Dinghy sailing courses with the Urunga Sail Training Club (USTC) are a fantastic way for you to get started with qualified instructors on the safe waters of the Kalang and Bellinger Rivers.

The USTC is in its seventh year as a Discover Sailing Training Centre, with the next sailing course for beginners commencing on Saturday February 10, from 11am till 2pm, running over seven weeks (weather permitting).

There are also Women on Water courses on Wednesdays, 10am to 1pm.

Courses are reasonably priced at $280 for adults plus an $85 annual membership charge, which covers insurance.

The USTC has its own training boats and one of the benefits of membership is that you get to use them when they are not being used for teaching.

The Start Sailing 1 & 2 beginners course covers preparation and planning, rigging, ropework, sailing techniques and manoeuvres, rescue procedures and drills, launching and recovery, sailing theory and background, winds, tides and currents. It then moves on to care of equipment, coming alongside to a fixed anchored structure, port/starboard windward/leeward, keeping to channels, overtaking and reading tides, launching and recovery, lifting, trolleys, avoiding collisions and power/ sail right of way and towing.

During these courses, you’ll be working with experienced sailing instructors who provide students with opportunities to practise and improve their sailing skills, including resilience, decision-making, teamwork and leadership, regardless of whether you are just starting out or have dreams of cruising in big boats offshore.

The club is excited that Lia Grosvenor from Bellingen High School and Finn Crossman from Orara High School are now fully accredited Dinghy Sailing Instructors joining the other three senior instructors, Derek Ridgley, Dave Cole and Doug Lindsay,  all of whom have had many years of varied sailing experience in large and small boats.

In addition, Lillie Ridgley, Connor McMillan, Sam Sincock, Harry Hazell Pickering, Steve Pickering and Ryan Savage have joined the USTC teaching team as the six new Australian Sailing accredited Assistant Dinghy Instructors. All had to complete certified sailing courses and practical examinations to achieve this goal.

The USTC is also the home of Sailability Urunga. Along with larger boats that are ideal for two persons, a carer and an instructor, we also have specially designed access dinghies for persons with limited abilities. They have heavy keels to prevent them tipping over and are very safe and easy to use.

We also conduct three-hour Try Sailing Experiences for corporate days, groups or friends for a fun sail on the river. No experience is necessary for one of these days.

At USTC, you will be welcomed into a community of like-minded friends joined together by a shared passion for the fun, recreation and sport of sailing and a lifetime of experience on the water to enhance your enjoyment on the water. Anyone can learn to sail.

Information about the Urunga Sail Training Club or Sailability Urunga and details of times and dates of our activities can be found on our website www.sailurunga.org.au.

Or we can be contacted via phone: Derek on 0427115892, or Dave on 0411 807 495

Email: info@sailurunga.org.au or find us on Facebook, where you can see lots of pictures of the fun we get up to. https://www.facebook.com/urungasailtrainingclub