Sailing is often seen as a sport for adults or the rich and famous. Few people think of sailing as a sport their children can pick up. However, given the climate and access to the sea, many sailing clubs offer Sailing lessons in Singapore. Especially for kids to begin their journey at a young age.

Starting your child at a young age can help them get a head start on their sailing journey. It can become a lifelong passion or a career path for them.

If your child is interested, you can look into primary schools that offer sailing as a CCA. They might also be able to apply for DSA to secondary schools with sailing as their talent area.

There are also many chances to compete and improve in sailing. As they grow older and continue pursuing their passion.

Read on to learn more about Singapore’s sailing scene. Also, how you can support your child.

What is Sailing?

Sailing is a technical sport that involves navigating a boat with wind power. Sailboats are typically used for this water sport. Sailors must have knowledge of physics to use waves and angles for propelling the boat forward.

The objective of sailing is to race towards a finish line with both speed and accuracy. Every sailor aims to maintain high speed and prevent themselves from capsizing even against strong winds and currents.

Sailing in Singapore

Singapore Sailing is the national federation that oversees all sailing activities in the country. It aims to bring the joy of sailing to everyone.

The federation offers sailing classes in Singapore to both kids and adults. If your child wants to start their sailing journey, Singapore Sailing may be just the place for them.

There are also sailing clubs in Singapore that offer courses and boat rentals. Some of the most popular sailing clubs include Changi Sailing Club, SAF Yacht Club and NSRCC Sea Sports Centre.

Sailing as a CCA Option.

Several primary schools in Singapore offer sailing as a CCA. These include famous schools such as St. Hilda’s Primary School, Anglo-Chinese School (Junior), Raffles Girls’ Primary School and Tao Nan School.

Before joining a sailing CCA, all aspiring sailors must attend a sailing course to earn an Opti-Racer certification. Once they obtain the certificate, they may enter the sailing club in their school from Primary 2 onwards.

Sailing is a highly competitive and individualistic sport. Most students attend practice sessions twice a week. Sailors are trained to race in the shortest time possible, which is physically and mentally very demanding. It is often ranked at the end of each practice session.

Children who want to go on the competitive route are encouraged to go beyond the minimum. They encourage to participate in extra sessions on the weekend. They may also begin taking part in competitions and regattas.

Sailing is also offered as a CCA in secondary schools. Raffles Institution, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Dunman High School, Nanyang Girls’ High School, Raffles Girls’ Secondary, St. Joseph’s Institution, Victoria School and Tanjong Katong Girls’ School are some famous schools that offer sailing CCA.

Also read : Choosing right CCA for successful pathways

Sailing for Direct School Admission (DSA-Sec)

If your child aims to join any of the secondary schools listed above, applying through sailing DSA may be a viable option. Your child should start from a young age to gain experience and build a firm foundation in sailing techniques.

Ideally, your child should attend additional training sessions and participate in competitions.

These may include monthly regattas at the various sailing clubs in Singapore.

Winning medals and accomplishing achievements in sailing during their primary school years will improve their chances of a successful DSA application.

DSA can benefit your child as it allows them to apply for positions in highly coveted schools without depending solely on their academic scores.

To know more abt DSA – Sec, read our article – New to DSA-Sec? Here are 5 Things You Need to Know

Sailing as a competitive Path for Children

Sailors in Singapore may begin competing from a young age in inter-school competitions such as the National School Games. Accordingly, they may compete in the primary school (junior) or secondary school leagues. In addition, the coaches select some top achievers to go for regattas, such as the Singapore Regatta and the Singapore Youth Sailing Championship.

There are also many other regattas and local competitions that sailors can participate in. To get an idea of the number of events available, check out the Singapore Sailing Federation’s Event calendar.

At the higher levels, competitive sailors may also go for the Singapore National Sailing Championship. It pits the best of the best against one another. A sailor’s highest achievement is representing Singapore in sailing in the Olympics.

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Explore Klassbook for more Sailing Classes

To explore more classes, go through our list of sailing classes here. Why not start with a sailing trial class to gauge your child’s interest?

Charmaine

Charmaine writes about education, lifestyle and personal finance tips. She tutors part-time and is well acquainted with the local education system. In her free time, Charmaine loves to explore food and date places in Singapore.