It's Not Too Late to Sign Up for Term 1 Courses!

We had our first sailing session for Term 1 on Saturday and Sunday, and everyone involved is Ready and Set to Go and have a great Term of sailing!

As we begin hitting the water for the start of Term 1 courses, it is not too late to sign up with courses continuing this Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd of February. Book your place spot now using the button below. We have courses on offer for children, teenagers and adults!

Please note that to book into the courses, you must be a member. If you have not already registered to become one, please use the button below to register.

Our instructors are ready to provide an amazing experience on the water for all members of the family!

For more information about our courses, please use the button below:

If you are unsure which course you would like to participate in, need assistance with registration or have any questions regarding the courses we offer, use the button below to contact us!

Boat storage

Members, we are getting interest in people wanting to store boats in the club. This is a reminder that all boat storage needs to be paid for.

If you have not paid for storage including arrears then your boat will have to be removed.

We will be approaching you individually in the coming weeks. Boat storage has to be accompanied by active membership also. 

Vaucluse Sailors Head North for Round Two of the States!

Three of our Vaucluse sailors recently made the journey up to the North Coast for the second round of the state Sabot championships. You’d think sailing on a calm lake would be peaceful — but Mother Nature had other plans!

Sol Golovsky showed grit and determination on day two, finishing mid-fleet with solid results in the 20-24 range out of 40 boats. Jones Baker had a tough time battling the challenging 20-knot breeze, while Talia Golovsky managed to complete just one of the three races in the challenging conditions.

Despite the wind and waves, it was a fun and rewarding experience for all involved. This wraps up the Sabot away program for the year, but if you're keen to jump into a Sabot and give it a go, chat with Emma Badger, Sol Golovsky, Jones Baker or Talia Golovsky about their experiences.

Our new Head Coach, Makenzie, is also a former Sabot superstar, following in the footsteps of Adele, our outgoing Head Coach and another Sabot legend.

Looking ahead, we’re gearing up to grow a strong Sabot fleet in 2025/26, with three sailors already locked in for the Airlie Beach Nationals at Christmas 2025.

Ready to join the Sabot fun? Get involved and set your sights on the Nationals! 🏄‍♂️⛵

Ready, Set, Go Term 1!

We had our first sailing session for Term 1 on Saturday, and everyone involved is Ready and Set to Go and have a great Term of sailing!

As we begin hitting the water for the start of Term 1 courses, now is the time to sign up with courses commencing this Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of February. Book your place spot now using the button below. We have courses on offer for children, teenagers and adults!

Please note that to book into the courses, you must be a member. If you have not already registered to become one, please use the button below to register.

Our instructors are ready to provide an amazing experience on the water for all members of the family!

For more information about our courses, please use the button below:

If you are unsure which course you would like to participate in, need assistance with registration or have any questions regarding the courses we offer, use the button below to contact us!

Term 1 Courses - Don't miss out!

Term 1 courses* commence Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of February, 2025. 

*Please note to book our courses you must be a member. If you are not a member please visit this link to register. 

Term 1 2025 Sailing School Courses

Saturday afternoons (12:30pm - 2:30pm):

Kids Start Sailing 1

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have never sailed before. We start form the basics with a structured syllabus. 

Kids Start sailing 2 

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have completed Start Sailing 1 and are keen to progress their skills.

Teens Better Sailing 

Ideal for: who have done SS1 and SS2 and are competent helming the boat on their own.

Sunday mornings 9:00am - 11:30am:

Kids Start sailing 2 

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have completed Start Sailing 1 and are keen to progress their skills.

Kids Better sailing 

Ideal for: Kids 10 - 15 years of age who have graduated from Start Sailing 1 & 2. Skills-based course, without the racing element. Participants will be required to rig their own boats (with parental help) and have these ready by 9:30am. 

Adults learn to sail 

Ideal for: Adults who have never sailed before or have prior sailing experience. 

Unsure of what course you would like to participate in or need assistance with registration?

Successful start to 2025!

Sunday the 2nd was our first week back for racing and a good turnout in both Flying 11 and Sabots. All of our race fleet participants from 2024 were present. Great conditions for sailing with Emma Badger finishing both races in first place followed by Sol Gollofsky and Jones Baker.

Jones and Sol are off to Round 2 State Championships next week hosted by Great Lakes Sailing Club at Forster.  We wish them all the best flying the Vaucluse Flag and following in the footsteps of some great sailors.

📢 Call Out: Events Manager Needed!

Ahoy Vaucluse 12ft Amateur Sailing Club Community! 🌊

We’re on the lookout for a fun, enthusiastic, and organized Events Manager to help steer our social calendar this season. The goal? To bring our fantastic community together and make the club not just about sailing, but about unforgettable social experiences for members, their families, and guests.

We need your help to plan and run events like:

✨ Social Yin Yoga & Gin Night – because balance is key 🍸

🎖️ End-of-Season Presentation & Celebration

🍹 Cocktail Party Extravaganza

🔥 Fleet BBQs

💙 Fundraisers to support our growing club

This role offers a chance to flex your creative muscles, meet amazing people, and help make the Vaucluse 12ft community even more vibrant.

Got what it takes or want to learn more? Contact Geoff commodore@va12sc.org.au

Let’s get the grown-ups as involved as the kids—and make this season one to remember! 🎉

Successful Discover Sailing Day!

We hosted our first Discover Sailing session of 2025 welcoming a keen group of over 15 new sailors and their families. Discover sailing days provide the opportunity for members to invite friends to attend the club and share its wonders.  The objective of these days is to recruit new members and show them what our club has to offer. It includes meeting our coaching team, introducing them to our dinghy classes and testing our waters with guided sailing. Importantly, it provides the opportunity to showcase all that our club has to offer.

The day commenced with a Briefing followed by an on-water session. Every participant had the opportunity to sail a Pacer with guidance from our Coaches. Once on shore, everyone enjoyed a fruit platter and BBQ sausages and guests had fun using our standup paddleboards. Overall the day was a success and I hope that we will see new members for the re-commencement of our sailing season. 

Vice Commodore, Sarah Badger

If you would like to view all images taken from the day please visit this link to our google drive.

Feel free to contact us if you have any issues with accessing the link

Contents in Lionel’s Locker

Members , it has become apparent that members are helping themselves to contents in Lionel’s Locker. We would like to remind all members that any supplies are for the exclusive use of the sailing school for club boats and not the general use. Supplied In the kitchen are for sale and not for general consumption and should not be accessed but anyone other than instructors and committee. We appreciate Members taking responsibility for this and helping us out.

Don't miss out! Discover Sailing Day 1st February!

We will be hosting another Discover Sailing Day this Saturday 1st February from 12:30pm - 2:30pm!

Discover Sailing is the perfect opportunity for your friends or family to try out sailing at our club! We provide Boats, Coaches and Lifejackets, everything you need to have a fun day out on the harbour.

All participants, kids and adults are welcome, please register to secure your place.

This event is FREE, to learn more and register visit the link here.

Week 5 Holiday Camp recap!

Week 5 Holiday Camp recap!

We kicked off the week by focusing on teaching the fundamental skills of sailing—covering the points of sail, parts of the boat, and how to rig an Opti and a Pacer. Once on the water, we sailed to Clifton Gardens and around Shark Island. The group had the opportunity to enjoy lunch, go for a swim, and spend time at the playground.

Later in the week, as the wind picked up, coaches organized onshore activities such as capsize drills, races, and relay challenges, which the group thoroughly enjoyed. On the final day, we took the group back to Clifton Gardens aboard Escort, where they had lunch and another swim.

Overall, despite the varying conditions, the week provided a perfect balance of learning, adventure, and fun, ensuring that every participant gained valuable sailing experience while making the most of their time on the water.

By Head Coach, Jack O’Loughlin

To view photos taken from our holiday camps please visit our Google Drive link here

Left: Learning to rig a pacer Right: Having fun on the water!

Club Calendar - keep updated with all events at our club!

Our Club Calendar has a new look! Click the link below to view and add it to your google calendar.

Term 1 Courses - Register now!

Term 1 courses* commence Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of February, 2025. 

*Please note to book our courses you must be a member. If you are not a member please visit this link to register. 

Term 1 2025 Sailing School Courses

Saturday afternoons (12:30pm - 2:30pm):

Kids Start Sailing 1

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have never sailed before. We start form the basics with a structured syllabus. 

Kids Start sailing 2 

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have completed Start Sailing 1 and are keen to progress their skills.

Teens Better Sailing 

Ideal for: who have done SS1 and SS2 and are competent helming the boat on their own.

Sunday mornings 9:00am - 11:30am:

Kids Start sailing 2 

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have completed Start Sailing 1 and are keen to progress their skills.

Kids Better sailing 

Ideal for: Kids 10 - 15 years of age who have graduated from Start Sailing 1 & 2. Skills-based course, without the racing element. Participants will be required to rig their own boats (with parental help) and have these ready by 9:30am. 

Adults learn to sail 

Ideal for: Adults who have never sailed before or have prior sailing experience. 

Unsure of what course you would like to participate in or need assistance with registration?

Term 1 Learn to Sail Courses - Book now!

Our Term 1 courses* will start on Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of February, 2025.

*Please note to book our courses you must be a member. If you are not a member please visit this link to register.

Term 1 2025 Sailing School Courses

Saturday afternoons (12:30pm - 2:30pm):

Kids Start Sailing 1

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have never sailed before. We start form the basics with a structured syllabus. 

Kids Start sailing 2 

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have completed Start Sailing 2 and are keen to progress their skills.

Teens Better Sailing 

Ideal for: who have done SS1 and SS2 and are competent helming the boat on their own.

Sunday mornings 9:00am - 11:30am:

Kids Start sailing 2 

Ideal for: Kids 7 - 15 years of age who have completed Start Sailing 2 and are keen to progress their skills.

Kids Better sailing 

Ideal for: Kids 10 - 15 years of age who have graduated from Start Sailing 1 & 2. Skills based course, without the racing element. Participants will be required to rig their own boats (with parental help) and have these ready by 9:30am. 

Adults learn to sail 

Ideal for: Adults who have never sailed before or have prior sailing experience. 

Unsure of what course you would like to participate in or need assistance with registration?

Discover Sailing Day 1st February - Bring your friends and family!

Invite your friends and family to join us for our Discover Sailing Day on 1st February! Come see what our club has to offer! We will provide lifejackets; the only requirement is that you must be able to swim.

If you have any questions or issues completing the form.

Club Championship Race Sunday 2nd February!

Our first Club Championship race to kick off the second part of our season will be Sunday 2nd February. Looking forward to welcoming our race fleet back!

Innerspace Yoga at our Club!

Innerspace Yoga is reconvening with a full program in 2025. Sunrise sessions start at 6 AM and 9:30 AM, check out the program here.  

Our club is proving to be a magical spot for Yoga practice and the feedback received so far has been positive. I attended a session with Cara and have booked myself in for more. Cara is awesome and it doesn't matter if you are a beginner or just returning like me, it’s fun refreshing, challenging and energising.

Vice Commodore Sally Badger

Photos from Holiday Camps!

We have uploaded all photos and videos taken from our Summer Holiday Camps to a Google Drive folder! Click the link below to view them!

Week 5 Holiday Camp participants having fun on the water!

Summer Holiday Camps - Final week!

We have one final week of holiday camps this summer! Secure your child’s place now before its too late!

Week 5: Monday 20th January - Friday 24th January 2025

Holiday camps are perfect for Kids of all sailing ability to have fun out on the water!

If you’re kids are keen, click the link below to book into the final holiday camp this summer:

Should you have any questions and/or would like to book specific days please don’t hesitate to contact us, we are flexible and always happy to assist!

Introducing our new Head Coach - Makenzie Mayne!

The Committee is pleased to introduce Makenzie Mayne as our new Head Coach of the Vaucluse Sailing School! To help you get to know her better, we have asked her a few questions….

When did you start sailing?

I began sailing when I was eight years old at Lane Cove 12ft Skiff Sailing Club in their Learn to Sail program. I completed three Learn to Sails and then began to race in the main fleet in a sabot on the weekends when I was eleven years old.

What boats have you sailed and are currently sailing? Which is your favourite?

I have sailed a wide range of boats from dinghies to keel boats. These include; Sabots, Flying 11’s, Cherubs, Elliot 7’s. and Yachts. Out of all of these, my favourite to sail is the Cherub as it is definitely the fastest of all the boats and the adrenaline rush when racing in the boat is unmatched.

How many years have you been an instructor?

I first began helping out at Learn to Sails as an aide when I was eleven years old and once I turned twelve, I helped out as an assistant instructor. Once I was able, I received my full instructors qualification and as of this year, I have been instructing for a total of 7 years.

What is your favourite part about instructing?

My favourite part of instructing is meeting all the new kids on each new course and getting to know them. No two courses are ever the same and they always present new challenges and memories. It is this diversity and fluidity of the experiences I have as an instructor that formulates why I enjoy being an instructor so much.

Tell us about your racing history and competition in states national championships? Which destination was your favourite?

In total, I have competed in over 20 state and national competitions in the past 8 years. These competitions have taken me all over Australia from Townsville to Tasmania and have granted me unforgettable memories. Whilst winning medals and awards was a highlight of these competitions, it was always the sailing environment that served as the basis for which ones were my favourite. Overall, my favourite would be Tasmania as the waterways and landscapes were beautiful and travelling to these nationals and around the state will always be a highlight of my life.

Please say ‘hi’ and make her feel welcome next time you are down at the club.

Makenzie skippering a Flying 11 (left) and crewing on a Cherub (right)