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WHSC Youth Sailing Courses 2025

Welcome to Summer 2025

We are looking  forward to a busy exciting summer of junior sailing. Here are a few points to bear in mind when booking and to get the most out of this sailing season. It is important you read and fully understand the information detailed below before booking your course!     If you have any questions please contact the Junior Organisers at jo@whsc.ie. Thank you, The Junior Organiser Team Nicola & Sheena

Important information about WHSC Youth Sailing Programme
  • It is recommended that our young sailors get as much experience on the water as possible beyond their 2 week sailing course . This should be achieved by participating in dinghy racing on a Wednesday evening and on Saturdays, or alternatively by getting involved with water time or cruiser racing on Sunday’s. Levels improving skills and above are tricky levels to pass and require sailors to not only participate in the course , but they must have a logged 20 hours on the water. Time on the water with your boat is essential to become a competent, confident sailor.
  • All sailors must pass the previous level before acceptance into the next course level. If a level has not been achieved in the year, the course must be completed in full again the next year. It is important to note that every year some sailors may not achieve their levels. We advise that parents explain this possibility to the children to avoid disappointment. Our instructors are guided by the Irish Sailing Association. Sailing is a life skill and hobby but safety on the water is paramount. No child should be pushed beyond their limits and capabilities. Confidence is gained slowly through their experience of sailing. As your child progresses through the sailing courses you can check on-line their levels via https://irishsailing.checklick.com/. This is the on line portal used by the sailing instructors to log your child’s achievements. New members must attach certification of levels achieved with their application forms.
  • Boat rentals
    BOAT HIRE IS INCLUDED IN CARA NA MARA, KITES AND WIRES AND ADVENTURES COURSES.There are NO club boats available to hire for those who have completed ABH. Own  boat is required.Some Club Optimist are available to hire for Taste of sailing, Start Sailing and Basic sailing. These are plastic boat suitable for these levels.We recommend for sailors completing Level 3 and higher, have their own boat to maximum benefit from course.

    UNFORTUNATELY THE CLUB CANNOT PROVIDE BOATS FOR ALL AND GIVES PRIORITY TO THOSE NEW TO SAILING.

    Once place on course is confirmed, we will be in contact with those parents to arrange boat rental..

    To increase the likelihood of sailors participation we would encourage children to have their own boat.

  • Booking applications will be made via a jotform link which will be released with Saturday 2nd March. Submission of form does not constitute confirmation of a place on a course. Courses can only be booked by fully paid up members. An email confirming your booking will be sent to you.
  • All payments for courses will be taken via GoCardless system once courses are confirmed.
  • If parents are looking to discuss their child’s progress during a course please can you book a slot  with the Senior Instructor outside of course time.
  • Boat insurance is essential if you are using your own boat during the course. This will be required when applying.
  • Shore duty Parents may be rostered to aid instructors for a morning or afternoon, in supervision particularly of children if for any  reason they cannot participate. If rostered the parent will be required to be in the club and help supervise children during lunch.
Important Course Information for Selecting the Right Courses

Below is an outline of the skills each level of sailing course is hoping to attain. We have indicated a minimal age for each course. This  is to ensure our sailors are progressing appropriately through the levels allowing them sufficient time during the season to hone their newly learnt skills. Only one sailing qualification per year may be obtained, except for Teen Sailing and Go Racing. Go Racing can be accredited the same year as ABH or Kites & Wires or Adventurer. You can book and attain another course that you qualify for, but will not be assessed for the second course, but you will become a better sailor!

  • Cara Na Mara .. This is aimed at 7-9 year olds. This is a one week half day course morning 9:30- 13:00 or  afternoon 14:00-17:30. This aims to introduce sailing to young children allowing them to explore and enjoy the water and outdoor environment.
  • Taste of Sailing. Minimum age 9.This is a new course for 2024, ensuring the sailors learn the basics of sailing, while having fun. . There is no pass requirement for this course. This is a 2 week course of half days either mornings 09:30- 13:00 or afternoons 14:00-17:30. By the end of this course the sailor should be sailing in light winds with assistance from the instructor. This course ensures all sailors learn the syllabus of Start Sailing, therefore providing greater confidence the following year.
  • Start sailing . Minimum age 10. This is a 2 week course of half days either mornings 09:30- 13:00 or afternoons 14:00-17:30. By the end of this course the sailor will be sailing in light winds with assistance from your instructor.
  • Basic skills. Minimum age 10. This is a 2 week course 09:30- 16:00. By the end of this course the sailor will be sailing on their own in light winds.
  • Improving Skills minimum age 11years. This is a 2 week full day course 9:30-17:30. It is recommended that if a child has not been sailing regularly that they need to do so prior to this course.(recommending at least 10 hours at helm). This course helps sailors to learn and demonstrate skills required to tune their boats in varying weather conditions.
  • Advanced boat handing age 12-13. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. A minimum of 20 hours as helm is recommended for this course. This is a difficult level to achieve and many sailors require 2 years to succeed. Skills required include roll tack and roll gybe  in all weather conditions.
  • Coaching weeks (all are full day course 09:30-17:30)
  • Toppers age 13/14/15. This is a 7 day course run over 2 weeks, allowing travelling days for southern and nationals.. A minimum of 20 hours experience as a helm is required for this course as well as Advanced Boat Handling and above courses. This level is hoping to develop the sailors skills so they can comfortably race at club and inter club level. It teaches racing rules, sailing tactics strategies and techniques. This is a great course to help give the sailor the confidence to compete at any level. Particularly good course for those planning on participating in topper events in 2024.
  • Optimists (passed Basic skills and/or Improving skills 2024) This is a 1 week course… This level is hoping to develop the sailors skills so they can comfortably race at club and IODAI event. It teaches racing rules, sailing tactics strategies and techniques. This is a great course to help give the sailor the confidence to compete at any level.
  • Pre-entry training (in Club 420’s).This is a 1 week course. This course will provide sailors the confidence to perform the manoeuvres  required for their instructor pre-entry assessment.
  • Teen sailing: min age 13. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. This course allows teens who are late to sailing, to do Start Sailing and Basic Skills in a 2 week course, with peers of the same level. A great way to make friends and develop our sailing skills.
  • Kites and wires minimal age 14. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. This course is to introduce sailors to the thrills and spills of sailing with spinnakers and trapezes. Sailors should have a minimum of 20 hours experienced as helm before they can attempt this course. This course uses 420s and wayfarers. As part of this course, sailors should be able to recover a dinghy that has capsized  with the Spinnaker up and be able to recover a man overboard in moderate to strong winds.
  • Adventure minimal age 15. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. This course aims to give you the skills and knowledge you will need in order to undertake longer trips and to sail in stronger winds. As well as understanding weather fronts and sea conditions, this course includes navigation. It also covers sailing under adverse circumstances. This year,  the club have made adventure a compulsory course for those looking to teach in  the future in WHSC. Dunmore is a wonderful place to sail but it is notorious for its tides,  shifting weather fronts and big seas. We feel this course gives the sailor the breath of knowledge and experience necessary to master our conditions and keep our fleet safe.
  • Assistant instructor age 16+. This is aimed at those considering to apply to become an instructor in the next year. In order to participate you must have a power boat level 2, be Garda vetted via Irish Sailing Association and have safe guarding 1  course ( again via Irish Sailing Association ) . This course will involve helping our instructors to teach, setting up and driving ribs, rigging sail boats and maintaining the clubs fleet of dinghies.
  • Adult sailing. This course is either mornings 09:30- 13:00 or afternoon 14:00-17:30. It is aimed at all adults keen to get out on the water. It covers a range of sailing levels including those new to the sport and those with experience looking to progress.
Course Costs & Schedule

Click here for information on Course Costs.

Click here for the Course Schedule.

Expression of Interest Form

Click here for the Expression of Interest Form

 

If you have any questions please contact the Junior Organisers at jo@whsc.ie.

Thank you,

The Junior Organiser Team

Nicola & Sheena

 

Below is an outline of the skills each level of sailing course is hoping to attain. We have indicated a minimal age for each course. This  is to ensure our sailors are progressing appropriately through the levels allowing them sufficient time during the season to hone their newly learnt skills. Only one sailing qualification per year may be obtained, except for Teen Sailing and Go Racing. Go Racing can be accredited the same year as ABH or Kites & Wires or Adventurer. You can book and attain another course that you qualify for, but will not be assessed for the second course, but you will become a better sailor!

  • Cara Na Mara .. This is aimed at 7-9 year olds. This is a one week half day course morning 9:30- 13:00 or  afternoon 14:00-17:30. This aims to introduce sailing to young children allowing them to explore and enjoy the water and outdoor environment.
  • Taste of Sailing. Minimum age 9. This course ensures the sailors learn the basics of sailing, while having fun. . There is no pass requirement for this course. This is a 2 week course of half days either mornings 09:30- 13:00 or afternoons 14:00-17:30. By the end of this course the sailor should be sailing in light winds with assistance from the instructor. This course ensures all sailors learn the syllabus of Start Sailing, therefore providing greater confidence the following year.
  • Start sailing . Minimum age 10. This is a 2 week course of half days either mornings 09:30- 13:00 or afternoons 14:00-17:30. By the end of this course the sailor will be sailing in light winds with assistance from your instructor.
  • Basic skills. Minimum age 11. This is a 2 week course 09:30- 16:00. By the end of this course the sailor will be sailing on their own in light winds.
  • Improving Skills minimum age 11years. This is a 2 week full day course 9:30-17:30. It is recommended that if a child has not been sailing regularly that they need to do so prior to this course.(recommending at least 10 hours at helm). This course helps sailors to learn and demonstrate skills required to tune their boats in varying weather conditions.
  • Advanced boat handing age 12-13. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. A minimum of 20 hours as helm is recommended for this course. This is a difficult level to achieve and many sailors require 2 years to succeed. Skills required include roll tack and roll gybe  in all weather conditions..
  • Coaching weeks (all are full day course 09:30-17:30)
  • Toppers/ILCA (aimed at sailor who have achieved Advance boat handling +). This course is hoping to develop the sailors skills so they can comfortably race at club and inter club level. It teaches racing rules, sailing tactics strategies and techniques. This is a great course to help give the sailor the confidence to compete at any level. Particularly good course for those planning on participating in topper/ILCA events in 2025.
  • Optimists (passed Basic skills and/or Improving skills 2024) This is a 1 week course… This level is hoping to develop the sailors’ skills so they can comfortably race at club and IODAI event. It teaches racing rules, sailing tactics strategies and techniques. This is a great course to help give the sailor the confidence to compete at any level.
  • Pre-entry training (in Club 420’s). This is a 1 week course. This course will provide sailors the confidence to perform the manoeuvres required for their instructor pre-entry assessment.
  • Teen sailing: min age 13. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. This course allows teens who are late to sailing, to do Start Sailing and Basic Skills in a 2 week course, with peers of the same level. A great way to make friends and develop our sailing skills.
  • Kites and wires minimal age 14. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. This course is to introduce sailors to the thrills and spills of sailing with spinnakers and trapezes. Sailors should have a minimum of 20 hours experienced as helm before they can attempt this course. This course uses 420s and wayfarers. As part of this course, sailors should be able to recover a dinghy that has capsized with the Spinnaker up and be able to recover a man overboard in moderate to strong winds.
  • Adventure minimal age 15. This is a 2 week full day course 09:30-17:30. This course aims to give you the skills and knowledge you will need in order to undertake longer trips and to sail in stronger winds. As well as understanding weather fronts and sea conditions, this course includes navigation. It also covers sailing under adverse circumstances. This year, the club have made adventure a compulsory course for those looking to teach in the future in WHSC. Dunmore is a wonderful place to sail but it is notorious for its tides, shifting weather fronts and big seas. We feel this course gives the sailor the breath of knowledge and experience necessary to master our conditions and keep our fleet safe.
  • Assistant instructor age 16+. This is aimed at those considering to apply to become an instructor in the next year. In order to participate you must have a power boat level 2, be Garda vetted via Irish Sailing Association and have safe guarding 1 course (again via Irish Sailing Association ) . This course will ensure our instructors learn while assisting the qualified instructors including setting up and driving ribs, rigging sail boats and maintaining the club’s fleet of dinghies.
  • Adult sailing. This course is either mornings 09:30- 13:00 or afternoon 14:00-17:30. It is aimed at all adults keen to get out on the water. It covers a range of sailing levels including those new to the sport and those with experience looking to progress.

 

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New Decking at WHSC

The fantastic new decking area at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club is now complete and open for use by members, visitors, local groups and clubs.  It unfortunately is weather dependant but we are very luck to have spectacular views from this area and now with the financial support of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve.

 

It was our aim when we commenced this project to renew and refresh the area so that we could safely use the decking area above the clubhouse and to take advantage of the space.  We have missed over the previous few years the visiting yachts to the harbour area and our club and it is with this investment and works combined with future advertising of our facilities that we hope to attract new visitors on a regular basis to the harbour, our club and the village of Dunmore East in general.

 

We very much appreciate the financial assistance of the Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme and the financial assistance that came with that enabling us to bring this project to this stage.  We now plan to further develop the area by creating a new balcony area, new entrance including updated disabled access and refurbishment of the stairs and exterior of the building.  This will take time but we are already seeing the increased turnover and positive reaction from visitors and hope to continue the momentum throughout the Winter and for the years to come.

 

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Test Race Result 05/05/23

Race Results:

 

Race Pictures:

 

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