Titahi Bay Boating Club offers Learn to Sail courses for children and young teenagers, run during the school holidays as a three-day introductory programme, followed by weekly sailing throughout summer if your child chooses to continue.
The next course will take place in week two of the Term 3 school holidays - Thursday the 10th to Sunday the 13th of October.
Registrations for our October school holidays course are currently being waitlisted as we have reached maximum numbers, pending any non-payments from registered entrants. We will likely run another course during the December school holidays - please fill out the form below, and we'll be in touch.
The cost for the three-day programme is $150.00 per child.
This course is suitable for children between the ages of 8 and 14. See below for more information.
Course Outline / Structure
The course is three days long, focused around sailing while having a fun time on and off the water, and activities run from 9am to 3pm with plenty of breaks. On each day, learning is divided into on-land and on-water sessions, so your child can take turns learning, having fun, and relaxing.
A four day block is allocated for the course, to limit the impact of adverse weather on learners. We aim to only use three of these four days.
We have youth coaches to engage with your young sailor both on the water and land. Adult coaches are on hand to provide expertise and safety in all aspects of the course. All of our coaches are qualified through Yachting New Zealand.
Core principles of our programme are having fun, learning to sail comfortably and safely, and a friendly learning atmosphere. While the idea of racing America's Cup yachts and being the next Peter Burling serves as inspiration for many kids, we believe that sailing is a skill for life first, career second. Our aim is to offer young sailors the pathways to racing and cruising in small boats, and believe they are best equipped to make decisions after learning to sail.
Safety in all aspects is important to us - and that applies as much to sailing on the water as it does off the water. Sailors are provided with all the gear they need to stay warm if they fall in the water. If the weather is too rough, we have a number of activities which allow us to remain engaged in sailing - even off the water!
Titahi Bay Boating Club is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children in its care. Child Protection Policy
Following the course, your young sailor may choose to continue sailing and learning by joining our rainbow sailing fleet, which sails after school during Terms 3 and 4 of Summer. The first season of this programme is free for sailors who complete Learn to Sail.
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Equipment - what you (and your child) should bring
I have my own Optimist! Can I sail it?
Having your own boat is a great goal and a privilege many sailors will aim to achieve - and we love to see cool boats - old and new - out on the water. But just like when learning to ride a bike or drive a car, accidents can happen and its always better to learn in a vehicle suited for the job. Your course entry fee covers hire of one of our plastic (polythene) Optimists, with which you'll be able to bump into all sorts of things (like other boats!) before worrying about damaging a nice wood or fiberglass boat!
But I don't have some of that equipment?
That's totally fine, and we don't expect you to go shopping prior to sailing with us. Our friends at Te Ara Moana have provided us use of their great collection of wetsuits, life-jackets and more, so everyone will be well prepared. No extra charge.
I have my own gear, can I wear it for the course?
Absolutely. If you've got any of the above items of clothing of equipment, please bring it along. Just make sure it fits - we do ask that wetsuits fit and are not baggy.
Where do I start?
As places are limited, we recommend registering for our next course if you're interested.
If you're not sure if your child would be interested, we encourage you to come to our club and try having a go sailing with a coach. This is a free service, please just ask. Otherwise, we run Open Days at least once a year.
Full payment of the course fee is required prior to confirm entry into the course.
What if the weather is bad?
Our goal is to make the most of the available sailing time both on and off the water. For learning sailors, this means that strong winds or heavy rain may restrict these opportunities - or simply be no fun at all. So in the event that bad weather interrupts the course, we keep a fourth reserve day in case a strong weather system makes the harbour unsailable.
In the event of a bad forecast prior to the beginning of the course that might preclude the minimum amount of on-water sailing time, we will reschedule or cancel the course prior to it starting. Refunds will be available in this instance.
What happens after the course?
There's only so much we can teach in three days, and sailing is best learned through continued experience. Young sailors who attend the course are highly encouraged to continue attending regular sailing days in the afternoons throughout Terms 1 and 4.
We highly recommend graduates take the chance to participate in Optisail in late January. Optisail is a three-day sailing camp held at our club, which provides an opportunity for your child to form friendships with other learn-to-sail graduates from across the region - as well as have a whole lot of fun!