Plas Menai / Plas Heli 8th & 9th April 2017

Pre-Camp Information

South & West Regional

Topper Squad

2016 – 2017

South & West Regional Topper Squad

8-9 April

Plas Menai & PlasHeli

Squad Camp 5 Regatta preparation, bigger fleet starts and mark rounding; residential training camp experience.

We have a huge weekend planned for you all with a residential camp, staying at Plas Menai (the National Outdoor Centre for Wales) and sailing at Pwllheli using Plas Heli (the Welsh National Sailing Academy & Events Centre)

Above – Plas Heli (Welsh National Sailing Academy)

With the Welsh National Squad, North Regional Squad and South & West Regional Squad all attending we’ve got some fantastic opportunities to gain experience and

coaching for bigger fleet situations. We will be running races throughout the weekend afloat and also have plenty of time for personal coach input. And of course

there will a lot of time to have fun, build friendships and bond as Welsh squads.

2016 – 2017

South & West Regional Topper Squad

Timetable

Please note: We are due to meet at Plas Menai at 21:00 on Friday evening.

A more detailed programme for the weekend is available as a separate link on our web page.

You can either drop your boats & trailers in the dinghy park at Plas Heli (Pwllheli) on the way through on Friday night, or take them there on Saturday morning.

Residential Training Camps

For many of the squad this will be their first residential camp. It is good experience, essential learning for life in higher squads as more and more camps are residential

and it helps sailors learn to become more non-dependent.

Parents – some of you may be new to this too! You may prefer to stay on site and be

close at hand all weekend, while others may prefer to drop and go. Either way, sailors are in our care throughout the weekend – either with the coaching team, or in the care of house parents. We have all the appropriate details for contact and

emergencies – all co-ordinated centrally by RYA Cymru Wales so you’re welcome to come and go but please ensure your intentions are made clear to the sailors, house

parents and coaches.

I will be available to all parents on Friday evening after the sailors’ briefing and

introductions at approximately 21:45.

Above – Plas Menai (National Outdoor Centre for Wales)

2016 – 2017

South & West Regional Topper Squad

Pre-Work & Planning

We will be sailing on the sea this weekend and are basing our weekend around a regatta event programme in order to prepare sailors for racing events in the future

(such as the Welsh Youth & Junior Championships and more). The Notice of Race (NOR) will be posted on our web site. Please bring a copy of

the NOR with you for the weekend. We will issue Sailing Instructions at the sailors’ briefing.

This potentially means lunch / breaks afloat so plan to spend all day on the water both days (dry-bags with snacks and plenty of drinks required).

We will also be doing fitness testing early on Saturday morning before breakfast so gym kit is essential for this weekend too.

Finally we also hope to have some fun and The Plas Menai lifeguards are available to

give the squads their own pool session for fun and games – so swimming kit will be required.

Sailors / parents your pre-work is therefore:

Bring a copy of the Notice of Race with you to the event.

Please get a weather forecast for the sailing venue and bring it with you.

Please bring your folders / note-pad, pens and a drink to the briefing

(there’s a sailor booklet on our web page which you can print and use for

notes if you like).

Remember your squad rules.

Pack your gym kit / fitness gear.

Pack swimming kit.

Pack plenty of snacks, drinks bottles, dry-bag and so on.

2016 – 2017

South & West Regional Topper Squad

All Day Afloat

Please note that weather permitting, we intend to spend all day afloat on both days. As we discussed at the last squad Camp, this needs some preparation.

o Sailors will need a dry-bag, tub or large sandwich box to keep snacks & lunch dry. They

can drop it on the RIB while sailing.

o Lunch will need to be suitable for eating afloat (for example, tightly cling-film-wrapped

grated cheese sandwiches are difficult to unwrap in gloved hands and fall to bits; foil-

wrapped rolls work better along with fruit, flap-jacks, and so on).

o Sailors will need sufficient water / drinks so an additional bottle (one for the boat and one

in their lunch bag) will be necessary.

o Sitting afloat can be chilly so an extra coat layer to be thrown on over the top of wet sailing

kit, plus a spare warm hat should also be packed into the dry-bag / tub which they take

afloat and drop in the RIB.

This is all essential preparation for events where you can be afloat all day. It will get sailors used

to knowing what they like / don’t like to eat afloat, how much kit to take with them, spare clothing

considerations and so on.

(Advice: Don’t go too small – big dry bags and tubs

are good! They can hold more food for hungry

sailors, and more kit such as spare tops, gloves and

hats to keep them warm. Plus they’re easier to find

when on a RIB among lots of others. Mark them up

with name and championship number.)

(Advice: An old coat that will fit over wet sailing gear than can be done up

to keep the wind out worls wonders. Doesn’t need to be flash – it’ll get

wet, it just needs to insulate the sailor while they sit, eat and natter on the

RIB.)

(Advice: Any food is good food to a hungry sailor but

they have to be able to get it from their container into

their mouth when they’re bobbing up and down on

the water!)

2016 – 2017

South & West Regional Topper Squad

Tides for the Weekend

We will be sailing on an ebb tide for most of the weekend, coming back ashore at or soon after low water. The tide can go out a long way at Pwllheli meaning a long trolley dash over wet sand / shallow water for the sailors. It will be helpful to have any parents who are remaining on site to be

equipped with wellies to help them – but remember . . . this is also preparation for numerous events at the venue this year!

Bad Weather Contingency If we can’t get afloat we’ll cover other parts of our programme ashore. If for any reason we have to change our plans for this weekend then we will run alternative sessions based

ashore.

Fitness Kit

As mentioned, we WILL be doing fitness testing and it is going to be run outside so please come prepared.

Contacting Us

The RYA coaches supporting the squads this weekend are Gaz Henshall, Mari Davies, Dave Eccles, James Guinan, Bill Jackson and Will Willett.

If you’re delayed or running late please let me know: Will Willett – 07572 452391.

Tides

Saturday Sunday

2016 – 2017

South & West Regional Topper Squad

Meals

Meals are provided this weekend including:

Saturday Breakfast

Packed Lunch

Dinner / evening meal

Sunday Breakfast

Packed Lunch

Young sailors are a hungry lot however and I therefore recommend you pack additional

snacks and drinks for their weekend – items to take afloat and the right fuel for sailing.

Other Considerations

Parents: It’s not unusual for young sailors to be affected by sea-sickness / motion-sickness and it’s nothing to be unduly worried about as it happens to many young sailors. With some

preparation it can be avoided and you will know how best to approach this with your sailor. Our session in Tenby would have exposed this and went without incident but if you’re aware that your sailor suffers motion sickness please advise us and consider preparing for this.

(See pre-event info from Tenby Camp 4 for more information).

Lastly . . .

In trying to get this out as early as possible so that you can plan and prepare, I’m cutting short my own pre-event comms planning so bound to have forgotten something. Keep an eye on WhatsApp and the web site or just give me a text / email if you have any questions. It’s going to be a huge weekend of fun! See you all soon,

Will