The LTS Program starts 26th January 2025.
Please read below and if you have any further questions please drop an email to lts@maraetaisailingclub.org.nz
Maraetai Sailing club offers a safe, fun and comprehensive 10 day Learn to Sail (LTS) for children aged 9 to 12 years old.
Our program is run on Sundays between 9:00am and 15:30 and is based at the Maraetai Sailing Club at Maraetai Beach.
We have two intakes per season starting in September/October and January/February.
The Sailing Course follows the Yachting New Zealand (YNZ) program (10 weeks) and will result in sailors receiving their YNZ level one and two certificates. They will then move onto our Opti Squad Course.
No sailing experience is needed, just some water confidence and an ability to swim 50m in a life jacket.
All of our coaches are YNZ qualified and operate under the guidance of a very experienced Senior Coach. We run a child to coach ratio of 6 to 1 and where necessary have other rostered coaches available to step in to reduce this ratio.
Our LTS fleet is a combination of modern self bailing Optimist cubes and some traditional plastic optimists that are gradually being phased out with the newer cubes. Boats will be allocated to sailors for the duration of the course on a first in first served basis.
Maraetai Sailing Clubs LTS is water based with some classroom and onshore activities.
Our Course Covers:
- On Water Safety
- Sailing
- Boat Handling
- Capsizing
- Rigging
- Knot Tying
- Sailing and Boating Rules
- Hiking
- Upwind, Downwind and Reaching sailing
- Launching and Retrieving
The cost for the course is $495.
Sailing is a weather dependent sport and is something we have no control over. From time to time, due to weather conditions and other sailing regattas, we may have to change a date for the class. These sessions will be made up on other days either as part of a school holiday program or other organised sessions.
For older and taller children we run LTS Feva classes which may be more appropriate for your child. Please feel free to contact me to discuss.
Gear your Sailor may need:
- Life jacket
- Sailing Helmet (this is not compulsory, but from our experience is highly recommended)
- Wet Suit
- Hat
- Sailing Gloves
- Swimming Apparel
- Notebook and Pen
- Towel
- Warm Clothes
How Our Day Works
As our club is family based, the course is not a drop and leave. Parents are expected to be present throughout the day to help out with launching, retrieving and supporting your sailor.
There are plenty of things to do and we are happy to teach parents skills needed for running a club day. We can teach you to drive the tractor, check the boats, drive the ribs, get prepared for club racing and there is of course time for coffee and relaxation etc.
The program starts at 9am where we have a LTS general briefing before the kids split into their various classes.
Parents then help rig the boats. Don't worry, there are plenty of experienced hands and coaches to help out and show you how to do things. Eventually you will be relegated as the sailors learn to do this by themselves!
After the morning session there will be a lunch break and a club briefing before the afternoon session begins.
LTS will continue their sessions while the other members of the club start the racing activities for the day.
At the end of the session the sailors' boats and the club's equipment will be washed and put away before departure.
We aim to end the day around 3.30pm and at this stage it is expected that the boat club will be open for drinks, food and refreshments.
Our Learn to Sail Package includes*:
- Use of Club Optimist Dinghy
- 10 Days of Coaching by YNZ Qualified Coaches
- YNZ Fees
- 1 x Junior Sailing Club Membership
*The Package does not include Community Membership of Maraetai Boat Club. All other courses reqquire community membership.
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