Optimist Fleets

Which Fleet is Right for Me?

Some of our young sailors and their families might be trying to decide which fleet is the best fit for them for entering the Toyota Optimist Nationals, or other Optimist events throughout the season, so here is a summary of the main objectives for each fleet to help you choose the right one.

Green Fleet

There have been a few changes with the Green fleet this season to help keep our newest sailors happy on the water. The Green fleet is designed for sailors who have learnt the basics about how to sail an Optimist and now want to explore the concept of racing.  This fleet is all about building skills on the water while making new friends in a fun and less competitive environment.  A variety of different kinds of racing is provided including novelty races with a few unique challenges around the course.  At most events there will be a mixture of games on the water, adventure type races, novelty races, and the more traditional courses that you would usually find in the White or Open fleet.  Each race is scored in its own right, and in some events the races held on each day will be scored together and rewarded. Prizes are generally awarded for each race as a stand alone event which provides plenty of friendly competition on the water, however a combined series score for all of the races throughout the whole regatta is NOT scored or rewarded.  This is to encourage as many young sailors as possible to get involved and to try something a bit different.  It also means that sailors can concentrate on enjoying each race experience without worrying about a bad race impacting their overall regatta experience.

Most sailors will spend a season in the Green fleet before transitioning to the White or Open Fleets, but if this is where your fun is, sailors can stay in this fleet throughout their whole time in Optis.

Great things about Green Fleet

–         Sailing does not usually take up the whole day

–         More sailors are rewarded at prizegiving

–         It is a great way to make new friends

–         You don’t need an expensive boat

–         You don’t need to have measurement certificates for your equipment BUT you still need to pass the safety checks.

–         You generally sail close to the club

–         It is a great spectator fleet due to the above!

–         Sailors usually come in for a break and to have something to eat during the day.

–         There are no protests

–         Race officials will teach you new things about your sailing. 

White Fleet

The White fleet is designed for sailors to begin to hone their racing skills in a less competitive environment then they would experience in the Open fleet.  Here sailors will work on their starting technique without the most experienced Opti sailors in the fleet; making it more likely that they can execute their pre-race plan effectively.  In this fleet sailors will learn about fleet management around a more typical race course.  Without the top Opti sailors in the fleet they are more likely to experience what it is like to be at the front of a fleet which will give them more confidence, satisfaction, and set them up for how to manage their racing further down the track when they find themselves in this position in the Open fleet towards the end of their time in Optimists.  White fleet can be an incredibly fun and rewarding time for an Optimist sailor where they can learn a huge amount about racing in a more relaxed and friendly environment.  They will also learn to manage their overall regatta as their individual race scores will be combined in the same way as the Open fleet to find an overall series winner.

Sailors may choose the White fleet for a few regattas, a season, or for the rest of their time sailing Optimists depending on their reasons for sailing and goals in the sport.  The only guideline for being part of this fleet is that if you win a podium place in the Toyota Optimist National Championship in White fleet, then you will be asked to move to Open fleet the following year.  This is to allow other young sailors the opportunity to experience the thrill of leading a fleet.

Please note that in smaller clubs, or areas with less sailors, a White fleet is often not offered as there are not enough sailors to make up all three fleets.  When this is the case, sailors will need to make a choice about which is  the best fit for them out of Green or Open fleets.  This will depend on the wind strength, the distance to the race course and how confident they are.  Their decision may be different for each regatta that they enter.

Great Things about White Fleet

–         Races and race days are usually a bit shorter than Open fleet

–         You don’t need to have measurement certificates for your equipment, BUT you still need to pass the safety checks.

–         Any judges on the course will help you to understand how and why if you break a rule.

–         You have a better chance of experiencing what it is like to lead a fleet.

–         You learn about fleet management

–         The startline is not so scary and there is likely to be more room for you to execute your plan.

–         You beat the Open fleet sailors to the showers at the end of the day.

–         The fleet is friendly and less competitive 

Open Fleet

This fleet is the most competitive and demanding of the three fleets.  Competitors in the Open fleet are very accomplished sailors with plenty of racing experience in larger fleets.  Many of them have represented New Zealand at an IODA event around the world, or been part of a development team.  Competition on the startline can be fierce and sailors will need to have a sound knowledge of the racing rules as they can be protested by another competitor or judges on the course if they infringe other sailors or break a rule.  Sailors will also need to be aware of their flags and understand the rules for starting and the penalties that can be gained for being over the line at the start of a race.

Like White fleet, Open fleet races are also scored as a series.  Sailors may find themselves out on the water for a large part of the day (up to 5 hours) and the race course is often well out to sea.  At some venues it may take half an hour or more to sail to the start line and the same again to get back to the club at the end of the day.

Great Things about Open Fleet

–         You could be picked for an IODA for development team

–         There is tough competition that allows you to push yourself when you are ready for it.

–         Judges will penalise sailors if they are in the wrong which allows for fair sailing.

–         Measuring Certificates and on water checks help to make racing fair.

–         You get to stay on the water for long periods of time – which is great for those who love it.

Remember, the choice to sail on any given day lies with the sailor themselves, as does the choice of fleet that they feel the most comfortable in.  Please remember that Optimist sailing is about the ambitions of the young person and NOT those of their parents or caregivers. As always, one size does not fit all. The overall goal of the Optimist class is to teach young children the fun, friendship and excitement that can be had with our sport which will hopefully set them up to want to become sailors for life.

Happy Sailing

NZIODA Committee