Autumn Sailing Season 2021 - Round Up
After missing the last sailing season due to Covid restrictions, it has been fantastic to get all the boats back on the water and pupils out sailing them up at Llyn Brenig sailing club.
With the past restrictions lifted, the Outdoor Education program has been amended to allow all Year 7 - 10 curriculum year groups to sail at Llyn Brenig.
Year 7 took the big Drascon Gig out as an introduction to their St David’s College sailing careers. Year 8 have been busy sailing Pico Dinghies in pairs, learning the joys of being in control of their own vessel. Year 9 and 10 have had the options of sailing single handed in Picos or RS Fevas or if they preferred sailing as a pair. Most pupils opted for the single-handed approach, taking all the credit for their achievements.
At the weekends, the Outdoor BTEC 1st and 2nd Years took over the impressive fleet for a series of sailing lessons, leading to many of them gaining their Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Level 1 or 2. This showed that they had become skilful, independent sailors, able to rig their boats, tack, gybe, head up and down wind, launch and land and be able to deal with a capsize in the chilly water of Llyn Brenig.
In addition to this many of these same pupils completed their powerboat training and gained their RYA level 2 Powerboat Certificate showing they are both competent and safe to drive a powerboat.
The boats survived the clutches of storm Arwen and have been packed away for the icy winter months. Let us hope they get to come out again next Spring to allow St David’s College pupils further opportunities to continue experiencing the life-long skill of sailing and excelling both outside of the classroom as well as inside.
