Experience the sport of sailing at Abbotsford 12' Sailing Club. The club offers opportunities to Experience Sailing and to receive continued training in sailing for young and old.

Our Experience Sailing program is kindly supported by Club Five Dock and Canada Bay Club via CDSE category II funding

Club training Optimists kindly provided by the Boating Industry Association and Yachting NSW

The club provides several programs to Experience sailing

1. Experience sailing at Abbotsford youth from 9 - 14 year old
2. Youth with some sailing experience can become a member and join our Junior Fleet racing
3. A further program for older juniors and adults to learn more about sailing is through the Discover Sailing Day and our Social Sailing program

Experience Sailing 9 - 14 yr old

Basic Requirements

• Children need to be prepared to get wet! Board shorts and rash shirts are ideal, light spray jackets for colder days, or wear thermals. Sunscreen and a hat (preferably with a toggle or a string to prevent it blowing away) are required. Some sort of footwear that can get wet such as low-cost wet shoes (available from places like K-Mart) or soft soled joggers are advisable as the river bottom near the beach is very rocky.
• Children need to be able to swim and must be confident in deep water however PFDs (Life-jackets) will be provided by the club.
• This course is limited to 8 participants to make sure each child is given sufficient training. The course involves coaching by a Qualified Yachting Australia sailing instructor both on and off the water. Participants will receive a certificate and logbook at the completion of the course. Parents are required to stay while the children do the sailing course and are encouraged to participate in the training by helping to rig boats (parents get to learn too!) and by helping to get boats and children in and out of the water. Parents can watch their children sail and sit back with a coffee on the clubhouse verandah.

Details of the program

Junior Racing Squad

Children from 9 - 14 yr old who have already got basic sailing skills can opt to join the Junior Fleet, which is our progression program. For the Junior Fleet, participants will race on a short course under supervision and with some additional coaching provided. Participants are expected to either own a boat (such as a Sabot or an Optimist) or can lease one of the club Sabots.

Social Sailing

Social Sailing is for members and their guests (from about 15 to any age) who want learn, practice and expand their sailing skills in a non-competitive manner. Social sailing days will roughly run on a two weekly basis during the season and through winter on a either a Saturday or a Sunday. This is dependent on the breeze, the equipment availability and on volunteers to help out. There will be an optional debrief after sailing. The Pacers will be available for members to sail, or members can use their own boats.

• For members using their own boats (or boats leased for the season) to sail with guests there is no cost.
• Anyone else using a “lease boat” (Pacers) should pay the lease fee of $60, or $30 each. Except when it is used for the ongoing training of a new member, in which case the trainer does not pay a fee and the trainee pays a $30 fee.

E-mails to announce social sailing days will be sent around. Willem Vervoort (email) will be coordinating social sailing, please contact Willem if you want ot be added to the social sailing mailing list. If you are not sure about your sailing skills or would like someone to sail with you, please contact Willem to discuss.

Discover Sailing Day and Family Fun Days

If you would like to just "try out" sailing than our Family Fun days, or the Discover Sailing Day in late October is your best option. Watch the website for more options or e-mail the club.