Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club’s renowned School Holiday Sailing Program

by Paul Blundell on 25 Aug 2010 Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club’s renowned School Holiday Sailing Program will again operate during the September/October school holiday break.

Youthsail has operated the program for years now and its one of the largest in Australia. Up to 60 kids sail in s variety of boats starting with the beginners in the clubs fleet of 12 Vagabond 3.7m dinghies with a qualified Yachting Australia (YA) Assistant Instructor aboard.

The young sailors are given an introduction to the ‘Get Into Small Boat Sailing’ scheme designed by YA and are shown rigging, leaving and returning to the beach, sail trim, wind and tide, tacking and gybing and sailing a set course.

The more experienced kids that have already obtained their Yachting Australia Basic Skills one and/or two certificates are coached in the Sabot or Laser dinghies by qualified YA Instructors.

The normal day begins at 11.00am with a rigging session on the beach then it’s of up the river sailing to a lunch stop where after a short break the crews are shown capsize drills, rounding the buoys and some race tactics.

After lunch the crews sail back towards the club for an afternoon tea break where they enjoy fresh fruit, an ice block and have to chance to reapply the sun block before hitting the water again for some races held right in front of the club deck. Everybody hits the beach at around 4.30pm for a de-rig and pack away and the day finishes at 5.00pm

The program has been running at capacity for the last few years and bookings are on a first in basis. All lunch, afternoon snack, sun block and life jackets are supplied.

For further information, please go to: www.nyrc.com.au or email: sailing@nyrc.com.au