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The weather wasn't always kind but it didn't seem to matter as 14 children completed learn to sail levels one and two at the Mercury Bay Boating Club recently.
Getting comfortable in the sea.
The club's youth programme is going through a rebuild and this week of sailing was a significant step in the growth of Mercury Bay.
The weather for the week was extremely challenging with strong east and northeast winds, rain and a sloppy beach break. It meant the coaches had to get quite creative in order to work through the level one and level two course guidelines established by Yachting New Zealand, but they were able to cover almost all of the mandatory skills and assessments and gave these kids a memorable four days of challenges and successes.
The 14 chilren practiced launching and retrieving boats in large waves, sailed solo and tacked and gybed their way through the various points of sail. They all persevered, despite the wet conditions and big breeze.
Special thanks to coaches Tara Corleyand Russell Chaney, as well as Thomas Ilott from Thames-Waikato Sailing.
The Mercury Bay youth sailing programme is committed to producing safe, confident sailors, who will become ambassadors for the sport and stewards of the ocean environment.
Towing the children to try to find more sheltered water.
