Sailability Penrith Lakes
Sailability Penrith Lakes in conjunction with Fun Day Out held an inner-city school Vacation Care Day sailing at the Penrith Regatta Centre. Vacation Care is run through some New South Wales schools.
On the first Wednesday of the September school holidays thirty-five (35) children from the Balmain area enjoyed a day sailing. This group was very lucky to enjoy a day of sunshine, smooth water, a slight breeze in a very safe closed water environment. Children varied in ages from 5 to 12.
Excited group arrived at the centre at 10-30 am, dressed in older clothes, red bucket hats and lunch bags followed by three teachers all eager to hit the water.
Morning tea. After each lined up to be weighted and fitted with a suitable size safety vest.
Small groups were then allowed to enter sail boats under instruction on safe entering and exiting the boat, how to sail, what rope does what and how to steer the boat including what to do if they get into difficulty and the safety boat will respond.
Safety boat attending to a request also offering sailing instructions.
All our boats on the water with happy young sailors. Volunteers on the pontoon keeping a lookout and helping the safety boat if a boat gets into difficulty.
303 two sails on the left. 203 single sail on the right. Maximum capacity of a boat is two.
During the day the young sailors had comfort breaks, lunch breaks, changed partners, sailing boats and very relucent when asked to get ready to go home (can’t we stay and have one more go please).
An attending teacher also had a turn sailing (why should the children have all the fun).
Up until Covid – Sailability held regular Fun Day Out sailing groups during school term breaks. Balmain group is the first to sail since restrictions have been eased.
NOTE: 303 and 203 boats are unsinkable due to a very heavy centre board and surrounding air pockets as they have been designed to allow Disabled and Handicapped people of all ages enjoy sail.
This day could not have taken place without the generous support and donation from Penrith RSL
For more information on the intra-club. Click here
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