Next Sailing Course 4xSundays April 4th - April 25th 10am-2pm The beginners sailing course is designed to take beginners and inexperienced sailors through the important skills of sailing. Divided into four separate lessons, this course will build confidence with an emphasis on safety and fun. The course is over 4 days (normally Saturdays or Sundays) from 10am - 2pm. Total time on the water 16 hours+Lesson 1 - Its straight out on the water! - Sailing, Tacking & Gybing!Parts of the yachtLearn what all the ropes & blocks do and why they have their strange names. Get familiar with the cabin, cockpit and deckSelecting your sailsFind out how to select your sails for the day, learn how to attach them and hoist them up the mast. We look at the different sails we have for varying strengths of windOperating the yacht under sailOnce our sails are hanked on. we head out into the middle of the harbour to set the sails. Your skipper will introduce each point of sailing to help you to understand the differences, then it's over to you to have a go!SafetyAt the start of the lesson we show you how to fit and operate your special inflating life jackets, how to use the ship's radio and how and when to use flares. Learn the safe and unsafe areas to sit or stand and understand how far the yacht can heel over and why it would never capsize!Lesson 2 - Manoeuvering the yacht under power (engine)Under powerOperate the vessel as if it was a motor vessel only. Power the vessel along side the jetty and to a mooring. We’ll explain how to use the vessel's gauges and switchesWe'll refresh those sailing points again and sail up the harbourMarine VHF radio operationWe encourage students to use the VHF radio and take their radio course (separate 3 hour course, $65.00. Each trip we log a 'trip report' with the local maritime radio command centre Lesson 3 - More sailing then Mooring and AnchoringWe show you how to select the best spot to anchor and how much chain to put overboard. Learn how to retrieve the anchor safely. Bring the yacht to a stop safely to retrieve a mooringOur Weather & WaterUnderstand when it's safe to go boating around Lyttelton and the Banks Peninsula. We shall discuss tides, waves and wind and how to deal with strong winds and choppy waves.Then more sailing practiceLesson 4 - Even more sailing and Man over board & EmergenciesWe shall practice our man overboard drills using the engine and under sail only. We'll trial a few common methods and discuss the benefits of each. We also discuss emergencies such as grounding, fire & taking on water.What you needWe suggest trainers or sailing shoes, they must be comfortable & high-grip. Sailing gloves and sun protection are recommended. We provide Coffee & Tea / Cold drinks & snacks. We often stop in Diamond Harbour for a ½ hour lunch. We suggest you bring a pack lunch. We keep a camera on board & will email your photos to you at the end of the course
|


