Canadian Yachting Association
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) is Canada
's organization for controlling the water.
CYA is a "Member National Authority" of the International Sailing Federation
(ISAF). Organization of sailing in Canada is divided into four groups, Yacht Clubs, Provincial Sailing Associations, Class Associations, and the CYA itself. Yachting and Sailing clubs might provide their members with moorage for their boats, boat launch facilities, organize regattas, put on social functions, and/or privide training to children and/or adults. There are ten Provincial Sailing Associations (PSA) that are responsible for organizing instructor courses, registering keelboats and providing PHRF
rating certificates and sail numbers, and training provincial team athletes. Class associations (such as the laser (dinghy)
class) are responsible for measuring and registering one-design boats, and organizing regional, national, and international regattas. The CYA is responsible for coaching national team athletes, including olympic sailors, designing sailing and power boating courses, and registering and insuring instructors.
, how to capsize
, and sail trim. Bronze IV and V teach more advanced sailing skills, including spinnaker
, and trapeze (sailing)
. Silver VI teaches basic racing. Gold VII teaches advanced racing. The levels must be taken in order, so to advance to silver VI, a sailor must first successfully complete Bronze V. These courses were evaluated as pass or fail, and official CYA certificates are awarded to those who pass levels.
A new system of levels which is currently being implemented by CYA, and largely being led by the BC Sailing Association, is the CBET (Competency Based Education Training) Program, which includes new levels. A "learn to race" level has been added, which has no prerequisite, allowing sailors to learn racing rules and techniques without having to first pass Bronze V. A "Wet Feet" Program is being designed and tested in British Columbia
, which is a level for 5-7 year olds.
Under the old system, there were 5 instructor levels. Green Instructors (newly renamed level 1) can certify White Sail I, II, III. Once a green instructor has taught for one year, they can take Blue (level 2). Blue Instructors can certify Bronze Sail IV and V. After level 2, instructors can choose whether to take red or orange. Red (head instructor) instructors can certify Silver VI, and manage a sailing program. Orange (race coach) Instructors certify Gold VII, and can coach at major events, such as Canada Summer Games. Once an instructor has either red or orange, they can take Black (Instructor Evaluator, or IE). Black instructors can certify any level that they themselves have, if they teach an official course set up by a Provincial Sailing Association. For example, an instructor that has Green, Blue, Red and Black, cannot teach an Orange course.
With the new CBET program, there is a fundamental theory course, and then instructors take modules. Level 1, and Race Coach, are examples or modules. The newest module is Learn to Race instructor, allowing that instructor to teach the Learn to Race course. More modules will be added in the near future.
Note: High Performance Racing Coaches NCCP Levels 4/5 have been added to evaluate racers who have achieved an international standard of success.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's organization for controlling the water.
CYA is a "Member National Authority" of the International Sailing Federation
International Sailing Federation
The International Sailing Federation is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for the sport of sailing....
(ISAF). Organization of sailing in Canada is divided into four groups, Yacht Clubs, Provincial Sailing Associations, Class Associations, and the CYA itself. Yachting and Sailing clubs might provide their members with moorage for their boats, boat launch facilities, organize regattas, put on social functions, and/or privide training to children and/or adults. There are ten Provincial Sailing Associations (PSA) that are responsible for organizing instructor courses, registering keelboats and providing PHRF
PHRF
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet is a handicapping system used for yacht racing in North America. It allows dissimilar classes of sailboats to be raced against each other...
rating certificates and sail numbers, and training provincial team athletes. Class associations (such as the laser (dinghy)
Laser (dinghy)
The International Laser Class sailboat, also called Laser Standard and the Laser One is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy. According the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes...
class) are responsible for measuring and registering one-design boats, and organizing regional, national, and international regattas. The CYA is responsible for coaching national team athletes, including olympic sailors, designing sailing and power boating courses, and registering and insuring instructors.
Sailing instruction
Up until recently, there were 7 sailing levels. White Sail I,II,III teach sailing basics, including points of sailPoints of sail
Points of sail describes a sailing boat's course in relation to the wind direction.There is a distinction between the port tack and the starboard tack. If the wind is coming from anywhere on the port side, the boat is on port tack. Likewise if the wind is coming from the starboard side, the boat...
, how to capsize
Capsize
Capsizing is an act of tipping over a boat or ship to disable it. The act of reversing a capsized vessel is called righting.If a capsized vessel has sufficient flotation to prevent sinking, it may recover on its own if the stability is such that it is not stable inverted...
, and sail trim. Bronze IV and V teach more advanced sailing skills, including spinnaker
Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
, and trapeze (sailing)
Trapeze (sailing)
In sailing, the trapeze refers to a wire that comes from a point high on the mast, usually where the shrouds are fixed, to a hook on the crew member's harness at approximately waist level...
. Silver VI teaches basic racing. Gold VII teaches advanced racing. The levels must be taken in order, so to advance to silver VI, a sailor must first successfully complete Bronze V. These courses were evaluated as pass or fail, and official CYA certificates are awarded to those who pass levels.
A new system of levels which is currently being implemented by CYA, and largely being led by the BC Sailing Association, is the CBET (Competency Based Education Training) Program, which includes new levels. A "learn to race" level has been added, which has no prerequisite, allowing sailors to learn racing rules and techniques without having to first pass Bronze V. A "Wet Feet" Program is being designed and tested in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, which is a level for 5-7 year olds.
Under the old system, there were 5 instructor levels. Green Instructors (newly renamed level 1) can certify White Sail I, II, III. Once a green instructor has taught for one year, they can take Blue (level 2). Blue Instructors can certify Bronze Sail IV and V. After level 2, instructors can choose whether to take red or orange. Red (head instructor) instructors can certify Silver VI, and manage a sailing program. Orange (race coach) Instructors certify Gold VII, and can coach at major events, such as Canada Summer Games. Once an instructor has either red or orange, they can take Black (Instructor Evaluator, or IE). Black instructors can certify any level that they themselves have, if they teach an official course set up by a Provincial Sailing Association. For example, an instructor that has Green, Blue, Red and Black, cannot teach an Orange course.
With the new CBET program, there is a fundamental theory course, and then instructors take modules. Level 1, and Race Coach, are examples or modules. The newest module is Learn to Race instructor, allowing that instructor to teach the Learn to Race course. More modules will be added in the near future.
Note: High Performance Racing Coaches NCCP Levels 4/5 have been added to evaluate racers who have achieved an international standard of success.