Sailing offering

Course offering and booking

You can book the courses in the University Sports course programme.

Training courses

The basic courses impart the theoretical and practical basics of sailing by means of elementary manoeuvres and training contents:

  • Boat preaparation and launch
  • Casting off and mooring
  • Boat and sail trim on different courses
  • Turning
  • Capsizing and recovery
  • Buoy overboard manoeuvre
  • Turning / Attaching
  • Jibe (regatta jibe)

Exam preparation (PV)

The exam preparation courses go into more detail on the sailing basics, build on skills and abilities and prepare for the VDWS Basic Certificate exam. In this course, the manoeuvres in the examination course are practised and the sailing student receives feedback from the sailing instructor.

The number of courses required for participation in the VDWS Basic Certificate exam depends on the individual abilities and skills of the participants, the personal intensity of the exercises and the wind conditions during training.

Continuing education courses

In this season, catamaran sailing can be learned, practised and completed with licences in the further training. Courses in spinnaker/trapeze sailing and courses in regatta technique and tactics are also planned.
Sailing licence holders of other associations (e.g. Sportbootführerschein Binnen) who wish to participate in free sailing and further training must supplement and deepen their skills and knowledge in training courses and successfully pass the VDWS Basic Certificate exam.

Catamaran course (KAT)

The catamaran course brings an additional sporting edge and extended experience (speed) to sailing. It takes place on the demanding “Hobie Cat 16”, which requires a sensitive technique and coordination and thus lays a good general basis for catamaran sailing.

The contents of the training are:

  • Preparation and launch
  • Casting off and mooring
  • Turning, jibing
  • Sailing on different courses with appropriate sail and boat trim with trapeze use
  • Capsizing and recovery

After completion of the course, the catamaran can be used for exam preparation. After successful completion of the KAT test, the KAT certificate of the Water Sports Centre will be issued and catamarans can be borrowed for free sailing.

Free sailing

Free sailing is an inexpensive way to maintain and consolidate sailing skills and to encourage the practice and enjoyment of sailing and regattas.

In “free sailing”, two-person dinghies can be rented for “free operation”; “free operation” means: hiring boats with free capacity without support from course leaders.
The right of use can be acquired for a day or a weekend or for a whole season.

Anyone who has also successfully participated in a catamaran and/or 470 further training course is entitled to rent Hobie Cats or 470 dinghies.
In the case of half-day, daily or weekly hire, it is necessary to register with the specialist team or with the course instructor of the current training course to ensure that boats are available.

The skipper must be in possession of a VDWS Basic Certificate and bears full responsibility for the boat and crew during “free sailing”. The skipper must therefore carefully select the crew according to ability and requirements and assess what can be expected of the skipper and of the crew, because the skipper  is aware that the skipper is liable for damage caused by negligence.

The participants in free sailing are obliged to strictly observe the house and sailing regulations. In particular, the following points are referred to:

  • The logbook must be kept conscientiously. Failure to make an entry in the logbook leads to exclusion from free sailing!
  • The hired boat must be checked before and after sailing for damage, functionality and completeness. The skipper is responsible for the entries in the logbook and the condition of the boat.
  • Failure to do so will void the right to free sailing!
  • The access authorisation (entrance programming) allows only the authorised person and sailing crew to enter the building or hire equipment and boats.
  • In case of misuse, the access authorisation expires!
  • It authorises limited use of the Water Sports Centre, i.e. it permits the use of changing rooms and sanitary facilities, the purchase, preparation and consumption of drinks and snacks in the cafeteria or on the terrace.
  • Events, celebrations and overnight stays in the Water Sports Centre or on its premises are only permitted in special cases and in consultation with the Sailing Department.
  • If the Water Sports Centre is rented out, please consider this.
    The entrances to WSpZ must be carefully closed when leaving to protect the building and the equipment.
  • The instructions of the sailing management and the harbour master must be followed.