Youth Sailing Skills Sessions

The aim of the practice sessions is to help young sailors refresh and build confidence in the sailing skills they built last summer. These sessions are primarily targeted at sailors who do not regularly take part in club sailing and for whom these sessions will ensure they are well prepared for the summer sailing camps when they kick off enabling them to make the most of their time on the camps.

Sailors who book the Youth Sailing Skills Sessions will be given priority access when the booking of summer courses opens.

Format:

• Four (4) sessions, each lasting 3 hours spread over 6 weekends in May/June. This will allow us flexibility in case weather conditions require rescheduling. 

This programme would be suitable for children who have previously taken part in sailing courses and are looking for a skills refresher. They are suitable for sailors in any level from Start Sailing upwards but are not open to complete novices. A minimum of 1 full week's participation in an SYC or otherwise accredited sailing centre is required.

The sessions will be run by qualified instructors. Hours sailed in skill sessions may be used to complete log hours required for IS certified courses. The skills sessions are not part of the sailing course and progress will not be recorded on checklick.

Conditions for acceptance for Youth Sailing skills sessions

1. Applicants must be at least 10 yrs old.
2. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 1 full week of an IS certified sailing course in 2024 or 2025.

Course Times:

The sessions will run from 10.00 – 13.00 on Saturday morning. SYC is not responsible for any session participant outside these times. All participants should be ready in sailing gear at 10.15am sharp. Participants arriving late may be excluded from the session.

Booking Conditions

• Sligo Yacht Club reserve the right to cancel a session series if there are insufficient bookings. Fees will be refunded if we cancel a session series.
• All trainees agree to abide by Sligo Yacht Club - Code of Conduct.
• Trainees or their legal guardians (in the case of trainees under 18yrs of age) agree that SYC may take their photograph or videos during the course and may use such material for training or on our website or other publicity material.
• Sailing is a weather dependent sport and every effort will be made to make the best use of the prevailing and forecast conditions at the time of the session. However safety is paramount and sailing may be curtailed due to adverse weather conditions. Unfavourable weather conditions will not be grounds for refunds. 4 sessions will run in consecutive weeks. Where weather conditions make the running of a session prohibitive the club will endeavour to reschedule the session. No more than 2 out of 4 sessions will be rescheduled. Where the rescheduled date cannot go ahead due to unfavourable weather conditions no refunds will apply.
• Trainees will be allocated a place in groups based on their sailing skillset. Our sessions offer an ideal opportunity for children to make new friends and mix with others. Sligo Yacht Club cannot accommodate children being placed with friends/family unless there are pressing extenuating circumstances. If you feel that this applies to your child please contact the Centre Principal, Nancy Rooney, prior to making your booking. Refunds will not be issued based on group allocation.
• Where a place is cancelled with less than 1 weeks notice prior to the start of the session series a refund will only be issued where SYC is able to fill the cancelled slot. All cancellations must be done by email to the Centre Principal, Nancy Rooney on training@sligoyachtclub.ie.
• Trainees become temporary members of Sligo Yacht Club for the duration of the sessions.
• Where a participant sails their own boat, adequate boat insurance, in line with club membership requirements, must be in place.
• A limited amount of buoyancy aids will be available for rent at a cost of €5 per session.

Sailing Gear:

• Full Wetsuit
• Cag: A weather/wind protector jacket.
• Buoyancy Aid: snug, secure fit (can be rented from the club for a €10 fee per week).
• Wetsuit booties are ideal, but an old pair of trainers will do. These protect the feet when launching the boats and aid warmth.
• Swimwear for under the wetsuit.
• Rash Vest: helps prevent friction with the salt water and neoprene.
• Towel.
• Any medication taken, such as inhalers.
• Sun Cream.
• Warm, woolly hat and/or cap for sunny weather. Helps protect against knocks (from boom mostly!)
• Sailing Gloves: fingerless gloves are useful.
• Suitable warm change of clothing for after sailing. e.g. hoodie/fleece.
• Wet Bag/Tub/Box for wet gear
• Long hair: please tie-up.

All possessions should be taken home every session and sailing gear should be rinsed.

By attending each session, parents/guardians undertake that the answers given in the pre-sailing session questionnaire are still applicable on a daily basis.

Access to changing rooms and toilets will be available from 9.45pm till 1.15pm. Participants will be asked to adhere strictly to these times. Changing rooms are not supervised and are strictly accessible to participants. No parents/guardians will have access to changing rooms.