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Australian Sailing Dinghy Courses
The most widely available learn-to-sail route in the country, and the fastest way to real wind awareness.
The current Australian Sailing dinghy catalogue includes:
Start Sailing Intro
A short introduction before the full pathway.
Discover Sailing Experience
A taster for someone who wants to experience dinghy sailing before committing to a longer course.
Start Sailing 1
Australian Sailing recommends around 12 hours.
The course introduces terminology, equipment, basic dinghy sailing, launching, returning and capsize recovery.
Start Sailing 2
Approximately 12 recommended hours.
The objective is to develop sufficient rigging and boat-handling knowledge to sail the dinghy with increasing independence.
Combined Start Sailing 1 and 2
Australian Sailing also lists a combined program, with a recommended duration of around 20 hours.
Better Sailing
Moves beyond beginner skills.
Students develop stronger-wind sailing and may be introduced to equipment such as spinnakers and trapezes.
Start Racing
Introduces:
Better Racing
Develops:
- Who it suits
- Anyone who wants to be sailing independently soon, and does not mind capsizing.
- What it is not
- It teaches nothing about diesel engines, anchoring or berthing. For yachts, that gap matters.
Other Australian Sailing courses
Tackers Sailing Courses
Australian Sailing’s junior program, built around fun and water confidence first and sailing technique second.
OutThere Sailing for Teenagers
For teenagers who have outgrown Tackers and are not ready for an adult course.
Australian Sailing Keelboat Courses
Start Crewing, Start Helming, Start Skippering — a stable boat and a natural bridge toward yachts.
Australian Sailing Safety & Sea Survival
Two days on what to do when it goes seriously wrong offshore, including a liferaft session in the pool.
Australian Sailing Powerboat Courses for Sailors
More relevant to sailors than the name suggests: nearly all rescue and support work happens from a powerboat.
Australian Sailing Instructor Pathway
The domestic route into teaching, and where most Australian sailing instructors begin.
Which course should you actually book?
Three questions — your experience, the boat you want to sail, and your goal — give you a starting course and the schools that teach it near you.