- It is strongly recommended that all participants on sailing courses know how to swim or have sufficient water confidence to enable them to enjoy participation on a sailing course.
- At the enquiry stage it must be established whether a participant can swim and what degree of water confidence they have. If an interested child or adult cannot swim and is nervous of the water, it is our policy to advise them not to participate on a sailing course before first becoming comfortable in the water.
- If however an interested person cannot swim but loves the water and has tried other water sports successfully they will be accepted onto a dinghy sailing course provided they sign a statement acknowledging the risks and possible dangers involved in participating in the sport. They will also be required to wear a PFD (Personal Flotation Device – ‘lifejacket’) that provides at least 150N of permanent buoyancy.
- The teaching ratio should not be higher than 6:1 if there are one or more non-swimmers in a group.
- Time must be put aside by the instructor to familiarise the non-swimmer with the PFD in the water at the start of the course. Should it be established at the start of the course, for example, during the capsize drill that a participant is nervous then the instructor will arrange that this participant will not be over stressed.
Non- Swimmers Declaration
As a non-swimmer I fully accept that sailing can be a hazardous sport. It may involve falling out of the boat into deep water or the boat capsizing and turning turtle. As a non-swimmer I agree to wear a Personal Floatation Device with at least 150n of permanent buoyancy at all times while sailing. I also undertake to participate on this sailing course, at my own risk.