General
Who is eligible to join the DST?
Anyone is eligible to join the DST. There are sailors on the team with various levels of experience; from complete rookies to National Team members.
Competitive versus Recreational Team
There are two divisions: the competitive team, and the recreational team.
The Competitive team is made up of racers who compete in regattas in the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association. You can find more information at http://www.collegesailing.org/neisa/ Regattas occur on weekends in September through November and in April/May in the spring season. Practices will be held four times a week in 420s from the RNSYS.
The Recreational team is dedicated to teaching people how to sail. Certified CYA instructors teach basic sailing in J22s (small keelboats). Student to instructor ratio in the J22s is expected to be 4:1.
The rec team will learn the necessary basics of sailing, and will be versed in basic boat handling and sailing theory.
What is Wednesday Night Racing?
Wednesday Night Racing occurs every week at the RNSYS. This is a great chance to expand your circle of contacts and meet some great people from the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron! It is open to both the competitive and the recreational teams.
What are the Team fees used for?
Competitive Team fee: $150
Recreational Team fee: $50
Team fees are used for the following:
- Transportation
- Gas
- Boat rentals
- Car rentals
- Team gear
Can I pay my fee in installments?
No, at the beginning of every year.
Regattas
Who can go to regattas?
Members of the Competitive Team attend regattas. We try to send everyone who wants to go to a regatta, but this is subject to the number of regattas we attend and other requirements – eg two drivers 21 or over.
How many people attend each regatta?
We send one car to each regatta, with four people. At collegiate regattas, a team consists of two crews to race in the A and B fleets. At least two of the team members attending the regatta must be over 21 to drive the rental car if that is the mode of transportation.
Do I have to pay for food, gas money or hotel?
The team pays for all transportation costs associated with the regatta and intends to subsidize an hotel stay as much as possible. It is also frequently possible to stay with a host team at the regatta, which is both cheaper and a lot more fun.