THE Urunga Sail Training Club (USTC) now has five new Assistant Instructors after running instructor training with Australia Sailing in late 2023.

Club member Alice Schreenan also completed her Senior Instructor Accreditation.

This was possible through a grant with the NSW Office of Sport’s Women on Water program.

Starting on February 10 the Club will offer five weeks (Saturdays) of on the water fun and hands-on learning, with participants completing the Australian Sailing National Small Boat Start 1 and 2 courses on the beautiful waters of the Bellinger and Kalang Rivers.

“Our last course had fourteen girls complete the Start 1 and 2 course and our new mostly female instructors assisted with their new Instructor skills training,” said Derek Ridgley, the Principal of the Discover Sailing Centre.

“We also held a Wednesday ‘Women on the Water’ course, sailing from Urunga to Mylestom as part of the training.

“The ‘Mums’ are the ones that mostly take their kids to sport, and this has offered them a way to be involved as a family, with themselves learning new skills – and they were in great hands with our experienced, nationally accredited Sailing Instructors.

“The courses are for beginners and anyone wanting to brush up on their sailing skills, so no experience is necessary.”

The course teaches how to confidently skipper and crew a sailing dinghy, basic sailing manoeuvres, boat parts and rigging, safe boat launching and retrieval, capsize recovery drills, reading the tides and weather conditions, sailing etiquette and more.

The skills learnt can be transferred to crewing and sailing on larger boats.

The Urunga Sail Training Club is a volunteer organisation which runs programs for people of all ages and most abilities and has been teaching sailing on the Mid North Coast for thirteen years.

Courses are run three times per year in February, May, and October.

Weekday and holiday courses for schools, other groups and individuals are also offered by appointment.

Sailing is a wonderful sport for people aged from 7 to 85 years, as it encourages both mental and physical ability in addition to promoting a healthy, active outdoors lifestyle.

“The sailing lessons have taught juniors and teenagers many valuable life lessons like decision-making, resilience, leadership, teamwork and communication in a fun, healthy environment and a wonderful way to explore and enjoy our wonderful waterways,” said Derek.

For more information visit www.sailurunga.org.au, email urungasailtraining@gmail.com or phone Derek on 0427115892 or the Secretary on 0490349378.