Senior Keelboat sailors must be signed off on the J80 in order to sail it.

There are two levels of signoff:

• White sails, which includes low-wind kite usage.  Low meaning 8kn and under (ie, not even close to white capping), so people can get used to hoisting/dousing/handling the kite in calm circumstances.
• Full sign off, sky's the limit.

Who can sign off these levels:

• Anyone with the full signoff can sign people off for white sails
• Anyone with full signoff AND is on the keelboat rating committee can do a full signoff

https://www.cal-sailing.org/who-can-sign-off-tests-and-ratings

What's involved in getting signed off:

This is up to the person signing off, but here is an incomplete list:

• How to hoist/douse/manage the kite even for white sails signoff
• How to furl/unfurl the jib, including don't let the wind take the sail and unfurl it with speed and force.  The furler is old and fragile.  Also, the jib cannot be used partially furled.
• Jib halyard needs tightened when the jib is first unfurled and loosened before furling for the last time
• How to use the electric outboard
• How to properly put the boat away (here)
• High wind experience.  Do you know what to do when the boat won't fall off below a beam?  Dropping the main isn't the 1st, 2nd, or 6th answer.
• Discussion of high aspect foils and why that makes it easier to get into trouble in close quarters

Remember, this is a high performance boat.  It's not just a slightly more powered and agile Merit (or J/24).  It's a completely different beast, and it's also more fragile than our other boats.  But it is also waaayyyy more fun.