happy easter!
Despite being decimated by the Easter holiday, Team Paradise still showed up strong. We had 14 enthusiastic kids on the water and seven committed coaches stepping up to make it all happen. Among them, two are US Sailing Level 2 certified, and two more hold Level 1 certifications—a testament to the depth of talent and dedication in our coaching team. Even on a holiday weekend, our mission remained steadfast: to empower young sailors and build skills that last a lifetime.
Reefing is a Breeze
It was another windy day on the Bay. The weather forecast called for Easterly wind, 20-25 knots, diminishing in the afternoon, but then picking up again in the evening. We decided to use both our RS Tera and RS Venture. The teams were divided up and assigned to our various vessels. Coach Josh did a rigging demo of the RS Tera for everyone to see. TJ and Ale were the first students to sail the new boats. I made them reef the sails by simply wrapping the sails around the mast a few times. At first, they objected to the idea, but they agreed that it might be a good idea. The reefing process took under 60 seconds to complete. Once we had sailed into the bay, they never regretted the reefs. Instead, it was much appreciated. The reefing ability of the RS Tera is another reason why it’s an excellent boat for youth sailing.
A Challenging Day
The University of Miami hosted the RSAISA Regatta, welcoming 18 universities and over 90 collegiate sailors to compete in an unforgettable weekend of racing. The US Sailing Center was buzzing with energy, camaraderie, and fierce competition. With Biscayne Bay offering its usual mix of challenging conditions and beautiful scenery, the regatta showcased the best of South Atlantic collegiate sailing. It was a proud moment for U of M and a testament to the vibrant sailing community here in Miami!
Thank you all for coming today. It’s safe to say that this would not have happened without you. Make sure to check out the videos, photos, and more below.
Students, please pay special attention to the new items in Teachong Moments: Stay Together When Sailing, and Aim For Home When Sailing Home
Teaching Moments
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Don't sail away from the group—stick together!
When we stay close, we stand out and become more visible to oncoming boat traffic. Safety starts with awareness, and staying in formation helps everyone stay safe.If someone capsizes or falls behind—wait up!
We look out for each other on the water.
We're a team, and we sail as one.tem description -
Want to get back to the dock sooner rather than later? Aim for your destination!
Sailing the shortest and most direct route is not only smart—it’s often necessary.There are plenty of good reasons:
⛵ We may want to beat the rush back to the dock.
🌩 A thunderstorm may be approaching.
🕓 Or maybe it’s just time to wrap up a great day on the water.Sail with purpose. Stay focused. Head home smart.Item description
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Flogging the sails refers to a situation where the sails are flogging uncontrollably in the wind. It could be any sail, main, jib, or spinnaker. This usually happens when a boat is head-to-wind or tied to a mooring or a dock. The remedy is to trim the sail in or lower it.
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Hull Damage – Running aground can cause severe damage to the hull, leading to leaks, structural issues, or even sinking.
Propeller and Rudder Damage – The propeller, rudder, and keel can be severely damaged, affecting maneuverability and performance.
Crew and Passenger Safety – A sudden stop from grounding can cause injuries, especially if people are moving around the boat.
Stranding and Rescue Risks – A grounded boat may become stuck, requiring costly and time-consuming rescue efforts.
Environmental Harm – Grounding can damage fragile ecosystems like coral reefs, seagrass beds, or marine habitats.
Legal and Financial Consequences – In some areas, damaging marine environments can result in fines or liability for restoration costs.
Loss of Control – Once aground, the boat may be vulnerable to wind, waves, and tides, making recovery more difficult.
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Personal Preparation and Safety
Wear protective clothing, sunscreen, and a hat.
Wear closed-toe shoes.
Wear a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket with a safety whistle attached.
Identify three program safety rules.
Identify emergency steps on land and water.
Towing
Check your bow line for towing.
Hand your bow line to the instructor safely.
Steer the boat in-line and keep it flat while attached to a tow line.
Recoil and stow the bow line after release.
Capsize Recovery
Stay with the boat, untangle the mainsheet, and swim to the centerboard.
Press down on the daggerboard/centerboard/leeboard to upright the boat.
Get back into the boat.
Identify three ways to prevent capsizing.
Identify three capsize safety guidelines.
Demonstrate recovery from a turtle position.
Overboard Rescue
Alert others by saying "Crew Overboard!"
Keep visual contact and point if possible.
Tack to return to the person/object in the water.
Stop in a safety position with the person on the windward side.
Retrieve the person over the stern or pick up the object.
Review Beginner Sailing Skills
Review completed Phase 1, 2, and 3 Beginner Sailing Skills.
Understanding Wind
Define "puff" and identify two visual cues.
Define "lull" and identify two visual cues.
Parts of the Boat
Identify common boat parts (windward, leeward, transom, gooseneck, etc.).
Identify boat-specific parts.
Identify standing vs. running rigging.
Parts of the Sail & Control Lines
Identify three types of telltales.
Demonstrate how outhaul, cunningham, boom vang, and halyard affect sail shape.
Mast Rake
Identify when the mast is raked forward, backward, or neutral.
Adjust mast rake using rigging.
Steering with Rudder, Body Weight & Sails
Hold a steady course with the tiller while adjusting body and sail trim.
Steer up/down using body weight.
Steer up/down using sail trim.
Controlling Speed
Ease sails to slow the boat.
Stop completely head-to-wind.
Stop completely on a reach.
Speed up by trimming in sails and moving the tiller.
Controlling Heel
Maintain a flat boat using sail trim and body weight.
Demonstrate "Ease, Hike, Trim" in moderate winds.
Departures & Landings
Sail backward for three boat lengths.
Quickly transition from sailing backward to forward.
Sailing Backwards
Sail backward under mainsail power.
Transition quickly back to forward sailing.
Phase 2 Sailing Skills
Adjust body position, tiller, and mainsheet.
Steer using tiller/tiller extension.
Avoid collisions ("Tiller Towards Trouble").
Using Telltales
Name three telltale locations.
Adjust course and sail trim based on telltales.
Points of Sail
Identify all points of sail and their sail trim/degrees from wind.
Demonstrate all points of sail with proper trim.
Upwind & Downwind Sailing
Hold a close-hauled course.
Tack three times upwind.
Hold a broad reach course.
Jibe three times downwind.
Adjust blades (centerboard, daggerboard, or leeboard).
No Wind Kinetics
Quickly flatten the boat with body weight.
Demonstrate continuous rocking in no wind.
Sailing a Course
Sail around buoys.
Sail within a confined area.
Round a buoy without touching it.
Weather Awareness
Identify three signs of bad weather.
Identify basic cloud types.
Identify sea breeze vs. land breeze.
Water Awareness
Describe how current and tide affect course.
Differentiate between flood and ebb tide.
Identify boat draft location.
Read depths on a navigation chart.
Float Plan
Record weather forecast, current, and tide before sailing.
Navigation
Identify navigation aids (buoys, markers, hazards, etc.).
Read navigation charts.
Explain "Red-Right-Returning" for waterway entry/exit.
Rules of the Road
Identify right-of-way between:
Starboard vs. port sailboats.
Leeward vs. windward sailboats.
Overtaken vs. overtaking vessels.
Using a Compass
Identify intercardinal directions (NE, NW, SE, SW).
Read compass degrees (N=0, E=90, S=180, W=270, etc.).
Knots & Line Handling
Cow Hitch (Tie, undo, and give an example of its use).
Coiling (Coil and uncoil a line neatly).
Round Turn & Half Hitches (Tie, undo, and give an example).
Heaving & Receiving a Line (Demonstrate safe handling).
Sheet Bend (Tie, undo, and give an example).
Clove Hitch (Tie, undo, and give an example).
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A Portuguese Man o’ War (Physalia physalis) is a marine organism often mistaken for a jellyfish, but it’s actually a siphonophore—a colonial organism made up of specialized polyps that function together as a single creature.
Key Features:
Floating Gas-Filled Bladder: It has a translucent, blue, or purple gas-filled bladder (pneumatophore) that sits above the water, acting like a sail to catch the wind.
Long, Venomous Tentacles: Below the surface, it has tentacles that can extend up to 165 feet (50 meters), though they are usually around 30 feet (10 meters). These tentacles are covered in nematocysts that deliver a painful, venomous sting to prey and potential threats.
Drifting Lifestyle: The Man o’ War has no means of propulsion and moves with ocean currents and winds.
Danger to Humans:
The sting can be excruciatingly painful and sometimes dangerous, causing skin welts, allergic reactions, or even breathing difficulties in severe cases.
Tentacles can still sting even after being detached or washed up on the beach.
Where It’s Found:
Warm ocean waters, including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Common in Florida, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
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Seaweed floating in the ocean is most commonly referred to as Sargassum; a type of brown algae that can form large, floating mats on the ocean surface, providing habitat for various marine life and often found in tropical and subtropical waters.
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Trust one another
Engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas
Commit to decisions and plans of action
Hold one another accountable for delivering against those plans
Focus on the achievement of the collective results
F.Y.I SYSTEM=SAILING+YOUTH+STEM
@healthylittlehavana, @careelementary, @damianpardod2, @coconutgroveelementary
It’s a win-win
Thank you, volunteers, students, teachers, parents/caregivers, and benefactors for making my dream come true. Removing any of the categories above would have prevented our achievements today from happening. Thank You!
NEXT LEVEL HOMEWORK
Consider this homework. I’m urging the NEXT LEVEL sailors to scroll to the bottom of the page and study what‘s there. From now on, we must line up together every Saturday we sail. What else? Oh yes, what are the five dysfunctions of a Team? We will be quizzing you on it
LET’S HAVE FUN, BE SAFE AND LEARN A BUNCH
Lining up! This is what’s you should look like. Each boat is not overlapped, but at the very least, they are in the same picture frame, the sails are trimmed correctly and they are all pointing in somewhat the same direction. Let's do it!
Encourage your sailor to learn more, and please visit our online classroom. https://www.teamparadise.org/classroom and https://www.teamparadise.org/next-level-coaching
Checkout our new boats!
Visit our 2025 RS FEST MIAMI BLOG