Training Programme

The optimist is the best boat to learn in but older heavier children may be more suited to the P class.
The program is aimed at providing an enjoyable introduction to yachting and yacht racing. Parents participation is essential to its success both in supporting and encouraging their own children and in assisting the club program.

The junior Learn-to-sail program will again be held at Kulim Park in October followed by more sessions at the main club.

The course is structured following Yachting NZ guidelines.  It starts with a rigging session followed by a pool session to check water confidence (in case of capsizing) right through to where most children can experience a race before Christmas. Graduation highlights from the Learn to Sail have included a trip to the sandbank and a trip with the centreboard division to our annual Xmas picnic at the Matakana wharf.

Optisail, a sleep over 4 day course run by Yachting NZ, is held at different clubs in our region. Watch the notice board for details.   Optisail provides an enjoyable and very effective means of improving the skills of optimist skippers.  Details for enrolling for the course will be available soon.

After Christmas depending on their progress the new skippers continue on with the learn–to–race program.

Throughout the season we attempt to provide visiting, qualified sailing instructors to teach the racing skippers. This training is usually by boat class and capability. We attempt to have one instructor to a maximum of 10 sailors.
These events are sometimes part sponsored to help off set the cost of the programme. Watch the notice board or email for details.

There is a training programme available for crewing the rescue / patrol boats and committee boat. Also provided is a training programme to teach you how to be an effective learn to sail instructor and race official.  Again watch the notice board or email.