Learn to Sail

MIT has a fleet of six Lynx Catboat sailboats from Arey’s Pond Boat Yard -our largest boats on the Charles River. The Lynx is beautiful and simple to rig and sail, but it takes some getting used to — especially since it is MIT’s only gaff-rigged* boat. It is a great social boat: the boats are large and flat, making them more stable than the Tech Dinghy. Its larger size can accommodate up to 8 people. The boat is self-bailing, which means the deck stays mostly dry.
* (gaff-rigged means it has a four-sided sail, held on the top by a diagonal pole called the “gaff”)

All our boats have built-in lights for moonlight sailing and a lowerable mast for going on harbor trips.

This class will teach you the basics of how to get started sailing on the Lynx. Upon successful completion, you’ll receive the Lynx Catboat rating. The class is taught on the boat, so please be on time and ready to sail.

You will learn:

• The parts of a gaff-rigged catboat (throat, peak, gaff, etc.)
• Rig the Lynx and hoisting its sail
• Leave the mooring safely
• Not to get stuck while tacking
• Jibing safely & gracefully
• Use of the centerboard
• Picking up the mooring
• Unrig and put away the Lynx
• Docking
• Reefing to reduce the sail area for high winds (new slab reefing system, 2024 season)
• What to do if you panic or feel overpowered
• General tips on sailing the boat
• Rules of the road

Preparation

• Before attending the class, please watch the Lynx videos as preparation.

Further Reading & References

MITNA Wiki Lynx 16 page
Arey’s Pond’s Lynx page