FAIR WINDS — SCHOOLS SAILING PROGRAMME

Learn thru Doing.

Fair Winds is our long-running schools sailing programme on Lough Gill.

Since 2018, young people have come through Fair Winds and gone on to become Sailing Instructors, race locally and nationally, compete in Round Ireland, study Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering, and work as yacht delivery crew across Europe.

Some arrive having never stepped onto a sailing boat before — and that’s grand.

There’s plenty of room to learn, progress and see where sailing takes you. This isn’t babysitting. It’s proper sailing — and serious fun along the way.

Four Weeks. Real Progress.

Fair Winds runs twice a year, as a four-week block, on Fridays, with one 3.5-hour sailing session each week.

Autumn: 4 consecutive weeks
Spring: 4 consecutive weeks
Cost: €160 per four-session block
Who: School-age sailors of all levels

Returning sailors simply pick up where they left off and keep progressing.

What Happens on the Water?

We sail J24 keelboats on Lough Gill, working through the Irish Sailing syllabus from Start Sailing through to Advanced Sailing, all the way though to becoming instructors. (QQI certified).

From the beginning, everyone is part of the team.

Sailors learn to:

Rig and prepare their boat
Leave and return to a mooring
Helm and crew
Tack and gybe
Sail upwind, downwind and across the wind
Recover a Man Overboard
Communicate and make decisions as a team

As ability grows, so does the challenge.

The instructor gradually steps back, sailors take on more responsibility, and the aim is simple:

to create capable, confident young sailors — not passengers.

The Four Essentials

Good sailing keeps coming back to four things:

Boat Balance • Sail Set • Boat Trim • Course Made Good

We teach the theory, but more importantly, sailors begin to feel when the boat is right.

And without making a big deal about it, sailing also develops some pretty useful life skills:

Leadership • Communication • Decision-making • Teamwork

On a keelboat, everybody has a job and everybody matters.

THE PRACTICAL STUFF

What to Bring

We sail in Irish weather, so come dressed for it:

Warm outdoor layers
Waterproof jacket
Hat and gloves
Old runners or boots with good grip
Buoyancy aid if you have one — we have spares

Gardening gloves are absolutely fine for rope handling.

No wetsuit required. We sail larger keelboats rather than dinghies.

There are no changing facilities at the Lake Base, so please arrive dressed and ready to sail. Toilets are available before and after sessions.

Session Times

Morning: 9:00am – 12:30pm
Afternoon / Returning Sailors: 1:30pm – 5:00pm

There is no supervision outside these times.

These are half-day sessions, so no lunch is required.

Final session allocation will be confirmed through the Fair Winds Parent & Instructor WhatsApp Group during the week the course begins.

Please be prompt for drop-off and collection.

Communication

Course updates, session information and weather-related changes are shared through the Fair Winds Parent & Instructor WhatsApp Group.

If you need to be added, contact Sophie on 087 959 6607.

Phones

We keep the boats phone and speaker free.

Phones can be left in bags in our secure lockup ashore. Wild West Sailing cannot accept responsibility for lost or damaged personal items.

Weather & Cancellations

Sailing is weather dependent — learning isn't.

If conditions are too strong to sail safely, the session moves ashore for structured theory, ropework and practical sailing skills.

Refunds are not issued for sessions affected by adverse weather or illness.

Cancellations must be made at least 7 days before the course begins.

Refund requests should be submitted in writing to info@wildwestsailing.com, for the attention of Centre Principal Dave O'Connor.

FAIRWINDS | Youth Driven Sailing | Returning Sailors