Sailing clothing
Your child will need some special clothing for sailing. There is a real danger of children becoming very cold if they are not suitably dressed, so anyone we judge to be inadequately dressed for the weather will not be able to sail.
We are going to be much stricter on this point this year, especially with those children who we know to get very cold. This is a list of the absolute minimum clothing requirements for your child to be able to sail:
- Warm outer clothing
- Waterproof top
- A change of clothes in case of rain or capsize
- Footwear with a sole that grips even when wet
Recommended additional clothing. A wetsuit is a super buy for a keen Junior Sailor, especially if they feel the cold. Brand new wetsuits are available from only £20 from
www.First-Wetsuit.co.uk or from
www.twfshop.co.uk. Any wetsuit is useless on its own and it must be worn with a waterproof top to stop wind-chill. Once a wetsuit gets wet the child will get very cold unless they are wearing a windproof top over it. Wetsuits with short arms and legs are virtually useless except in the hottest of weather, and the British Summer is usually quite short lived. Waterproof trousers are a very good idea as they will keep the legs warm by keeping out the wind. Dry suits are expensive and easily damaged and for this reason they are really only necessary for serious racers.
Bouyancy Aids
We have a good supply of buoyancy aids that sailors can borrow, but there is often a queue for these, and we recommend that keen junior sailors get their own. However, do ensure that these comply with the 50 Newton standard. Do not be tempted to buy one that is too large on the basis that the child will ‘grow into it’. If the buoyancy aid is too large, the child may slip out of it into the water. If you are not sure that your buoyancy aid complies, please show it to the volunteers or staff in the Wednesday Sailing office. We will not let a child onto the water with a badly fitting buoyancy aid.
Hair elastics
Long hair must be tied back so it does not pose a threat to your child’s safety. This applies to both boys and girls and again your child will not be able to go afloat without their hair tied back.
Sun Block
Burns from the sun and the wind can be very painful and dangerous. Even when it is windy and does not feel very warm, the sun can be very harmful. Please make sure that your child is well covered on sunny days and send some sun cream with them in their sailing bag.
Cover wounds
Open wounds should be covered with a suitable dressing or plaster before sailing. In the event of a skin cut occurring during a session, a supply of plasters is kept in the Wednesday sailing office.
No mobile phones!
Mobile Phones are not allowed at Wednesday Junior Sailing. The only place for them is in the safekeeping of the WJS office. They are not permitted in the changing rooms, even in kit bags, and they are certainly not allowed on the water or the pontoons. If your child must have a phone please ensure your child hands it to the office staff when they sign in.