Learn to Sail

Friendly | Supportive | Fun | Safe

BYRA has a long and proud history of running highly successful Learn to Sail programmes. Supporting junior sailors was one of the original tenets of the BYRA Constitution.

Many of our junior sailors have gone on to be successful in state, national and international competitions as both juniors and then adults.

Why BYRA?

Our point of difference is our desire to foster a genuine love of sailing in children and provide them with the skills and confidence to develop sailing in the direction they most enjoy - whether to compete or simply to explore.

We benefit from arguably the safest and most beautiful learning environment in all of the Northern Beaches. At high tide, we have our own sheltered lagoon, which is safe, relatively shallow, and completely devoid of commercial traffic. Parents and carers can watch from our beautiful north-facing clubhouse deck.

Our beginner's programmes require no prior knowledge or experience of sailing.

What's included?

A fundamental BYRA philosophy is the belief that sailing should be affordable to all.

Our sailing courses are charged at competitive rates, and all courses include the free use of club dinghies. We have a wide range of dinghies and will assign the type most appropriate for the intended lessons.

An Australian Sailing qualified instructor leads all of our programmes. For those completely new to sailing, we provide life jackets.

Free parking is available outside the club with a generous six-hour time allowance. Food can be purchased from the club canteen (if open!), or families can bring their own to enjoy on the clubhouse deck after the lesson.

How do I book?

For upcoming courses, please check out the Events page. If none are listed, please feel free to contact us directly at sailing@byra.com.au.

What about adults?

Yes! We run courses for adults!

One of our most successful courses is our Adult Refresher Course. This is intended for lapsed sailors; if you have sailed in a past life but lack the confidence to get back on the water, BYRA is here for you. The sheltered lagoon that is safe for kids is just as beneficial for adults.

If you are interested in adult lessons, whether individually or in a group, and regardless of your confidence level, skills, or experience, please contact us at sailing@byra.com.au. As a 100% volunteer-run club, we can be extremely flexible with these classes and generally tailor them to interested parties on demand on an ad hoc basis.

Sitting on the fence? Check out all those smiling faces below!

Can sailing be enjoyed as a family?

Yes! Our dream would be for the whole family to be empowered to enjoy sailing together.

Our Learn to Sail programmes feed both our racing and Adventure Sailing activities. Check out the BYRA Sailing menu for a list of all the different ways to enjoy the sport. Our Adventure Sailing and Tuesday Twilight racing are fantastic opportunities for families to enjoy sailing and Pittwater together.