Give Your Child a Lifelong Love of Sailing

Maraetai Sailing Club's Learn to Sail programme introduces children aged 9-12 years to the exciting world of sailing through Yachting New Zealand's nationally recognised Start... Sailing! and Learn... Sailing! pathways.

Whether they're stepping into a boat for the first time or building on existing skills, sailors learn in a safe, supportive environment while developing confidence, independence, water safety awareness, and a love of being on the water.

No previous sailing experience is required.

What They'll Learn

Boat handling and steering
Rigging and launching an Optimist dinghy
Tacking, gybing and sail trim
Sailing safely in a range of conditions
Capsize recovery and water safety
Knots and basic seamanship
Decision making and confidence on the water
Teamwork, resilience and independence

As sailors progress, they build the skills and confidence to sail more independently and prepare for club sailing and racing.

Why Learn with Maraetai Sailing Club?

Qualified Coaches Learn from experienced Yachting New Zealand-qualified coaches.
Small Groups Maximum 6 sailors per coach for plenty of individual support.
Club Boats Provided No boat ownership required. Sailors use our fleet of Optimist training dinghies.
More Than Just Sailing Develop confidence, resilience, problem-solving skills and friendships that can last a lifetime.
A Welcoming Community Join a family-friendly club where young sailors and their families become part of the Maraetai sailing community.

Course Details

Age: 9-12 years

Prerequisites:

Water confident
Able to swim 25 metres wearing a lifejacket

Boat Type: Optimist Dinghy

Safety First

Safety is our highest priority. All sessions are run under the supervision of qualified coaches and follow Yachting New Zealand safety guidelines.

As sailing is weather-dependent, sessions may be rescheduled if conditions are unsuitable.

Not Sure Which Programme Is Right?

The Optimist is ideal for most sailors aged 9-12 years. For older, taller, or more experienced sailors, our Feva programme may be a better fit.

Get in touch and we'll help you choose the right pathway for your child.

Click Here to Register

We look forward to welcoming your family to Maraetai Sailing Club and helping your child take the helm for the first time.

A Little About Our Coaches

Our coaches are an amazing group of young coaches that are all YNZ qualified, have first aid coaching and are awesome with kids.

As a little club we take pride in developing our young local sailors throughout their sailing journeys and they often end up coaching at the club.

Our coaches are under the guidence of our Head Coach and sailors and often are upskilled throughout the season.

Club Policy: Parents, Sailors & Coaches

The fastest way for young sailors to develop confidence and independence on the water is by learning directly from their coaches. Our experience has shown that sailors progress best when coaches are able to work with them without parental instruction or intervention during training sessions.

For this reason, we ask parents and caregivers to allow coaches to take the lead whenever sailors are under their supervision, whether on the water or ashore.

There are many opportunities for parents to be involved and support the programme. Parent helpers play an important role with activities such as rigging boats, launching and retrieving from the ramp, beach supervision, and helping with equipment setup and pack-down.

We'll explain how parents can support the programme, and when assistance is needed, during our parent information session.

No sailing experience is required, and guidance will be provided.

Learn to Sail (Levels 1 & 2)