4th August 2015: The following event is closed to new applications – we have been inundated with requests to attend! 

This is a one day event, running from 10am to 4pm and will focus on giving each participant as much time on the water as possible, learning the basics and applying them whilst under the watchful eye of an experienced sailor.  The club is offering this free of charge to club members.  If you would like to be considered for a place on this session, please drop an mail to:

>>>>>>       adrian@123webpromo.co.uk

Will I be able to sail on my own after this session?  The purpose of the session is to give you a good insight to the fundamentals of sailing a dinghy and having the opportunity to have a go yourself.  At the end of the session you will be in a position to sail under guidance from an instructor or experienced sailor and be able to develop the skills to which you have been introduced. So in short the answer is “No, not on your own, but you will have made a good start towards that ambition”.

I’ve never been in a boat – will that be okay? The session is aimed at people like you, or people who have been out in a boat but never taken the controls, oe perhaps you sailed years ago and just need a quick refresher to get up and running again.  Whatever your background you will be under the guidance of a team of experienced sailors who have all assisted in the delivery of RYA Training Courses, so fear not, you are in capable hands!

What will we be doing? The details are being finalised, but we will start the day with a briefing to get your bearings, and then we’ll get you kitted out with buoyancy aids and get you out on the water with an experienced sailor at the helm.  During this phase you will be introduced to some of the practical aspects of sailing a boat, whilst your guide will point out key parts of the boat and talk about what is going on as you change direction.  Next we’ll get you back on shoe and talk about the key controls on the boat and how they work, and then we’ll practice using them.  After that we’ll be back out on the water and you’ll be given the opportunity to take control of the dinghy.  After that we’ll use the time we have available to build on your new found skills.  The session will end at 4pm, and you’ll be pleasnatly tired with a huge grin on your face!

This sounds too good to be true – how much does it cost? Well it just got better! It’s absolutely free! Yep, free! We won’t ask you for a penny!

If you are confirmed on the session, you will need to bring the following as a minimum:

Clothing suitable for the weather at the time.

It is early September so it may be light clothes / Tee Shirts etc.  However, you may need warm clothes /waterproofs if the forecast is for rain.  Hats are good if it is hot.  Sun cream too.  The sun reflects off the water and you can become sunburnt quickly.

A change of clothes.  It is unlikely that you will fall in but not impossible.  There are new male and female changing rooms including showers next to the Clubhouse.

Soft shoes / trainers that will get wet!
A packed lunch and drink.  The Clubhouse has a gas stove and cups etc.  You can make a hot drink if you wish.  Bring the necessary supplies.

The Safety boat will be on the water during all the training sessions.