Month: October 2014

For many years now, the MRCYB has made a firm commitment to the basic wing. The reasons for this decision are multiple and diverse, and many of them have to do with circumstances that go beyond purely sporting ones.

All nautical clubs have in their statutes, as one of their main objectives, the promotion of nautical activities. In the case of the MRCYB, the bet has been on sailing, for roots, for tradition and for all the values it brings.

This promotion work from the clubs is of great importance, since they are the only entities related to sailing that carry it out today. A large commercial marina may have magnificent facilities, but its purpose is to provide services to ships and shipowners who moor their ships there or go in transit. But for that marina to be filled with boats, it is the clubs that have to carry out preliminary work, generating a love of the sea among the people, through their sports schools.

This promotional work by yacht clubs is highly relevant for marinas and the nautical industry in general, and, unfortunately, it is not always recognized by administrations.

Sailing schools are also of vital importance for the very existence of a club, since if the children of today, who will govern the entity in the future, do not have a fondness for the sea, its essence is totally distorted. We all know clubs that have become purely social entities, with no practical connection to the sea, due to the lack of fans of their members.

In the case of the MRCYB we also have an added obligation, that of making known to the children and young people of the wonderful fishing village of Baiona, a different vision of the one that, due to family tradition, they may have of the sea, that sea that takes to grandparents, parents and siblings for a long time, and sometimes never to return.

Our goal is to give them a new perspective, and for children to understand that in addition to its hardness, the sea also brings values such as camaraderie, effort, teamwork and friendship, without forgetting one very important thing: sailing is terribly funny!

Miguel Lago, Commodore of the MRCYB

Two years ago, when I was entrusted with the task of directing the MRCYB Sailing School, the roadmap I received from the club’s board had very clear guidelines and a great goal to achieve: “Sailing for everyone”. Just three words that hid – and hide – many aspirations and dreams. Quite a challenge that I accepted without hesitation for a single second.

Bringing sailing closer to as many people as possible is a difficult but not impossible job, and from Monte Real we work daily to achieve it. We want to offer everyone the opportunity to enter the world of sailing because we are certain that, once they get to know it, they will end up feeling the same passion for this sport as we do.

This is something that we see very clearly in the children who begin to navigate in our introductory courses. Many arrive afraid -because it is something they have never tried and it is a completely unknown world for them-, but that fear quickly transforms into illusion, illusion into emotion and, almost without realizing it, they are trapped by the magic of the sea and the sensations that the candle produces in them. I speak of children, but with adults exactly the same thing happens.

Both of them have, at the Monte Real Sailing School, the possibility of getting on a boat and sailing when and how they want. For children we have dinghy sailing courses, both in individual classes and in double classes, during the week or at the weekend. There are also dinghy sailing courses for adults, an initiative that we launched this year and that is being very well received. Seniors can also cruise, to learn or for pleasure, with friends or family. We organize baptisms of the sea, getaways to the Cíes Islands, group outings to sail around the bay… and in our Adapted Sailing School we receive groups of people with some type of disability, so that they can enjoy sailing under equal conditions, in our adapted boats.

Sailing for everyone, and at all levels. That was the objective with which all our course and activity proposals were devised, and that is the philosophy with which we work on a daily basis. The roadmap is very well defined and the first step is to inform, publicize our activities, and demystify the idea that sailing is an expensive sport (we have courses from 20 euros per month). Then there is the task of making fathers and mothers aware of all the benefits that sailing can bring to their children, not only on a sporting level, but also on a personal level. The little ones live new experiences, gain self-confidence and establish friendships with other children, relationships that in many cases go beyond sports activities.

The courses that we give to these “little boys” is one of the things that gives us the most satisfaction as coaches, because we can accompany them in their evolution since they get on a boat for the first time and go through the different classes. At Monte Real they can sail in Optimist, in Cadet, in 420…and those who want can also start competing, something that always excites them.

Many years ago, when I started in the world of sailing, I would have never imagined that all those wonderful sensations that I experienced in my beginnings could now be experienced through our students. It is, without a doubt, one of the reasons that encourages me to continue working to make this sport a sport for everyone.

Carlos Rúa, head of the MRCYB Sailing School

INTERVIEW WITH CARLOS HERNÁNDEZ DOUBLE CLASS COACH

Who does not advance, goes back. The proverb says so, and so do the coaches of the Monte Real Yacht Club Sailing School to encourage their students to continue taking steps in the world of sailing.

The evolution through the different nautical classes is something highly recommended for the learning of all boys and girls, and the Baionese club has offered them that possibility for years. Once you get past the Optimist class phase, you can jump into double classes, and train at Cadet or 420.

This is where the figure of Carlos Hernández comes into play, one of the most experienced instructors at Monte Real. Level 2 Technician by the Galician Sailing Federation, he has been working at the Monte Real Sailing School for almost a decade, where he is considered an off-road coach.

You are currently responsible for the training of the double classes of Monte Real, in which the boys and girls who have been sailing alone for years, start sailing with a partner. How do you experience that change?

The change from sailing alone to sailing with a partner is usually faced with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm, although it is a very important change on a personal and sporting level.

Sailing with a partner means spending many hours with him, in the sea and out of it. This helps them open up to others and overcome shyness. It also encourages the need to collaborate over individualism. It makes them recognize, accept and respect that there is someone who knows more than him, helps them to share triumphs and defeats and enjoy the intrinsic feelings of being part of a team, such as the need to help each other to achieve a common goal.

At Monte Real you offer the possibility of training in cadet or 420. Tell us, what are the differences when browsing and what do the boys prefer?

The differences are considerable since the 420 is a much more complex boat, both technically and physically. We could say that the cadet is a boat for initiation to double classes and the 420 for improvement. This one has more rounded and flat shapes that ensure good glides and high performance with downwinds, and the fact that it has a trapeze makes it a bit more complicated than the cadet.

We, at Monte Real, are using the cadet as an intermediate step between the Optimist and the 420, which allows us that children who finish their stage in Optimist can navigate this boat for the time necessary to acquire the skills and experience necessary to make the move to 420. Although some children would like to take the step from the Optimist to the 420, skipping the cadet, we are working so that they understand that this intermediate step is something that benefits them.

For many years, the cadet class was somewhat abandoned in Galicia, but in recent years it seems that it is beginning to come back strongly, what do you think is the reason for this increase in interest?

Mainly because it is still a very good class for children who leave the Optimist and want to move to double classes. It is a boat in which to learn to manage three sails, and above all to sail with a partner and work as a team. Luckily, most clubs in Galicia have a good number of boats, which allows children to have your available these boats with almost no additional cost.

At the national level at the moment we do not have competitions since there are very few communities that sail in these boats. But here in Galicia, thanks to Monte Real and other clubs that continue betting on this class, we have a good number of regattas so that children can train and gain experience.

What is clear, as you say, is that the cadet class is perfect for young people to start sailing as a team, as a crew, and prepare for the higher classes. What percentage of students are encouraged to make the leap to larger boats?

The percentage is quite high, since when a child has finished his stage in cadet, he usually spends several years sailing in this and other classes, so the passion for this sport has already captivated him. Most end up competing, either at the regional, national or international. In Spain, unfortunately, the world of sailing, especially in children, still has a long way to go, to ensure that there are more competitions at these levels.

At Monte Real, we always encourage our sailors to continue advancing, since we consider that sport in general, and sailing in particular, is a very good complement for them, for their lives and their personal evolution.

Most of the students you teach and train in the club are boys and girls, very young, but you are also beginning to teach dinghy sailing courses for adults. Tell us about this project.

It is a project that we have started this year and that we believe will bring us much joy, since adults who wanted to start, continue learning or simply enjoy sailing were almost condemned to sail on large ships (cruises). That is why we have offered the possibility of doing it also on light sailing boats, in which the sensations are very different from a cruise. Monte Real has made 3 classes of light sailing boats available to adults: individual (Laser), double (Filibustero), and collective (Omega), to cover various possibilities.

This proposal has also been designed for all those fathers and mothers who bring their children sailing every weekend, so they can enjoy the sea and practice the same sport as their children, something that we believe improves the parent-child relationship. We’ve only been here a month and the interest is growing. We already have a good number of adults who have signed up and who are very satisfied with the decision.

It is an interview with Rosana Calvo

If you have any questions for Carlos, you can write to us at prensa@mrcyb.com and we will send it to him

INTERVIEW WITH VICTOR CALVIÑO MRCYB SAILING CRUISE COACH

Sailing Technician by the Galician Sailing Federation, Diploma in Sports Technical Direction, officer and regatta judge, Víctor Calviño is also the trainer responsible for the Sailing Cruise Courses that are taught throughout the year on Mount Royal Yacht Club.

These are courses for people who want to learn to navigate, improve their technique, or simply enjoy a few hours at sea. The outings, lasting several hours, are made in the Fígaros of the club and in them all kinds of issues related to nautical are learned.

Víctor, tell us, what is the profile of people who attend the Monte Real Cruise Sailing Courses?

There are people of all kinds. Students, doctors, civil servants, businessmen come…and of all ages. I have had students from 16 to 60 years old. The profiles are very varied, and they also come with very different objectives.

There are those who seek to learn a little about this world, because they have never had the opportunity to sail, and others what they want is to perfect their technique or even submit to a discipline of teamwork.

Many have already sailed on some occasion, but never discovered or understood the physics of sailing, and that’s where the coaches come in, adapting to the levels of our students and offering them the knowledge they seek or need.

A large majority of people who practice sailing started doing it when they were little, when they were children. Are there greater difficulties for those who want to learn to sail when they are already a certain age?

Actually, at present, in cruising sailing courses we have a very low percentage of people who have started sailing as children. Precisely people usually come who did not have that opportunity as a child and who now want to try that experience.

And the truth is that they do not have great difficulties when it comes to learning. For two reasons, because our teaching system is adapted to all ages and levels, and because they come highly motivated. They want to learn and have fun sailing, and that is very positive when developing the activity.

What do you teach them in your courses? Explain to us how a day of navigation develops in one of the Monte Real Cruise Sailing Courses.

The courses really depend on the students, and the level with which they arrive at the club, because it is not the same to teach someone who has never sailed than someone who already has some notions, or someone who is really looking to improve their technique. . That is why we always work with objectives related to the student’s level.

The first thing we try to teach them is how the behavior of physics influences the sport of sailing, so that they can fully understand how to sail and how the wind affects the different courses. Once they have learned the basics, they are taught how to set up the boat for the different winds and some sailing techniques. And from there… to sail! Because the sailor is made by sailing. They learn quite quickly, almost without realizing it, and we adapt to their evolution.

They are courses that you take throughout the year, but they change a bit depending on the season, right?

Yes, they are courses that are taught throughout the year and there is not much variation, except in meteorology. In summer the weather helps more, but in winter students have other advantages, such as flexibility in terms of schedules. For work reasons, not everyone can sail at the same times, and at Monte Real we offer courses several days a week, and at different times, so that students can take them when it suits them best.

The freedom is almost absolute. If there is a group that wants to take a course at a specific time, then we adapt to their needs, their aspirations and the number of participants. It is very difficult for someone who wants to sail not to be able to do it on Monte Real whenever and however they want. The possibilities to practice sailing in the club are very wide.

In addition to people who want to learn, you also train sailors who want to improve their technique, or want to practice on one of the club’s boats… What is offered to this user profile?

Indeed, I train sailors of different levels. The level of these athletes is very varied and with different objectives. Some seek to improve their technique, others their regatta tactics and there are even those who seek to know and interpret the Sailing Regattas Regulations. For this type of student, depending on their needs, a regatta field is prepared with their beacons and official procedures, and they even have a judge with knowledge of Match Race to make a “direct judgment” on the water or resolve any protest or doubt. about the regulation.

As the needs are very varied, so is the education system. There are sailors who need to sail more with their crews to achieve greater coordination between them and others who seek to improve their regatta tactics individually. For this we have several methodologies applied to regattas of different levels, both fleet and Match Race or “boat against boat”.

It is an interview with Rosana Calvo

If you want to ask Víctor any questions, you can write to us at prensa@mrcyb.com and we will send it to him

INTERVIEW WITH DAVID FONTAN ADAPTED SAILING COACH AT MRCYB

In 2012, the Monte Real Yacht Club created, within its Sailing School, a special section of Adapted Sailing, with the aim of offering people with physical, mental, sensory or intellectual disabilities the possibility of going out to sea and practicing a sport that brings them countless benefits, both physical and social.

Two years after its birth, in this 2014, with the initiative already sailing smoothly, the club was deserving of a distinction from the Association of Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC) for the elimination of architectural barriers and its work with the disabled . A recognition that was possible, in part, thanks to the great work carried out with them by people like David Fontán.

A lover of the sea and nature, David is a Level 2 sailing technician by the Galician Sailing Federation, and the youngest coach of the Monte Real Club de Yates, where he has worked for years. At the Dinghy Sailing School he trains regatta teams and at the Adapted Sailing School he takes care of outings to sea with disabled people, something he does with great sensitivity and enormous dedication. Seeing him work is one of those things that restores one’s confidence in society and in his ability to make the world a better place.

David, what does the activity you do at Monte Real consist of with people who have some type of disability?

There are differences depending on whether they are physically or mentally disabled. With students who have mental disabilities, we first try to capture their attention through didactic support. We use tools such as videos, models, knot workshops, introductory games… and we carry out group dynamics to make them participate in the activity that we will later carry out in the water. We want them to get involved and be encouraged to take the initiative. Once in the water we carry out the different maneuvers little by little. We put them together in groups and give each one a specific function, so that they get to know the different positions on a boat and can rotate through them.

With boys and girls who have physical disabilities we use a more personalized method. First we condition the boats to the different needs of each student. We have to be permanently in communication with him, modifying, testing, analyzing and modifying the boat again, in order to ensure that the student has full control of all the mechanisms of the boat.Once this phase is over, we move on to a second, where We explain basic theory. We talk to them about the behavior of the wind, we show them the different maneuvers that we are going to carry out and the general operation of the boat… and so they can start sailing.

Ultimately, our job is to make the learning process easier for them, remove possible impediments and, of course, make the activity fun.

How is the experience of working with these types of people?

It is fabulous, because it shows the majesty of this sport. Sailing overcomes all kinds of obstacles, there are no barriers here, only new opportunities to show people with disabilities.

Whenever I go sailing with these guys I have the feeling that their limitations, or those imposed by society, disappear. Seeing them sail and enjoy the sea when just a few years ago it was something almost impossible, shows that we have worked hard and eliminated some of those barriers. It’s a very satisfying thing.

The Monte Real Adapted Sailing School was born with the aim of bringing these people closer to the world of sailing, so that they can get to know the sea and enjoy it. On a personal level, what are your aspirations as a coach?

My main aspiration is that everyone has the same opportunities when it comes to practicing this sport. Our philosophy is “Sailing for everyone” and as such we work to make it so. Of course I would also like to see all these boys competing at a high level, but first we have a bigger challenge, and that is to bring this sport to everyone.

When it comes to bringing the sport of sailing to everyone, what are the main barriers that a person with a disability may encounter when sailing and how can they be eliminated?

The main barriers begin with the facilities. Many clubs still do not have the appropriate access, and the work would begin by removing the architectural barriers. The next thing is to get appropriate and adapted boats, which allow their systems to be easily modified. It is also important to have mechanisms that facilitate access to the boat itself, such as cranes, couplings, ramps, etc.

In this sense, Monte Real has worked very hard, making the facilities accessible, buying adapted boats, building a crane so that people with physical disabilities can get on the boats. Much remains to be done, but firm steps are being taken.

Tell us more about the role played by the Monte Real Club de Yates in the integration of the disabled in the world of sailing

My opinion is that Monte Real has understood that sailing goes far beyond the limitations that people with some type of disability may have, and has assumed a very important role in promoting adapted sailing.

The coaches and all the people who work at the club are not willing to give these boys and girls more difficulties than they may have due to their disability. We are not going to add more obstacles in their lives.

The creation of the Adapted Sailing School is the clearest example of this philosophy, and we are convinced that it is only the beginning of a great project that will continue to grow over the years.

It is an interview with Rosana Calvo

You can see the image gallery of the MRCYB Adapted Sailing School HERE

If you have any questions for David, you can write to us at prensa@mrcyb.com and we will send it to him

INTERVIEW WITH SAMUEL MONTOUTO · MRCYB OPTIMIST COACH

Saying that Samuel Montouto has his feet firmly planted on the ground is a good metaphor to explain his way of teaching and educating children, with great commitment and responsibility; but in reality, Samuel has spent his whole life with his feet in the water. The sea has been and is the undisputed protagonist of his life, and the Monte Real Club de Yates is the place where he tries to transmit his love for the sport of sailing to future generations of sailors.

Level 2 graduate by the Galician Sailing Federation, he has been training the club’s Optimist teams for years. His students have gone to Spanish championships, to competitions throughout Galicia, to Galician team clinics and, in recent weeks, they have participated in the Optimist class qualifying regattas held in Sanxenxo and A Coruña. Those who work with Samuel say that he has an excellent technique, but they highlight, above all, the empathy he achieves with the boys and girls he trains.

Samuel, training such young boys and girls (between 9 and 15 years old) to compete seems very complicated, is it really?

A priori, or seen from the outside, it may seem somewhat complicated, but nothing is further from the truth. Thanks to the good work carried out by the monitors and coaches in the previous teams, when the children arrive in my group they usually have very good knowledge to start in the competition and, in addition, they are very motivated to do so.

Perhaps the greatest difficulty is finding the keys to make them champions, something that has to be worked on little by little, with time and patience. In any case, the sailors I have trained at the MRCYB, despite their young age, have always behaved in an exemplary manner, like authentic “little adults”, willing to make the maximum effort and give everything with each challenge.

How do you work with the little ones? What is the process for a boy or girl who has only been sailing for a few years to make the leap to competition?

Luckily, as I mentioned before, when the children arrive at the regatta team, they are already well-rounded thanks to the work that is done with them in the previous groups that we have at Monte Real, one for initiation and another for introduction to regatta.

My job is to work on that basis, trying to get the kids up the competition ladder. The key is to gradually expand your knowledge and intensity of training. In addition, I treat its strong points, to strengthen them, and also the weak ones, to improve them. And always do it without ever losing sight of something that I consider essential in this sport, which is that the child has to have fun competing.

Actually, the coaches do not decide which students have to compete, because they are the ones who demand it. What we do take care of is assessing their technical, tactical and psychological levels for the competition, so that they arrive at the regattas with the best possible preparation.

What benefits does participating in a competition bring to children?

There are many, but I would highlight two of them all: the desire to constantly improve oneself and the creation of very close bonds between children.

As for the desire to improve, I am not only referring to the constant improvement in the sea, trying to be better every day, facing problems of waves, wind, currents… but also to the evolution that children experience when passing from one class to another. . Many end up in Laser, 420, Vaurien… but Optimist is, together with the Cadet, the base on which to start a lifetime of navigation, and where we must most cultivate their spirit of improvement.

As for the creation of relationships of companionship between children, it is something fundamental, especially at these ages. With each training session and each regatta, very strong bonds are created and reinforced between them, which make competing in Optimist, despite being an individual sport, also something collective, a group sport. And best of all, in many cases, those bonds that are created will last a lifetime.

In Galicia, the nautical clubs have begun to work more and more with their quarries, with the aim of guaranteeing the future of sailing in the community. In that sense, the bet is clear, but what else is needed for this sport to end up triumphing?

I believe that, to a certain extent, it is already succeeding. Perhaps it is not seen as clearly as with football or other more media sports, but in the qualifying regattas for the Galician ranking of Optimist we are being an average of 120 sailors, and that is already a success.

Obviously, with greater help from the administrations and greater diffusion in the media, this sport could succeed even more. It is a task in which we must all do our bit.

How is the work of the Monte Real Club de Yates in this regard?

I think we are doing a very good job at the club. And that is something that is seen in the figures. In recent years we have experienced significant growth in the number of students we have, both in regatta teams and in the Sailing School.

Right now we have five well-differentiated dinghy groups. Of these, four are part of a very well oiled chain. The children start from very young in initiation, and depending on the skills of each one, they go from group and level until they reach the competition, both in individual classes (Optimist), and doubles (Cadet and 420). They are about 40 small sailors who aim high and who encourage us to continue working hard with them.

And this does not stop there. The continuity of this system is reflected in two groups of adults, one for light sailing and the other for cruising. In addition, we are giving a lot of importance to the dissemination of our activities, both in the press and on social networks, and that always helps in the task of making the sport of sailing more visible.

It is an interview with Rosana Calvo

If you have any questions for Samuel, you can write to us at prensa@mrcyb.com and we will send it to him

INTERVIEW WITH ALBERTO LÁZARO FATHER OF ONE OF THE STUDENTS AT THE SAILING SCHOOL

Alberto Lázaro is the father of Lucas Lázaro, one of the students at the Monte Real Yacht Club Sailing School. Lucas has been going to initiation class for two years, and both one and the other say they are very happy with the activity.

Alberto, what encouraged you to enroll your son in one of the club’s sailing courses?

Lucas has inherited his passion for the sea from his grandfather and uncle. He loves everything related to the sea. Fishing, canoeing, diving, etc. Since we spent the summers in Baiona, we had never had contact with sailing. One year we offered Lucas the opportunity to try out and, obviously, he signed up ipso facto!

How is the little one living it? What does he tell you about his experiences at sea? What do you find easy and difficult?

Lucas is delighted with the experience. The main obstacle Lucas faced was having to push himself beyond the world he already controlled. At home, at school, with studies, etc. it is always surrounded by the comforts in which we live today. There is always a parent or a teacher who cares about your comfort.

But in his classes no one is going to prevent him from being hit by booms, no one will make the water temperature rise, the wind will die down or prevent the boat from capsizing. Everything depends exclusively on him. He is only in his Optimist. And this is a difficulty for him, but at the same time a challenge. He has the supervision and constant support of the coach, who tells him how to do things, but he is the one who has to do it alone.

With insistence and the extraordinary patience and skill of his coach, Ramón, he has managed to continue and is very happy. Every Sunday we go to pick him up, fresh as a sea bass just out of the sea, and he tells us about his “feats” of the day seasoned with his marine language.

Why do you think sailing is a good sport for children to practice?

This sport has many attractive elements, such as contact and knowledge of the sea, waves, winds, tides, etc. Also the attraction of mastering an art, that of sailing, as humans have been doing for centuries, under sail, without motors. Possibly the regattas also add an incentive as pointed out by those who practice them.

The enormous satisfaction I have with Lucas’s experience in the MRCYB sailing classes is due to the combination of two factors. The first refers to the autonomy that sport demands. As I pointed out above, each child has to fend for himself on the boat, with all the help of the coach, but the child is the only crew member.

The second is the high quality and motivation of the coaches. A huge implication, and not only for them to learn to navigate, but also for them to overcome their difficulties, to create a team among the children, so that they enjoy surpassing themselves, setting individual goals, so that they enjoy the rest of each class, etc.

Like almost everything in life, things are good or bad depending on the execution. The cake is good or bad not so much because of the recipe, but because of the cook. In this case, the recipe, that is, the candle, has enormous attractions, but the secret of how happy both my son Lucas and I are is in the cooks!

There are fathers and mothers who still consider that sailing is something elitist, reserved only for a few, what is true or false in this statement?

Buying and maintaining a boat is a luxury that is not within everyone’s reach, but learning to sail is possible, because Monte Real has boats for those who want to start, like Lucas. Sailing is in the category of “extracurricular activities” competing with any other.

Would you then encourage other parents to have their children try the sport of sailing?

Of course! Lucas is delighted, he wakes up happy every Sunday, enjoys his morning sailing, learns, plays sports and has fun with his friends. Super recommended!

What are Lucas’ aspirations? Do you want to compete or do you just see it as a hobby?

My dearest Lucas lives his sailing Sundays happily without aspiring to any competition. He likes to go to the sea, sail, play with his friends and see how he improves. Possibly later he will begin to enjoy the competitions but at this moment it is something that does not worry him in the least. Time will tell.

It is an interview with Rosana Calvo

If you have any questions about the MRCYB Sailing School you can write to escuela@mrcyb.com

INTERVIEW WITH RAMÓN PALAO · COACH OF THE MRCYB INITIATION SAILING COURSES

Ramón Palao is a coach at the Monte Real Yacht Club Sailing School. His resume says that he is a Level 1 Sailing Technician by the Galician Sailing Federation, and those who know him say that he is a responsible and methodical coach, very involved in the learning of his students.

After having sailed for years in Switzerland, he came to Galicia to transmit the knowledge acquired to all those boys and girls who want to enter the world of sailing. He does it every weekend in the bay of Baiona, in the introductory courses that are taught in Monte Real.

In their classes, both at sea and on land, children’s learning goes far beyond merely nautical issues. Practicing sailing the little ones gain self-confidence, learn to relate to other children, develop their love for the sport and acquire environmental awareness.

Ramón, tell us, how is the work with the children you teach to sail?

I always try to convey the widest possible idea of the world of sailing. In addition to a sport practice, sailing is a culture, an art and a technique that connects with the other sea trades. I think this helps me to carry out my work, which is none other than instilling this hobby in young sailors. In this way, they understand from an early age that practicing sailing offers them a multitude of possibilities, both present and future.

On the other hand, the facilities and means that we have at the Sailing School and at the club, as well as the cast of professionals who accompany me every day, make the job much easier. Obviously, working with children is a delicate and complex task, but it can be very rewarding to the extent that, as an instructor, you discover that it cannot be taught if it is not learned at the same time. And that is something that my students remind me every time we go to sea.

The sensations must be very exciting for them… How do they experience those first moments at sea?

It’s a real roller coaster! My classes last four hours and, in one morning, the children can go from euphoria to apathy, from laughter to tears, but, most importantly, they continually improve themselves and generally have a great time.

Sometimes I have to put a bit of perspective to realize what all this means. The sea and the boats are always something exceptional, which reports unique sensations; children love the water, swimming, seeing the fish, etc.

In short, sailing is a healthy practice that brings together all the benefits of outdoor activity. Therefore, one of my goals is for children to learn to know their environment better, but it is also important to teach them to respect all of this and to act with caution and safety.

At the MRCYB Sailing School you work with children from 7 years old, is that the best age to start in the world of sailing?

As with other facets of life, there is no single age to perform certain activities. Fortunately, the School is equipped with a fleet of boats that allows us to adapt to the different characteristics and needs of sailors.

Younger children, for beginners, can sail the Optimist, individually or in groups, on doubles boats, such as the Cadete, or on the Omega, which are very dynamic and fun school boats.

Obviously, at these ages, they have to be looked after with special care, but the immense capacity they have to acquire the necessary aptitudes never ceases to amaze me. And I think I’m not the only one who is surprised!

There are many fathers and mothers to whom sailing still seems like an elitist sport, destined only for a few. What is true or false about this statement?

As I already said, sailing is much more than a sport. In Galicia, as in other coastal lands, sailing and boats have a long history and tradition. It is a pity that, socially, this is unknown and lost, and that the pageantry of yachts and elites predominates.

But I also believe that this is a prejudice that the facts deny, as in the case of our Sailing School, which is breaking all barriers to bring sailing closer to as many people as possible. To get started in sailing, what is needed above all is attitude.

In sailing, as happens with many sports that are practiced in childhood, children acquire certain values that will help them later throughout their lives. In what way does learning to navigate help the little one to learn to live?

I dare say that is the big question. At least, the one I do very often. I think that, connecting with what we have been saying, sailing provides very valuable qualities and that, in some way, we all have in the imaginary: persistence, courage, sensitivity, respect, etc. There is so much literature inspired by the sea! But it is that it feels very good to be in contact with the elements of our environment, the sun, the winds, the clouds, etc.

Sailing, for children, is an extracurricular activity that allows them to be in contact with things that are often unknown even to adults. In fact, sailing is like “riding a bicycle”: once it is acquired, it is valid for all boats. We hope that it will help the children to discover other seas.

The introductory dinghy sailing courses at the Monte Real Yacht Club taught by Ramón take place on Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. To enroll in them it is not necessary to be a member of the club. The only requirement is to be over 7 years old and know how to swim.

It is an interview with Rosana Calvo

If you have any questions for Ramón, you can write to us at prensa@mrcyb.com and we will send it to him