Parents - are you ready to throw the TV out the window? This year, send them to the LRYC Junior Sailing Summer Camp, which takes place from July 4 to 22 in its fabulous location on the shores of Lough Ree.
This summer camp is designed primarily to teach children the skill of sailing in a safe, supervised environment. Every day from 9.30am to 4.30pm, ISA qualified instructors explain the mysteries of the water and the wind and how best to use them together to command their boat. The theory that is taught onshore is put into practice on the water.
As children gain knowledge, they also grow in confidence as they become ‘master of their ship’. It is a thrilling experience that can give your children memories for life as they develop a love for the water.
For more advanced sailors the emphasis is on achieving further sailing skills, leading to competing on the national racing circuit, cruising the lakes and beyond, and qualifying as ISA instructors to teach sailing worldwide. Former participants have gone on to teach sailing in Ireland, USA, Bahamas, France, and Malta during their college years and others now have careers in the marine industry at home and abroad.
To facilitate this, the camp is offering two different modules this year – Kites & Wires 1 and Adventure 1 - which offer exciting challenges from trapezing and spinnaker handling to longer overnight sailing trips.
For the younger water babes (7-10 years ), the Young Sailor’s Scheme provides a fabulous, gentle introduction to sailing as part of a wider syllabus which aims to give general water knowledge. Divided into the different age groups Otters (age 7 ), Seals (age 8 ), Dolphins (age 9 ), and Orcas (age 10 ) and under the headings Safety and Seamanship, Environment, and Sailing Skills, the children learn age-appropriate sailing skills, water safety, and environmental facts.
And it’s not just about sailing - your children will try rope handling, have lunch on an island, take a trip on a RIB, eat a BBQ’ed burger, and take part in a fancy dress competition. If you’re interested in racing, Wednesday night is competition night. Each camp will have a design-a-cake competition, with a water-related theme and a prize!
LRYC Junior Sailing Summer Camp is run by responsible ISA qualified young adults. They will provide wonderful memories for your children that will stay with them forever.
For enquiries on any of the summer camps email [email protected] or phone (087 ) 2590660.
