SAILING starts back at Urunga Sail Training Club on Saturday 11 February 2023.

The Club meets at 9 Bellingen Street, Urunga and newcomers are welcome.

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This sailing season sees the club stocked up with new lifejackets, waterproof radios, and rescue boat training bought through a Government Department of Social Services volunteers grant received last year.

Beginning in February there will be five weeks of Saturday sailing on the water having fun with hands-on learning, completing the Australian Sailing National Small Boat Start courses 1 and 2, on the beautiful waters of the Bellinger and Kalang Rivers.

“It’s a great way to get into sailing and you will learn new skills, a love of the wind and water and you will be in great hands with our experienced nationally accredited sailing instructors,” Ross Bennetts, the Principal of the Discover Sailing Centre told News Of The Area.

“The course teaches how to confidently skipper and crew a sailing dinghy, basic sailing manoeuvers, boat parts and rigging, safe boat launching and retrieval, capsize recovery drills, reading the tides and weather conditions, understanding the ‘Rules of the Road’ and who has right of way on the water and more.”

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

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

The Urunga Sail Training Club is a volunteer organisation with a background of ten years of sailing on the Mid North Coast, running programs for people of all ages and all abilities.

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

As a training school, through grants, they have conducted Assistant and Full Instructor training, Powerboat and Rescue boat training, Women on Water courses, schools programs and discover sailing experiences.

“Sailing is a wonderful sport for kids from age seven years and adults, 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 waterways,” said Ross.

For more details, phone Ross on 0412421478 or Kerry on 0490349378.

By Andrea FERRARI