Learn To Sail at Abbotsford

Experience the sport of sailing at Abbotsford 12 ' Flying Squadron. The club offers three programs:

• Introduction to sailing.
• Learn to Sail Course
• Learn to Race Course

Basic Requirements

Children need to be prepared to get wet! Board shorts and rash shirts are ideal. 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.

Try Sailing

Cost	None
Dates	Any Saturday September through to March and between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm or by prior arrangement
Duration	A one off session. Typically 15-30 minutes or as time permits.
Boat	Provided
Requirements	No experience required. Just the basic requirements above.
Contact	or phone 9427 4869

This is an opportunity for children who wish to have a casual sail to "test the waters" with an experienced sailor.

There is no cost to the participant.

Interested children just have to come to the clubhouse on a Saturday morning between 11.30 and 12:30 and enquire about an obligation free sail.

We will do the rest!

 

Introduction to Sailing Course

Cost	Free, however participants are required to join the club (see here for costs)
Dates	First course begins Saturday October 11th. Second course begins Saturday November 15th
Time	9:30 - 11:30 (roughly)
Duration	2 hours per week for 4 weeks.
Boat	Club boats provided
Requirements	No experience required. Just the basic requirements above. Parents are required to stay during the course and help with launching/rigging boats.
Contact	or phone 9427 4869

Introduction to sailing is a 4 week course held in October/ November and again after Christmas. The aim is to provide an opportunity for children to try sailing in a safe and comfortable setting. During this course the children will learn:

• The name of all the parts of a sabot and their purpose.
• How to rig a sabot.
• Safety on the water.
• Knots useful in boats.
• Capsize recover (usually on a warm day)
• Introduction to the points of sail.
• Basic steering and boat handling.
• The role of skipper and crew.

To find out more or register for learn to sail, either send an email to or phone 9427 4869

Traditionally this has been offered as a free program but due to insurance requirements, participants must become members of the club (at a very affordable price) in order to undertake the course.

The course involves coaching by skilled sailors both on and off the water. The students sail in the club's sabots on the Parramatta River in front of the clubhouse. Parents are required to stay while the children do the introduction to sailing course and are asked 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 go out on the support boats to watch their children sail or can sit back with a coffee and watch the action from the clubhouse veranda.

Learn to Sail

Cost	$90 per boat if club boat is used or $60 per boat if own boat or leased club sabot is used.
Dates	November 8th
Time	11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Duration	2 hours per week for 6 weeks
Boat	Club boat can be used (see cost above). Own boat or leased sabot can be used.
Requirements	Preferable for students to have completed the Introduction to sailing course. Otherwise only a basic understanding of sailing concepts is required.
Contact	or phone 9427 4869

Learn to sail is a six week course that revisits the topics introduced during learn to sail and then builds on them. The objectives of this course are for the students to be able to sail confidently in light to moderate conditions and to be ready to start learning to race. The course is taught by experienced coaches and children can use their own boat (or a club sabot they have leased for the season). For an additional fee the club sabots can be used.

Learn to Race

Cost	TBA
Dates	January 2009 TBA
Time	TBA
Duration	TBA
Boat	Participants must either lease a club boat or purchase a boat.
Requirements	Participants must have completed the learn to sail or an equivalent course elsewhere.
Contact	or phone 9427 4869

This course is for children that understand the basics of sailing and who want to progress to racing. The course covers:

• Learn to sail content in greater depth.
• Starting flag sequences.
• Basic starting line tactics.
• Rounding marks.
• More in depth boat handling.
• Provides an opportunity to sail longer courses.

The learn to race program is similar in format to the learn to sail however the children sail in a larger area and participate in short races.