Participants WILL go in the water, and their feet WILL get soaked, every day, and drysuits provide zero insulation, so:

• Dress for the weather! This means wool or fleece in lots of layers, even on sunny days. Sailing is COLD.
• Always wear long-sleeve shirts and full-length pants under the suit, even when it's hot out.
• We'll provide you with a drysuit. It'll keep seawater out, so with layers your child will stay warm, but they'll still get damp from perspiration, and the suits don't protect their feet, and many suits leak.
• Wear shoes that can get wet. Closed-toe shoes with soles must be worn every day. Thick wool socks with old tennies are popular, as are neoprene wetsuit booties and water moccasins (Fred Meyer's has handy cheap water slippers near their sandals section that can go over several pairs of wool socks) - no sandals, no rubber boots, no crocs. INSULATE FEET! And send a second, dry pair of footwear for the afternoon sessions, and maybe even a third for going home in. Do not leave wet shoes and socks in the Yacht Club we're borrowing overnight. Please take them home and dry them out.
• Helmets. JYS will provide you with a helmet (fits 53-62 cm or 20.86"-24.4"). Bring your own if you have one to ensure fit.
• Gloves. Sailing gloves, or neoprene gloves to protect hands and keep them warm are a great thing.
• Bring a lifejacket. We have a few loaners, but one that was bought to fit is better. Don't bring a self-inflating lifejacket, since students will be going in the water every day.
• Avoid jewelry, it can get caught on things and rip the drysuit, or the participant, or sink. Best to leave it at home.
• UV protection on sunny days is a must. Cheap sun glasses, too.
• Bring a lunch that can be eaten quickly. Please do not assume we will have access to the JYC kitchen and its microwave.
• Bring more than one pair of clothes. Going back out after lunch is a lot nicer when students have dry socks at a minimum. Send kids with extra clothes.
• Leave valuables at home. The Yacht Club is locked when we're not there, but it's best not to tempt fate.
• Paper Gear: Remember to bring your signed forms and waivers on the first day of class! We can't let anyone sail without them.

Take wet shoes and socks home every single day so they can dry out - do not leave gear at our borrowed Yacht Club! Carl's favorite color this year is pink. We don't maintain a lost-and found, because it would just be a box of mold. Anything left behind at the end of the week goes in the trash.