Centreboard Division

Centreboard Sailing on Sundays

 The mornings are dedicated to 3-hours tuition of the Learn to Sail classes. Sailors arrive at 8.30am to get their boats and themselves ready for a prompt 9am on-the-water start. After sailing, all the gear and boats are washed down and put away. Then we have a 5 minute de-brief followed by a sausage-sizzle.

We ask that sailors and parents assist with launching and retrieving the sailing boats and the RIBS/patrol boats, washing down all the boats and helping to store all gear before leaving for the day.  Parents will be assigned to a roster to assist with this.

By 12-noon we aim to be finished so that sailors and parents can have a half-hour break before the casual sailing/racing part of the programme begins for those interested in further practice. Afternoon sailing is for any sailor, including adults; this starts at 12.30pm with a briefing with on-the-water racing starting 1pm, finishing 2.30-3pm. 

By keeping an eye on the fortnightly/monthly SYC newsletters, you’ll see when the SYC Sailing Division has races on and the opportunity is there to secure a spot on one of the ‘big’ boats and race regularly in the SYC Sailing Division races.

* We encourage sailors to stay in Optis until they have outgrown them, rather than see the Bics as the next step up. The 10 Bics were very kindly donated to us by various entities, and we are fiercely proud and protective of them. They cost a lot of money, and require a lot of respect, hence, not everybody is entitled to sail them. As such, potential Bic sailors must demonstrate their skills before sailing in them for the season. 

Bics are like skiffs; they require no bailing, are easy to rig; they are light and fast and a lot of fun. And the big appeal to parents of course, is that you don’t have to bring them home and store them. But! they don’t teach the fundamental skills that an Opti will. Lighter sailors can sail a Bic in light airs but simply don’t have the weight required to hike/stack out when the wind and waves get up; Hence, we use the Bics as the alternative to an Opti for novice sailors who are physically too big for an Opti; and as a stepping-stone to assist the undecided or uncommitted sailor or those not ready to commit to the purchase of a boat, so they can sail see the variance in sailing different boats and how much fun one can have. We have only 8 Bics available for hire, on a first-come-first-in basis providing we feel the age/stage of sailor is appropriate. The cost for this is $150 for the 8 week season. All costs include GST.

Commitment

The Centreboard Division is run by volunteers, and parent participation is paramount. We need parents to help with launching sailing boats and patrol boats, retrieving them at the end of the class, washing down and putting them away. Whilst sailors are on the water we prefer that parents stay to keep an eye on the sailors from the beach or assist coaches on water. Those running the programme are not baby-sitters, and like to feel that parents are sufficiently engaged to want to learn along-side their children. As the sailors grow in skill-set and confidence they are able to do more for themselves, less parent help is necessary so you will not have to stay for the 3hr duration. You will be able to gauge this as each week goes along.