Discover Sailing Day in Australia

A Discover Sailing Day is designed as a low-commitment first contact with a sailing club and the sport. It is not the same thing as a multi-session learn-to-sail course, and the distinction should be clear on SailingClubs.com.au.

Australian Sailing describes Discover Sailing Day as an opportunity for people with no sailing experience to visit a club, experience sailing, meet club members and learn about ways to continue. In 2026 Australian Sailing also promotes Discover Sailing Month in November, while noting that clubs can hold Discover Sailing Days at other times of year.

Who it suits#

A Discover Sailing Day is particularly useful for:

• families deciding whether children enjoy sailing before booking a course
• adults who have never sailed
• people who are unsure whether dinghy or keelboat sailing appeals to them
• newcomers to an area who want to see a club from the inside
• potential volunteers or social members curious about club life

It is less useful as a skill qualification. The objective is exposure and orientation rather than mastery.

What normally happens#

The exact format is club-specific, but a well-run introductory day may include:

• sign-in and participant information
• safety briefing
• lifejacket fitting
• short on-water sail with an instructor or experienced sailor
• tour of the club
• explanation of classes, training and membership
• chance to ask about future courses

The website should avoid promising any individual activity unless the club has published it.

How to evaluate a Discover Sailing Day#

The most useful measure is not how spectacular the event looks. It is whether the event connects participants to a next step.

A reader should look for:

• a current beginner course after the event
• an obvious contact person
• a junior, youth or adult pathway suited to them
• equipment supplied for subsequent training
• transparent membership requirements
• clear dates

An event can be enjoyable but still fail to create a pathway if no follow-up sailing exists.

Water confidence and safety#

Australian Sailing's current Discover Sailing Day listing states that participants should be confident in and around the water. Clubs may impose additional requirements, age limits or parental-consent rules. The club's current event information is controlling.

After the day#

Good follow-on questions are:

• Which course should I book next?
• Can I learn without owning a boat?
• Is there a program for my age?
• Can I crew on a keelboat instead of learning in a dinghy?
• Is club membership required immediately?
• Are there temporary or introductory membership options?

Official sources#

• Australian Sailing Discover Sailing Day course page: https://www.sailing.org.au/course-finder/80/
• 2026 Discover Sailing Day resources: https://www.sailing.org.au/news/discover-sailing-day-marketing-resources-now-available

Making the most of an open day#

Open days are designed to be welcoming, which is both their value and their limitation.

Their value is access. Boats are available, volunteers are briefed to talk to newcomers, and there is usually no cost. For a family working out whether sailing is for them, it is the lowest-risk way to find out.

Their limitation is that they show the club at its most polished. The people who talk to you are the ones chosen to talk to visitors, the fleet is out, and the sausage sizzle is running. That is a genuine picture of the club's intent and an incomplete picture of an ordinary Saturday.

Use the day to get on the water and to collect specifics: what courses run, when, what they cost, what happens afterwards and who to contact. Then go back on a normal sailing day before deciding.

If you can only do one visit, make it the ordinary day. If you can do two, do both.

Before you book#

Dates, boats, ratios, accreditation, cost and — most importantly — what happens after the course apply to every program, so they are set out once in how to check a program before you book.