Author: Monique

On Saturday we held our second Learn to Sail Day 1 course for 2022 with 4 new sailors and 2 sailors from the previous course.

With 15 knot winds and gusts up to 20 knots we had a great day on the water, with participants each experiencing helming, rounding markers, gybing and capsizing!

Huge thanks to our volunteers, Bryan (safety boat), Brennan (safety boat and teaching), Kate and daughter Charly (who loved seeing her mum capsize), Karen and Kynan, Lex, Peter Ross, Gail and Debbie Beard.

Our new sailors (who are also now club members) left quite “chuffed” about the day. On Sunday, sailor Toni, said she hadn’t felt so “exhausted and exhilarated” in a long time and is looking forward to Day 2 on 26 March. They realized very quickly that dinghy sailing is not about “sipping champagne” onboard a yacht!

If you would like to learn to sail a dinghy, or you are an experienced sailor who would like to volunteer your time sharing your knowledge, please email the club.

This course is being held to all Females (15 years of age plus), as part of the SheSails program, developing Women in Sailing.  

Commencing on Saturday 5 February 2022, our club is running a Start Sailing 1 – Introduction to Sailing Course at Fingal Boat Harbour.  The course consists of 2 x 6 hour sessions over 2 Saturdays –  05.02.22 (commencing at 9 am) and 19.02.22 (8 am start) – starting times work around the high tide and based on NSW day light savings time.

The cost is $150 for the 2 sessions, and non-refundable, should you not attend both sessions.   This will include Tweed Valley Sailing club membership which is $100 (membership runs out on 30 September each year).  Benefits of being a club member is you have insurance coverage when sailing with the club, and that once you are a confident sailor you can hire the club dinghies (which you will be learning in).

The course is limited to 10 participants only.  

If you would like to learn the basics of sailing, and start your dinghy sailing journey, you will enjoy this course.   

Intro to sailing:  By the end of this course you will be confidant in:

1. Preparing to go on the water:  clothing to suit the conditions, use of safety equipment and the need for protection from environmental elements.
2. Be able to rig a boat with assistance and identify the commonly used parts of the boat.
3. Tie a figure of 8 knot and  a bowline.
4. Perform a capsize recovery in shallow water and participate in single boat towing.
5. Be able to launch and recover a boat with assistance; correctly tack and stop the boat; successfully sail a windward/broad reach course;  paddle boat around a marked course.
6. Understand the meaning of port and starboard;  windward and leeward;  and overtaking vessels.
7. Identify the wind direction;  able to source weather forecasts. 

There will be no official certificate issued, but the course is run within the guidelines of Discover Sailing syllabus.  

There will be safety boats and drivers, and a group of experienced sailor volunteers to assist you.  The dinghies we will use in this course are pacers and X3s.

Pre-requisites:

. confidant swimmer (performing a capsizing is part of the course, but you will be wearing a lifejacket).

. agile and quite fit and strong (you will be constantly ducking under a boom and moving from one side of the dinghy to the other.  Lifting is involved too.)

If you require further information, please don’t hesitate to email or phone me, details below.  

To register: click on the link below:

https://www.revolutionise.com.au/tweedvalleysc/events/126199/

Kind regards

Monique

SheSails Rep

TVSC

e:  swell.lady16@gmail.com

Ph:  0409 761 908

“SheSails” next Sailing event is on Saturday 22nd May 2021, for all female members of the club, including those women from previous courses who have not yet become members.

Those women who have participated in our past monthly events are now confident in rigging and derigging a sailing dinghy, and now sailing solo.  Spending as much time sailing on the water is the only way to improve your skills and understand the theory of sailing.  I also appreciate their continued support of the SheSails program.  

Rigging to commence at 12 pm, as High Tide is at 5:13 pm.  A safety boat will be on the water to provide assistance. 

There will be the choice of sailing a pacer together or sailing solo on an X3, and a laser.

The cost is $5 per person, which will cover the fuel expense for the safety boat.

For those members who have their own boat, you’re welcome to bring your boat and sail with us!

Once again, I look forward to seeing you on 22nd May at 12 pm.