Learn to sail. Build confidence on and off the water!

Our kids sailing courses teach so much more than just how to sail. It helps to plan for the unexpected, builds confidence on, in and off water. It encourages and promotes teamwork, even when sailing on their own. And it opens up a whole community of like minded people that are love the water and are keen to share their passion.

Term Time Kids Sailing Courses

Term time classes run on the same day every week, for 2 hours 15 minutes. In each session, we aim to gradually build your child’s confidence by following a set syllabus of skills for each level.

Mini Term

Our kids spring and autumn sailing program is a short 4-week program – conducted weekly on either Saturday or on Sunday mornings for those that have already completed a term or more or attended a holiday camp.

The program is aimed at providing sailors with the opportunity to keep their skills fresh ready for the next spring/summer season. The classes will be with mixed ages and skill levels – instructors will provide tips and coaching to individual students.

  • Cost is $295 per child

  • Autumn term classes are available on Saturday or Sunday, 9am-11.15am

  • Course starts on the 2nd September (Sat) or 3rd September (Sun)

  • Active Kids Vouchers Accepted

  • Kids should have completed a course with us previously

Note that the courses below will be available again starting in Term 4, October 2023.

kids sailing courses

Optimist Sailing

This program is for children who are new to sailing, or have a little experience. It covers all the basics on wind awareness, how to sail in a straight line (harder than it sounds), how to sail a figure of 8 course and what to do in the event of a capsize.

  • Cost is $485 per child on weekdays and $505 at the weekends

  • Classes are available in term 4 and term 1 on Monday or Wednesday after school 4-6.15pm, Saturday or Sunday 8.30am-10.45..

  • Active Kids Vouchers Accepted

  • If you have missed the first week or 2, we can arrange a catch up

  • School gate pickup from Manly Village available on selected days – get in touch

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Advanced Optimist & Beginner O’pen Skiff

This program is for children who have completed the beginner Optimist course and knows the basics and wants to improve their sailing skills. In this course they will start out in an Optimist and move onto an O’PEN Skiff when ready. They will learn how to handle a more tricky boat single on their own, about the 5 points of sail, how to come alongside and how to sail a triangle course well.

  • Cost is $565 per child on weekdays and $585 at the weekends

  • Classes are available in term 4 and term 1 on Monday or Wednesday after school 4-6.15pm, Saturday or Sunday 8.30am-10.45..

  • Active Kids Vouchers Accepted

  • If you have missed the first week or 2, we can arrange a catch up

  • School gate pickup from Manly Village Public School on selected days – get in touch

Kids Sailing courses

Advanced O’pen Skiff

Once the sailor has learnt how to handle an O’pen Skiff fairly well it is time to move onto the Manly Yacht Club Juniors program.

More information can be found at https://www.myc.org.au/racing/juniors/juniors.shtml

Keelboat Course

For those that have already have lots of experience in dinghies or perhaps are too big and have outgrown dinghies, we run youth classes on our 24ft keelboats. No experience required, this course will cover all the key elements of theory and practical to sail a small keelboat, introduce you to racing and when ready, spinnaker sailing and competing against each other in one design match races.

  • Cost is $600 per child

  • Available on Tuesdays 4.30pm-6.45pm

  • Active Kids Vouchers Accepted

  • If you have missed the first week or 2, we can arrange a catch up

  • For ages 11+

  • Opportunity to be selected for our race nights

Book Youth Keelboat

Good to know 

  • Duration: 8 week programs with sessions that are 2hrs and 15mins

  • Days/Times: Courses run after school during the week and in the mornings at the weekends. Days/time vary by level (more information on booking screen)

  • Boats: Young beginners sail in Optimists, generally with two (helm & crew) in the boat. Once their skills improve, they move onto sailing single handedly in an O’pen Skiff.

  • Age: For sailing, we accept children 7+ (sometimes a little younger if they are extremely water confident/have experience with parents sailing). For the keelboat programme, we accept ages 11+. For children over 13, the keelboat programme is most suitable.

  • Active Kids: we are an Active Kids provider. $50 voucher can be applied at the time of booking

  • Makeups: for safety reasons we have limits on class sizes and don’t guarantee swaps/makeups. If given advance notice we can generally accomodate during the course of the term.

  • Weather: to sail well you have to understand both the theory and then to put the theory into practice. Lessons will go ahead in most conditions, but we will take advantage of days with poor weather to cover theory topics & do drills on the deck and to hone our skills.

  • School Pickup: We can arrange pick-up from Manly Village Public School, get in touch for more info

Active Kids Provider

Parents, guardians and carers of school children can apply for a $50 voucher to use for sport and fitness costs from the NSW Government. More information can be found here.

Want to sail in the holidays?

Holiday camps are a great way to try sailing or other water sports for the first time or to get some extra time on the water and up-skill.