Three ways to get certified on a specific equipment
Should I choose group lessons, (semi-)private lessons or mentoring?
How are lessons organized?
How should I plan for it?
Need to cancel?
Members must be certified on specific equipment (for instance, a specific type of boat or windsurf) to take it on the water. After certification, members enjoy unlimited access to that fleet.
Three ways to get certified on a specific equipment:
- If you have prior sailing, windsurfing, or kayaking experience, you can complete a proficiency exam.
- If you have no past experience on the specific equipment you want to enjoy, you can either:
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- Take group lessons with one of our instructor. Learn more by clicking on the pictures above.
- Get mentored by a certified member (except for beginner windsurfing and Laser sailing)
- Arrange private or semi-private lessons with one of our instructor, at a rate of $35-$40 per instructor hour.
Should I choose group lessons or mentoring?
Lessons
- Pros: structured, predictable, achieve a skill level within a specific timeframe, meet several members.
- Cons:
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- intense: reading the emailed material beforehand, and showing up early to be changed and ready for all but the very first session, are key to maximizing your time focusing on skill-learning and having a shot at passing the course
- limited schedule flexibility after you reserve your spot
- limited availability at some times in the season; for instance, the ones early in the season fill up fairly quickly, so if your goal is to get on the water early on the season, be sure to register ASAP; if the lesson you want is full, please register on the waitlist (at no cost) as this helps us gauge interest and add more lessons as needed
- the club may cancel a course the day before it starts if there is not a sufficient number of registrants; members of the cancelled class see the amount they paid credited to their account, and can register for any other class by emailing our lessons coordinator so that the credit is applied towards its payment; this is to minimize the risk of lessons overall running at a financial loss for the club, which in turn would make everyone's membership more expensive; minimum class size is as follows:
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- Sailing - intermediate (Laser + Vanguard): 3
- Sailing - other levels: 4
- Kayaking - any level: 3
- Windsurfing - beginner: 4
- Windsurfing - intermediate or high wind: 3
- Stand-up paddleboard: 2
Mentoring
- Pros: no cost, one-on-one interaction between mentor and mentee, can accommodate a flexible or uncertain schedule.
- Cons: need to find a mentor that is a good match (use our Forum), then need to find a certifier to validate the achieved skill level.
How are lessons organized?
- A lesson calendar is opened at the beginning of each season. Throughout the season, more lessons are added based on demand, instructors' and members' schedule, resource allocation, Signal waitlist group chats are particularly helpful
- Each course requires a certain number of hours. SUP is the shortest at 1.5 hours. Other lessons, such as beginner sailing, take 24 hours total, spread over several days.
- The day before a lesson starts, if there aren't enough registrants to run it, the lesson will be cancelled. You will be advised by email, and the amount you paid for it will be credited to your account.
How should I plan for it?
- Acquire a wetsuit if you don't have one, and other equipment as you deem necessary.
- Choose the course that matches your skill level and fits your schedule, reserve your spot by purchasing it here.
- After attending the full set of lessons, if you demonstrate the required skill level and if you did not miss more than a certain number of lessons in the course, you get certified.
Need to cancel?
- if within 7 days of the first session: you can't get refunded, but if you find another member willing to do the lesson in your place, ask them to pay you directly for the amount and advise lessons@ubcsailing.org of the change
- if more than 7 days before the first session: email treasurer@ubcsailing.org; you can either get a refund, or a credit for the amount on your account with the club; the credit is preferred (a refund costs the club some banking fees); if you chose a credit and later want to register for another lesson, when you register just select "invoice me" and advise lessons@ubcsailing.org so that we can first apply the credit towards its payment.