SAIL2CHANGE
FRESH WIND FOR YOUTH
Water Quality and Racing
US Sailing Team athlete Nora Brugman covers the basics of tides and currents and the effects they can have on your sailing venue and strategy. Learn more about how the water we sail on is dynamic and keeping it clean is important. This curriculum builds off module five from US Sailing's Reach program. Complete the Module 5 Worksheet from the Reach Student Logbook.
What do you remember?
QUIZ
1. If you are sailing against the current, how do you calculate your Speed Overground?
a. Speed Overgound = your speed + speed of the current
b. Speed Overground = your speed - speed of the current
2. What does Ebb tide mean?
a. When the water rises to its highest point.
b. What the water reaches its lowest point.
c. When the sea level lowers over several hours.
d. The time between currents when there will be nearly no current at all.
3. What is slack water?
a. When the water rises to its highest point.
b. The time between currents when there will be nearly no current at all.
c. When the sea level lowers over several hours.
d. What the water reaches its lowest point.
4. Why is it important to check the tide tables and charts?
a. To learn the direction and speed of the current.
b. To know how the current will react with the coastline.
c. To be aware of shallow and deep areas.
d. All of the above.
5. Does water travel faster in deeper areas or more shalllow areas?
a. Deeper areas
b. Shallow areas
Dicussion Questions:
Why are currents important to water quality?
How does that effect sailing?
How might a storm effect the water quality or change the circumstances for a sailing race?
Quiz Answers: 1.B 2.C 3.B 4.D 5.A
Sources: US Sailing