Tackers is a fun introductory sailing program designed for kids aged 7 to 12.  Kids don’t need to have any prior sailing experience. The Tackers program focuses on non-competitive learning through games in a supportive environment with structured sessions plans and levels of achievements.

There are three levels to the Tackers program that your child can progress through:

Programs are either delivered as a 5-day holiday program or as a series of sessions over several weeks on either Saturdays or Sundays. Kids receive a Tackers kit and a certificate of achievement at the completion of each program.

The Tackers program is delivered in small groups by an Australian Sailing qualified Instructor.

Little Tackers – Introduction to Optimists

This is a fun introduction to sailing for young children aged 5-6. This course covers rigging an Optimist, tying basic knots, games and hands-on sailing in our safe sheltered waters in front of our clubhouse.  

No sailing experience is necessary. Participants must be able to swim and be water confident (buoyancy vest supplied).

Tackers 1 – Having Fun 

Our core learn to sail program for children aged 7-12. Kids are involved in on-water and on-land games to develop sailing related skills and sail in pairs in small boats. It’s a great opportunity to meet new friends and try something new!

Tackers 2 – Tricks & Techniques

Kids are given the opportunity to build confidence and skills in the boat and begin sailing on their own with the support of their instructors.

Tackers 3 – Sailing Fast! 

This is the final level of the Tackers programe. By now the kids have basic sailing skills and are able to sail a small boat with assistance from their instructors. Now it’s time to learn how to sail the boats faster! The sailors are still well supported by their instructors and continue to learn through sailing exercises and games.

Once the kids have completed Tackers 2 or 3 and are excited to continue developing their sailing in a fun environment, the club offers a ‘Green Fleet’ program for the kids to progress onto. Green Fleet introduces the kids to racing and here they to learn to race their boat around a course with other sailors and support from their instructors.

WHAT TO BRING

  • Wetsuit or bathers
  • Hat
  • Waterbottle
  • Lunch or snacks
  • Sunscreen

THE BOAT

The Tackers program is only delivered in a boat called an OziOpti.

This boat was specifically designed for the program due to their stability and layout and is an ideal introduction to dinghy sailing.

The boats allow two kids to sail together and as they gain confidence and move up from Tackers 1 to Tackers 2, they are able to sail the boat alone. This can vary with the different sizes of the participants. The Instructors also take into account the sailing ability and confidence of the participants in the given weather conditions.

The boats have built-in buoyancy which means they provide extra stability and perform well with even with the weight of adult-sized instructors aboard, should they need to help the participants.