The introductory day skipper course is for all family members and crew and applies to a wide range of vessels including yachts, launches, powerboats, jet skis, sea kayaks, and waka ama. The organisation is also now developing an online version of the course to complement its popular online VHF course, released last year.
The comprehensive boatmaster course is for boaties with some existing knowledge and experience. Modules covered include navigation, compass and chart work, "rules of the sea", tides and weather and boat handling. CBE's award-winning safe boating programme targets primary and intermediate children and is being taught at swimming pools throughout New Zealand.
Volunteer with Voyager
To ensure it's all smooth sailing at the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum, volunteers help with a range of tasks including sailing and caring for its heritage vessels such as the tall ship Breeze. If you want to crew one of these vessels, sailing experience is welcomed (you need formal qualifications to be a boat master) but Voyager can provide training to novice crew members.
Private sailing schools
There are a number of private sailing schools in Auckland.
One of the longest-running is the Penny Whiting Sailing School, which offers a 15-hour (five three-hour hands-on sessions) learn-to-sail programme on weekends and afternoons from November 1. Penny Whiting, Westhaven Marina and the Ponsonby Cruising Club hold a Boating 101 evening next month with answers to questions about how to learn to sail, the level of commitment and involvement if you sign up to crew on a boat, how one gets into racing or social sailing, how to join a yacht club, dragonboating and stand-up paddling boarding, and the various training schools and facilities at Westhaven Marina.
Get your motor running
Andrew Flanagan, of Powerboat Training New Zealand, says that just because you can drive a car (or sail a sailboat) doesn't mean you can automatically hop behind the wheel of a powerboat and simply take off into the wild blue.
He says it requires specific skills and knowledge.
Powerboat Training NZ provides practical and theory courses and private tuition on all sorts of powered vessels, from jet skis to large motor launches. If you have your own boat, they can offer private onboard tuition; if you don't have a boat you can learn on one of theirs with the option of private lessons or joining a group of three.
As well as introductory courses, there are intermediate and advanced programmes and more specialised courses. Andrew recommends that at a minimum, people going to sea complete a Marine VHF operator certificate, a first aid course, dayskipper and practical boating courses.
Sailors with a disability
Sailing has been a full medal event at the Paralympics since 2000. Yachting New Zealand has a committee of sailors with a disability to ensure people of all abilities have opportunities to sail and there are specialist organisations, such as Blind Sailing and Sailability, who work around New Zealand to make sailing accessible to all.
Boats can be modified to suit individuals, there are lifting systems to help get sailors in and out of vessels, and blind sailors can navigate using onboard communication and buoys with sound signals.
Once learn-to-sail courses are completed and basic skills honed, sailors with disabilities can enter regattas and a handful of events are held in New Zealand each year. Sailability Auckland runs learner/fun days each Saturday. Newcomers welcome.
Need to know
Yachting New Zealand
Coastguard New Zealand
Boating 101: Monday, November 10 at the Ponsonby Cruising Club, Westhaven Drive, from 6-8pm. $20 cash-only entry fee. Bookings at info@westhaven.co.nz, call 0800 MARINAS before lunchtime on November 10, or through the Westhaven Marina Facebook page.
Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum: (see the Voyager volunteers section).
Powerboat Training New Zealand: Email info@powerboat-training.co.nz
Sailability Auckland: Pier Z, Westhaven Marina, or contact sailing co-ordinator Tim Dempsey on 027 4844716 or email: timdempsey@xtra.co.nz
