Welcome to MudRatz racing!
The MudRatz is THE racing team for junior sailors in Eastern Connecticut and Western Rhode Island.
The MudRatz Opti Team is focusing on sailors in the ages of 8 to 14 who have the basic skills of opti sailing and are ready for the next step in racing. We will be working on advanced rigging, sail and boat trim, starting and racing tactics.
In addition to the opti program for the younger sailors, the MudRatz offers racing programs for the older kids in 420’s, ILCA6’s and sport boats. We even participated in the Newport-to-Bermuda race with the sailing yacht Spitfire!
Opti Team Registration Link
An annual membership with the MudRatz is required to be part of our team.
Mudratz Membership Link
What to expect and prepare you and your Opti sailor for next…
Please understand that our team is not a learn to sail group… we are a learn to race group. Most kids start on our team after enjoying a season of racing at the Green fleet level. During the first practice your child will be evaluated. If it seems they need more coaching to get up to speed with the group we may refer you to private lessons or suggest waiting a season.
- Boats must be safe, meaning: no sharp edges, holes and loose parts. All loose parts must be attached to the boat by means of shock cords or lines.
- Optimists must comply with the IODA Class rules, which can be found on https://www.optiworld.org/index.php/default/classinfo/documents/ini/1
- For safety reasons, optimists with floating tanks are not allowed to be used during MudRatz sessions.
Check out our growing FAQ page!
Boats, Gear, and Volunteers…
We expect each sailor to bring their own Optis.
Please make sure kids are dressed for sailing (drysuits in the spring (wetsuits at a minimum), smocks, gloves, boots, hats) as we sail in ALL weather, rain, wind, snow, and sun. Please send each child with a snack and re-usable water-bottle as well. Each season we see kids become limited by the clothes they have… dress your child for success… you would not send them onto the ball field without cleats!
Kids should be rigged and ready to launch by the START of practice! Please get the kids there early enough to be completely ready to sail at the start time of practice. We want to make the most of our time together!
Please ask how you can help… we are a 100% volunteer team and there is always something that needs to be done each week. We always could use loaner coach boats… they can be left in the water if you have one you can bring over.
Thank you for being part of our team. We really hope to create a good experience for all the kids!
MudRatz Mission statement: The mission of the MudRatz is to complement local youth sailing programs by enabling sailors to improve as a team and travel around the world.
MudRatz 