Irish National Sailing School
Summer Courses (4-6 Years) C5
Overview
Sea Explorers spend their day undertaking a wide variety of activities based around the water in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and Seapoint Beach. The day begins at our Clubhouse on the West Pier in Dun Laoghaire. After a short talk about the marine ecosystem students head to the outdoor classroom Seapoint Beach to explore the sea shore looking for all the marine wildlife. There’s a different focus each day so there’s always something new to explore.
Exploring the historic harbour and fun and games keep everyone entertained. The highlight of the day is the trip around the harbour on our Pirate Launches, where the landmarks of Dun Laoghaire harbour are explored aboard our launch boats flying our Pirate Flag – Argh!
What parents think of the programme
“The course was interesting, exciting and my kids felt really safe in friendly surroundings. Thank you”
Programme Leader – Muriel Rumball
Muriel Rumball, a former primary school principal and our Science Foundation Ireland accredited DPSM (Discover Primary Science and Maths) programme co-ordinator, leads our Sea Explorers. Muriel is always happy to accommodate any requests, and is approachable for the entire duration of the programme.
The course fees are €150 per child (€120 for the bank holiday weeks).
What does my child need to bring
- Raincoat/waterproof jacket
- Change of Clothes
- Wooly Hat
- Old Trainers or Crocs
- Packed Lunch
(Please ensure all belongings are named)
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Competent Crew Course - Excellent Instructor - Having done a few courses with the INSS over the summer of 2023, and some sailing on the Mediterranean, doing the Competent Crew course with others who were doing the Day Skipper course at the same time was the highlight of my time learning how to sail. The reason it was the highlight was largely due to the course instructor Shona O'Dowd (I made certain to get her full name before leaving to give her the credit she deserved). Huge knowledge and experience mixed with a great attitude, with friendliness, patience and approachability making Shona stand out and make each day of the course something to look forward to regardless of weather or experience level. Shona guided practical use of all facets of sailing knowledge excellently and never micromanaged or tried to exert too much control, thereby never limiting the learning that can take place for students.
This teaching style is difficult to find, having seen a variety of instructors and their styles, in different countries and even within the INSS, and so you will be very lucky if you get Shona on your boat when it comes your turn to learn the ropes (literally). All in all, the Competent Crew course was very enjoyable, and I just wanted to give credit where it was due.
20/08/2023 -
Great sailing school in the tidal waters of Dublin Bay - I have just done the RYA Competent Crew course here, five-days aboard the 36-foot Beaufort Venture under the guidance of instructor Gary Curran. The whole week surpassed my expectations, and I cannot praise Gary's teaching style highly enough. We covered the syllabus with clear, safety-focused instructions, followed by lots of hands-on practice. He was patient when things didn't always go right first time, and challenged us to step up our skills when he thought we were ready. We got lots and lots of sailing in conditions ranging from 10 to 30 knots of wind, and the Beaufort Venture is a comfortable and forgiving boat to sail. I won't name check my wonderful shipmates, but I can say that after this week of instruction and encouragement I've raised my sailing ambitions to a higher level. The INSS under Kenny Rumball are super-well organised, and supported us with all the advice, equipment, clothing and food we needed. A great week, and I strongly recommend the INSS to anyone wanting to start sailing or to build their skills.
01/07/2017