Training

Somers Yacht Club Sailing School

We are an accredited Australian Sailing Discover Sailing Centre and offer high-class training and fun on boats.

We offer a wide variety of courses ranging from the total beginner to coaching, both on monohulls and catamarans. The program caters for juniors (min age 9), teenagers and adults.

We also run our own in-house club training for Patrol Boat Driving, Launching and Retrieving and Tractor Driving.

Season 2024-25

dates and courses

All participants must be members of Somers Yacht Club to enrol.

The club helps support the running of these courses to keep costs down and offer an excellent service to members.

Courses open for bookings October 1st.

Click on relevant course for dates

Adult Learn to Sail Courses

Learn to sail – This course is designed to provide a safe and enjoyable introduction to dinghy sailing for the complete beginner or the intermediate sailor. The course looks at the fundamentals of boat handling, essential safety knowledge and manoeuvring the boat efficiently in light to moderate conditions on all points of sail.

Sailing Refresher – To help you regain your confidence in sailing a pacer after the winter break. This is not a learn to sail course. We encourage past adult sailing school students to attend.

Juniors Learn to Sail Courses

Juniors (min age 9) – teenagers

Start sailing 1 – Your sailing journey starts here as you learn the fundamentals of boat handling and essential safety knowledge in a safe and supportive environment.

Start sailing 2 – Your sailing journey continues as you begin to master your fundamental sailing skills and become competent to sail a dinghy in controlled conditions independently. You will learn to apply knowledge of sailing to all points of sail.

This course builds on what is learnt in start sailing 1.

Better sailing – This course develops the skills required to get the maximum speed out of your boat. You will master the fundamental sailing skills and sailing to all points of sail in stronger conditions.

You can use the club pacers or BYO your own boat. This course builds on start sailing 2.

Start Racing – This course provides you with the knowledge to start racing. You will be provided with an understanding of tactics and boat tuning techniques.

You will need your own dinghy for this course. A club hawk may be hired for the season for this. This course builds on better sailing.

Sailing Training and Coaching

These courses are not for beginners but for sailors who already can control their boat competently.

These sessions are aimed at building on your boat handling skills, to better understand tacking and gybing, its balance and how to make the boat move faster. You will also learn trapezing skills if appropriate for your class of boat, spinnaker work and teamwork if on a 2-person boat. You will need your own boat in good working order or book a club boat for the session.

Youth Coaching - Monos

Sailing Coaching - Youth Catamarans

Sailing Coaching - Racing Group

Sailing Coaching - Transition Group

Tractor and Patrol Boat training

Please express your interest in being trained to our sailing committee at rear.commodore@somersyachtclub.com.au, or by talking to Simon morris or Nigel Beddoe. These sessions will be run during a time that is convenient for all parties. We aim to empower more of our club members and give them the knowledge to comfortably handle club equipment and complete the tasks needed for our sailing events.

Please check the course description to make sure it is the right course for you.

Further enquires please email sailing.school@somersyachtclub.com.au

Before you enrol please could you make sure that your membership to Somers Yacht Club is current.
You will need the participants Australian Sailing login name and password to enrol.

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