, however there are additional costs for coaching, which don't apply to family members.
For more information on Membership click here or contact the Club Office Alternatively you can email the Class Captain.