Sail Training & Skiff Academy

About:

Perth Dinghy Sailing Club offers a range of sailing experiences designed to provide an introduction to sailing and further development throughout a sailors’ journey.

The Perth Dinghy Sailing Club’s junior program runs on Saturday mornings commencing in late October and running through to late April. Training commences at 9am on a Saturday morning and runs until approximately 12pm. Our intermediate level junior sailors also participate in our afternoon senior racing once they have developed the skills to manage their boats in the stronger breezes.

How to get involved:

Contact our Junior Coordinators Ben Mawson and Matt Clark-Massera at juniors@perthsailing.org.au

The program starts late October, but we can work sailors in mid-season if you reach out!

We encourage you to bring a friend!

Membership:

See ‘Become a Member’ for information on our fees and signing up.

Junior learn to sail training is free for members.
Junior Membership is $145 for children under 13 and $150 for intermediate members (ages 13 - 17).
All junior and intermediate members must have a parent or guardian as a social member ($115) or a full sailing member ($555) .

PDSC is also a registered KidsSport Club; therefore, if your child is between 5 and 18 years and is named on a valid Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card they may beeligible to receive up to $300 per calendar year towards club fees. To find out more about this program,visit

The Pathway

Start Sailing - Mudlark Green Fleet

For kids aged 6 to 8, the pathway starts in a Mudlark!
Kids should be able to swim 25m and be confident around water, other than that, no experience is needed!
Saturday morning training is held in the shallow waters outside the club, with experienced coaches.
Club boats and life-jackets are available for use.
Training is held Saturday mornings, commencing 9am and wrapping up typically by 11am.
Parents are encouraged to get involved by helping out every now and then in the club canteen, and in helping launch and retrieve boats.

For new sailors, club Mudlarks and personal floatation devices (PFDs) are available for use.

Once sailors have spent some time on the water and gained confidence, there are very affordable boats available for families who wish to continue their sailing journey. While club boats are available for early experiences, we encourage families to consider ownership when ready, as it helps ensure availability for new participants and supports long-term engagement in the sport.

About the Mudlark

Racing Skills - Mudlark Gold Fleet

Once kids master the basics, they move on to our Mudlark Gold Fleet
They progress into learning the basics of racing in a fun, easy-going environment.
Highly affordable boats are available for purchase in order to take the next step in your life-long sailing journey, where sailors learn to begin looking after their prized possession!
Mudlarks are available for purchase for ~$300 and can be sold on to the next family once sailors grow.
In addition to training sessions, Club and State Championship races are held periodically on Saturday mornings.
Sailors are followed/coached around the course by our experienced coaches.

About the Mudlark

Skiff Basics - Jay Dee Fleet

About the Jay-Dee

The Jay-Dee is a double handed boat, fitted with a mainsail, jib, asymmetric spinnaker and trapeze. It is the ideal pathway boat towards our senior, high performance skiff classes and offers some thrilling rides in a safe and stable package.

Jay Dee training offers the perfect start to a sailors’ skiff career.
Training and racing is held Saturday mornings, and once sailors are confident, they are able to race with the senior fleets in the afternoon in Matilda Bay - supported by our rescue team.
In addition, training often starts in late-August with some winter sessions.
Throughout the season, sailors are encouraged to participate in inter-club events such as open days and invitation races.

Skiff Academy - Cherub Fleet

Sailors move into the exciting Cherub Class -

https://www.perthsailing.org.au/sailing-information/cherub\
Training and racing is available on Saturday mornings
Sailors learn advanced topics around rig tuning, boat setup, boat maintenance as well as race tactics and strategy.
The focus is on equipping sailors with the skills required to participate in State and National level regattas.

Adult Learn to Sail

While they have not previously been offered, we are currently investigating running adult learn to sail classes for season 25/26. To express your interest, please contact info@perthsailing.org.au