New Instructors for Sailing…Have a Go!

by Jodie Bakewell-White

Three new Sailing...Have a Go! Instructors have just completed a very busy few weeks of familiarization, maintenance and training prior to the saeson kick off on the 11th October, the first day of school Term 4.

Ryan Leatham, will be running the northern region. Ryan hails from New Plymouth but more recently from Wellington, sailing out of Evans Bay Yacht and Motorboat Club and Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club. He is a keen and very competitive Paper Tiger sailor.

Craig Ryburn, intrepid adventurer returned to New Zealand, will be running the Central Unit. Craig originates from Wellington and was a senior Instructor at the RPNYC Sailing Academy for many years.

Aidan Swale, home town Riverton, will be running the Southern unit. Aidan is a Southland Trailer Yacht Squadron member as well as currently being Commodore of the Riverton Sailing Club. He’ll be busy!

Incorporated in the two week season warm up was a full day out at Maraetai Sailing Club with children from local schools attending to give the new Instructors a taste of things to come.

“Maraetai is an awesome venue and we had perfect conditions for the day,” says Gerry Booth, YNZ Programmes and Services Coordinator. “It is great to be able to go there each year for our practice session, thanks to Steve Tennant, the Commodore, who is always very helpful and enthusiastic.”

Last season just under 3,000 children from 116 schools around the country took part in Sailing…Have a Go!

Some clubs in the Wellington and Taranaki areas have made mention that approximately 50% of the children that have signed up for their club’s Learn to sail programme this summer have come through Sailing... Have a Go!

The programme runs through until end of term on the 20th of December and then kicks off again at the beginning of February for Term 1 2011. For more information see www.sailing.org.nz or email gerry@yachtingnz.org.nz