Congratulations to the 12 new members that have just become the first recipients of official\u00a0RYA level 1 certificates under the guidance\u00a0of\u00a0CSC’s hard working team of instructors!<\/p>\n
Conditions couldn’t have been much better for the two day course, hosted by Surrey Docks\u00a0Watersports Center<\/a>, with temperatures in the 20s and winds ranging from force 1 to 3\u00a0(that’s wind speeds of\u00a01-10 knots or 1-5m\/s for those of you that weren’t on the course), increasing steadily across the weekend, as if somehow magically linked to the on-water confidence of the\u00a0fantastic group of learners.<\/p>\n With each instructor working with a group of 3 candidates, the course\u00a0began with a gentle on-water familiarisation, giving\u00a0everyone the chance to get a feel for the Topper Omega<\/a> sailing dinghies and a first chance to take control of the tiller (steering), then worked through all of the essential on- and off-water skills and knowledge needed to\u00a0enable them to become confident, independent dinghy sailors.<\/p>\n By the end,\u00a0all of the candidates were able to sail up, down and across the wind, successfully keeping the boat upright even when the stronger breezes came to liven things up during day 2.<\/p>\n Their on (or should that be in?) water experience finished with an (optional) capsize drill, and despite the gasps and looks of horror when it was first mentioned at the start of the course, all of the candidates were\u00a0actually excited to give it a go and there were even volunteers to do it again!<\/p>\n To cap off the weekend, the instructors took all of the successful candidates to the Wibbly Wobbly<\/a>\u00a0for a celebratory lemonade, and a fairly\u00a0unique pub experience.<\/p>\n