Top Tips for Getting Started with the Wing Program
Darwin Sailing Club has just finished its Dry Season which is their main sailing season. So, we asked Alanna Field the Training Manager at Darwin Sailing Club how they went being one of the first clubs to introduce the wing program into their sailing activities. The Learn to Wing Program is a new program for Discover Sailing Centres (DSCs), designed to introduce participants to the exciting discipline of wing-surfing.
Alanna said “We followed the AS resources for our school holiday programs. We did some Wingtro (learn to wing experience) sessions with members for free so that we could see how it would go doing something weekly and in the arvo.”
The full course is nine hours in total and it can be delivered over several separate ‘’bite-sized’’ sessions, that provide participants with the fundamental skills of sailing using a wing to move them along on a non-foiling board, the great thing about the course is that it utilises stand-up paddleboards (SUP’s) or stable Windsurf boards which many clubs and centres already own.
The Learn to Wing Experience which Darwin SC delivered to help attract participants to their courses, is the first 3.5hrs of the full course, and can be delivered either as a stand-alone experience, or as part of an OutThere Sailing offering.
“The hardest thing for us was that it was light winds much of the time. One thing that really helped was the poster we made which gave them a visual on land on how to steer as that was often the hardest thing for them to grasp.” - said Alanna.
Once instructors are qualified via the Free online e-learning course, they will have access to a range of resources located on the instructor resource page here which will assist them in the delivery of the program, these resources include:
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Wing Instructor guidance notes
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Skills Videos
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Instructor Run sheets for the Learn to Wing Course
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Syllabus / Logbook for the Learn to Wing Course
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Instructor Run Sheets for the Learn to Wing Experience
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Syllabus / Logbook for the Learn to Wing Experience
Alanna added, ”We are looking at getting some foils for next year so that on light wind days we have the option to deliver FoilLabs so participants can get a taste of foiling and then when there is enough wind we will go on the wings as for us there was just more often very little wind to work with. I think if we do get the foils, we will be looking to combine Wing sessions and FoilLab courses as one activity so that we can go back and forth to work better with the wind conditions as we have no control over that.”
Darwin Sailing Club were one of the first Discover Sailing Centres to access the great deals available from Australian Sailing’s Partners, North Action Sports Group. The Club purchased several Wings to use on the SUPs they already had access to which instantly meant they had all the equipment needed to deliver the Wing Program.
Other Clubs, Instructors, and coaches who are interested in accessing the heavily discounted deals from North can check out all the information here.
Summary:
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Follow the AS resources, but don’t be afraid to adapt/ make your own.
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The hardest thing for them to grasp is the steering so show visuals on land before going afloat.
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Run Learn to Wing Experience sessions with members for free to help promote the program and fill the full courses.
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Look at the FoilLabs to provide options for participants to progress skills and experience foiling
For more information on the learn to wing Program click here:
For more information on FoilLabs click here:
For more information on Foiling class Coaching Programs click here:
