Published on: 7 March 2014





The Year 6 Sailing program entered its third week this week with classes completing a basic sailing course out of Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. The program, run over four half-days, aims to teach boys resilience, self-belief and develop their problem-solving skills.

Preparatory School Sailing Co-ordinator Jamie Fagan said three classes had successfully completed their GISBS Level 1, which included learning to rig and de-rig, righting a capsized boat, skippering and crewing, a broad reach and sailing downwind. 6HP will complete the program next week.

Mr Fagan, who runs the program with Christ Church sailing instructor Alan Polglaze and the help of old boys Jamie Turner (2010), Andrew Fowlie (2013), Scott Hinton (2013) and Shannon Wright (2013), said despite the very hot weather the boys were resilient in coping with the conditions. He said the boys sailed from Dalkeith to Freshwater Bay, and Point Walter to Blackwall Reach, which was a fair distance for first-time sailors.

Now in its fourth year, the sailing program aims to engage boys in a learning experience outside the classroom. “It’s great to see teamwork in action and to see the boys get more and more efficient at doing it as the week goes on,” Mr Fagan said.