SSA Junior Race Teams
ILCA // 29er // Optimist Green & RWB // C420
This page is your one stop shop for all things SSA Race Team. Our Race Teams have produced many high caliber one-design racing sailors over the years. Our goal is to create lifelong sailors and give them the tools they need to succeed at the next level.
Race Team information, registration, regattas, and gear information can be found below.
ILCA
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Originally known as the Laser, the ILCA dinghy is a single-handed racing dinghy. The biggest attraction of the ILCA dinghy is that it is protected by strict one-design class rules, which means that no changes are allowed to the boat unless they are specifically permitted in the rules. The result is that all ILCA boats are virtually identical, whether they are brand-new or 10 years old, making it the sailor that wins the race – not the boat. The ILCA dinghy is a challenging boat that rewards athleticism, subtle steering, and trimming techniques, as well as tactical excellence. It is a single-handed Olympic-class boat for both men and women and is sailed at club, national, and international levels. With over 225,000 boats in 140 countries, it is the world’s most popular adult and youth racing sailboat. [Description from laserinternational.org]
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Up to eight fully-committed sailors ranging from 13 to 18 years old. Boat ownership is mandatory and a set of race sails are encouraged.
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CBYRA & National Regatta circuit may include;
Regatta schedule may include:
Brooke Gonzales Clinic @ RI: June 13-15*
Youth Champs
US Champs @ NY: June 27-29
Great Lakes Champs
Youth Worlds @ CA: July 28-August 4
CORK International Youth Regatta @ Kingston, Ontario, Canada: August 6-10*
*dates are approximate - events are TBA
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Full Summer. June 9 - August 8 or 10
8-9 weeks of practices, drills, workouts, clinics, and local and national regattas. We hold our ILCA team's bar high and our sailors push it to the limit every summer.
Opportunities to travel outside of the summer circuit may include Orange Bowl, Midwinters, and miscellaneous ILCA regattas throughout the southern and international circuits.
Summer 2025: $4,000 + Travel Fee
Application Required.
29er
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One-design, double-handed, single trapeze skiff with a fully battened mainsail, self-tacking jib and asymmetric spinnaker. Teams compete as men’s, women’s and mixed pairs. Skiffs are fast and fun. The 29er provides an Olympic pathway to the Men’s 49er and Woman’s 49erFX.
The 29er is currently the boat of choice for doublehanded skiff at U.S. Youth Champs and continues to grow within the CBYRA circuit as well as across the nation.
Learn more here: https://us29er.org/the-boat-2/
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The 29er Development Team includes 6-8 fully committed sailors ready to learn and send it to the next level.
This team of beginner-intermediate sailors will practice 4 days per week for the entirety of the summer. Sailors will begin the season by learning the basics of the boat, how to rig, and introductory boathandling. As the summer progresses, sailors will learn more advanced sailing techniques and racing tactics and will be encouraged to participate in local regattas.
There will be full-summer and 2-week session options for the 29er Development Team. Any sailor wishing to participate must fill out the Race Team Application.
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Local practices, CBYRA events, and some national events when feasible.
Regatta schedule may include:
Hampton YC (June 26-27)
Annapolis Race Week: WRSC (June 30), AYC (July 1), SSA (July 2)
CORK International Youth Regatta @ Kingston, Ontario, Canada: August 6-10*
*dates are approximate - events are TBA
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Full Summer or 2-Week sessions. You do not need to own your own boat but you are encouraged to seek ownership in order to move into a more high performance travel team.
Practice schedule: 4 days per week, typically Tues-Fri.
Full Summer: $4,000 + Travel Fee
2 Week Session: $1,200 + Travel Fee if applicable
Application Required.
2-Week Sessions
Session 1; June 10-13 & June 17-20
Session 2; June 24-27 & July 8-11
Session 3; July 15-18 & July 22-25
Session 4; July 29-Aug 1 & Aug 5-8
Looking for a more high performance option? Learn more about the high performance travel team and Skiff+ here: https://skiffplus.com/
Optimist
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The Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing dinghy intended for use by young people up to the age of 15. It is 8' long and just under 4' wide and features a pram bow, single sprit-rigged sail, and several fine tuning points to keep young sailors engaged and learning.
The Optimist is one of the two most popular sailing dinghies in the world, with over 150,000 boats officially registered with the class and many more built but never registered. It is sailed in over 120 countries and it is one of only two sailboats as an International Class by World Sailing exclusively for sailors under 16.
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Green Fleet & Opti RWB
Opti Green Fleet is an introduction to racing. Green Fleet is a stepping-stone for sailors who are new to racing, but interested in competing in sailing and ultimately moving up to the Optimist Red, White and Blue fleet. Parental involvement is expected to facilitate travel, trailering, and chaperoning.
Successful completion of the Optimist Rookie Racers program is a prerequisite for this program (but may be waived at the discretion of the Junior Program Director).
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The Opti RWB (Red/White/Blue) Team is for more advanced racing sailors who compete primarily in regattas in the Annapolis and surrounding areas, but also supports team members traveling to more distant regional and national level regattas. The Opti RWB Team, while subdivided into 3 age groups, practices and races together. The Red/White/Blue designations are age bands used to score age groups separately at regattas: White (10 or younger), Blue (11-12), and Red (13-15). The Optimist RWB Team is ideal for sailors who are comfortable and proficient at racing. Parental involvement is expected to facilitate travel, trailering, and chaperoning. The Optimist RWB Team Coaches will be present at all supported regattas to help team members both on and off the water.
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Green Fleet: 3-5 local CBYRA regattas throughout the summer. Typically each Half-Summer group will attend 2 or 3 regattas.
Possible schedule: Fishing Bay (June 21-22), West River (June 30), AYC (July 1), SSA (July 2), Lewes (July 23), Miles River (August 7), Oxford (August 9-10)
Opti RWB: Heavy CBYRA travel schedule including VA Race Week, Annapolis Race Week, Eastern Shore Race Week, and generally will include USODA Nationals.
Possible Schedule: VA Race Week [Fishing Bay, Hampton, Norfolk] June 21-27, Annapolis Race Week [WRSC, AYC, SSA] June 30-July 2, USODA Nationals, MD State Champs (Rock Hall, July 24-25), Oxford (August 9-10)
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Green Fleet: Full-Summer or Half-Summer commitments. Application Required for scheduling purposes.
Full Summer: $3,750 + Travel Fee
1st Half Summer: $2,400 + Travel Fee [June 9 - July 11]
2nd Half Summer: $2,200 + Travel Fee [July 14 - August 8]
Opti RWB: Full Summer commitments preferred but Half-Summer options available as well. Application Required. Priority registration for Full Summer applicants.
Drop-In's for both teams may be available for a fee with advanced notice.
Full Summer: $4,000 + Travel Fee
1st Half Summer: $2,400 + Travel Fee [June 9 - July 11]
2nd Half Summer: $2,200 + Travel Fee [July 14 - August 8]
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Opti Green Fleet and Opti RWB sailors must provide their own boat, which must be equipped as follows:
27’-30’ Floating bow line (6mm/1/4” min. diameter), secured to mast step
Two bailers that are secured to the boat
Three air bags which must be firmly inflated and able to hold air
Rudder retainer clip (secures rudder to transom)
Daggerboard lanyard (to prevent it from floating away if capsized)
Mast tie in system (line and/or locking collar)
Bridle/Mainsheet connection, must be a shackle-type quick connect, no carabiners or other self-opening clips are permitted for safety reasons.
Mainsheet Bridle, no looser then approx. 4” from boom, and must have safety line.
Paddle or Praddle with lanyard
Opti sail tie kit and spares (purchase a kit HERE)
Follow the Optimist Class Rules: READ HERE
Participants will need to bring the following things to camp every day, clearly labeled with their name:
PFD/Life Jacket (Coast Guard approved) with whistle
Closed-toed shoes that can get wet
Change of clothes & towel
Sunglasses & hat
Sunscreen
Lunch & Healthy Snacks (NO PLASTIC BAGS)
Reusable water bottle
C420
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The Club 420 is a two person dinghy which forms the base of many local, high school and collegiate programs in North America. Simple for beginning sailors and yet challenging enough for collegiate champions. The Club 420 offers more learning opportunities than any other double-handed boat. Over 5,000 Club 420s are sailed in youth, high school and collegiate programs all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
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Clinics Only.
3-6 pairs (skipper & crew) interested in building skills and practicing at a high level in order to compete in both CBYRA and Triple Crown events.
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Clinics will be held by local coaches with practices out of SSA. Sailors are encouraged to compete at both local and national events but travel and logistics will be independently scheduled.
Clinic Schedule
Dates TBA
Recommended C420 Regattas:
New England Champs
North Americans (Triple Crown)
Canadian Nationals
CJ Buckley Team Race @ RI
Nationals (Triple Crown)
South Shore Champs @ Sayville, NY
Atlantic Coast Champs
Orange Bowl
Midwinters (Triple Crown)
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3-6 C420's committing to full-week clinics when scheduled. Registration for each clinic will be a separate event.
Weekly clinic prices will vary based on coach.
