We have boating education courses for all levels from beginners to experienced boaties.
We’re based in the heart of the city at Clyde Quay boat harbour. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to drop us an email or give us a call – please note office hours vary as we are often in our natural environment … on the water.
Sailing Courses
Our keelboat sailing courses will take you from a complete novice through to cruising on the ocean waves, sailing in yacht races or owning your own boat.
Courses begin with the introductory 'Learn to Sail Keelboats' course, then move into courses such as 'Racing Crew' which starts you down the action packed racing pathway or 'Cruising Crew' which takes you down the more leisurely cruising path.
We provide the knowledge, the yachts, the wet weather clothing and the safety gear - you simply provide the enthusiasm!
School Programmes
We have sessions available to help Wellington school students experience a range of ocean sports and gain safe boating knowledge.
We have risk management plans for each of our sailing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding programmes. We will provide you with the appropriate RAM forms for whichever of the options you choose.
At all times students will be under the guidance of one of our ocean sport instructors. All our instructors are qualified with their respective sport.
Harbour Sails
This is a great way to spend time with friends, colleagues or family learning a new activity and a great introduction to sailing if you are considering taking a course. These are great outings for visitors, and if you do have a group we can accommodate you with your own time and booking.
You don’t need any experience, just some warm clothing and a pair of sports shoes. We provide the sailing jackets and safety equipment. If it's a fine day then there is no place more beautiful, and if it's windy there is no place more exhilarating!
A hands-on course that introduces people to sailing on keelboats.
No experience is necessary. We will teach you all of the principles needed for your journey to become a great sailor. You just need to be aged 16 years or older.
On successful completion of the course participants will be awarded a Yachting NZ Level 1 Introductory Keelboat Sailing Certificate. From here we can help get you involved in club sailing to add to your skills and experience as well as offering you follow on courses such as Racing Crew and Cruising Crew.
The course covers the following topics:
essential safety skills
boat parts, rigging & boat terminology
knots and rope work
all crew positions including helming
tacking, gybing and sail setting
reefing
man overboard drills.
The course is 28 hours long and involves both classroom and on-the-water elements. Courses run in a variety of formats – four consecutive weekend days, four-day block courses (usually over public holidays), or evening courses two nights a week for five weeks.
Upcoming Courses:
- LTS123 - Saturdays/Sundays: January 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th 1999. 9am-4pm each day. $790. Places available BOOK NOW
A two-day course designed to refresh and upskill participants for racing and regattas concentrating on 2 sails – Main and Jib.
Participants must have completed a Learn to Sail course or be referred by someone that can be verified by Wellington Ocean Sports for minimum sailing knowledge and experience. The training provides an opportunity to revise and consolidate the knowledge and skills you have already gained, and introducing you to yacht racing.
You will put into practice the following key elements:
crew roles, role rotation, teamwork & communication
sail tuning & boat handling
wind awareness
race starts
racing rules
Upcoming Courses:
- RCE124 - Saturdays/Sundays: February 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th 1999. 9am-4pm each day. $790. Places available BOOK NOW
A three-day course to refresh and upskill participants for racing and regattas using all three sails - Main, Jib, and Spinnaker.
Participants must have completed the two-day Entry Level Race Training course or be referred by someone that can be verified by Wellington Ocean Sports for minimum racing knowledge and experience. The training provides an opportunity to further increase your skills with special emphasis on the Spinnaker.
You will put into practice the following key elements:
crew roles, role rotation, teamwork & communication
sail tuning & boat handling
spinnaker hoists, gybes, drops
wind awareness
race starts
racing rules
Upcoming Courses:
- RCE124 - Saturdays/Sundays: February 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th 1999. 9am-4pm each day. $790. Places available BOOK NOW
The Cruising Crew course follows on from the Learn to sail Keelboats course.
As this is a level 2 course, completion of a level one Learn to Sail course is a pre-requisite.
The course forms part of the Yachting NZ National Sailing Scheme and on completion participants will be awarded a YNZ National Sailing Scheme Level 2 Basic Skills (Cruising Crew) Certificate.
New skills taught include:
coming alongside
anchoring
picking up moorings
making fast/towing a dinghy
basic chart work
sail handling
preparing a boat for sea
safety at sea
engine maintenance
night sailing
Upcoming Courses:
- RCE124 - Saturdays/Sundays: February 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th 1999. 9am-4pm each day. $790. Places available BOOK NOW
This program runs as two 90-minute sessions with all students doing both sessions.
One session is a sailing session that sees students get out and experience sailing on board our purpose designed keelboats.
The other session starts with a safe boating lesson and then students get the opportunity to try stand up paddle boarding and kayaking.
Wellington Ocean Sports began on 3 July 1993 as Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club’s Sailing Academy, based at the northern end of the Overseas Passenger Terminal. In November 2008, we moved to our current location in the RPNYC’s historic former clubrooms. The newly renovated facility was opened by sailing legend Sir Peter Blake. Since then we have expanded our offering to a range of ocean sports, include SUP and kayaking.
We operate two Muir 8.2m keelboats, named Port Nic 1 and Port Nic 2, which were designed and built in 1992 specifically for sail training.
We are part of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, one of New Zealand oldest sporting clubs.
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