Work with us!

Nelson Yacht Club has an established and successful programme of assistant instructor training that provides awesome opportunities for young sailors to ‘learn the ropes’; assisting with more experienced instructors and coaches, before gaining qualifications and working as instructors. See below for more details on our “Leaders in Training” programme.

These young instructors tend to set sail for new horizons once they reach the end of their time at college; either heading off to university, venturing overseas, or exploring other opportunities in the marine industry.

We look to bring in more experienced coaches and instructors from elsewhere in NZ or overseas to provide the backbone of the team.

Our Sailing School operations are entirely seasonal, governed by the region’s climate. We are currently recruiting for the 2022-23 season. Click on the links for more details. The positions available are:

All applicants must be eligible to work in New Zealand. The seasonal nature of the positions mean that they may be suitable/attractive for visitors on Working Holiday Visas.

Nelson Yacht Club is an Accredited Employer under the new AEWV scheme, and will be applying for a Job Check for the Chief Instructor role to enable us to support visa applications from overseas candidates should no suitable NZ candidates be forthcoming.

Leaders in Training

Programme Aims:

  • To develop the knowledge and skill base to teach basic session elements to groups of young students
  • To feel like you’ve gained more leadership abilities and would be comfortable leading a group through a task
  • To feel you can relate to others with different learning styles
  • To become more productive in your personal life with goal setting and planning
  • To have fun!

Programme structure:

Term 4: Saturday mornings 09:30 – 11:30, 6 weeks from 29th October 2022
Assist with at least one session per week of Term-Time-Training

Summer Holidays: Assist for at least 1 full week of the summer holidays

Term 1: Sunday mornings 09:30 – 11:30, 6 weeks from 11th February 2023
Assist with at least one session per week of Term-Time-Training

Programme content (including, but not limited to):

  • YNZ Embark programme
  • Instructor/coach roles & responsibilities
  • Leadership – what does it mean?
  • Safety & risk assessing
  • Re-capping and developing knowledge of the basic theory elements
    • knots,
    • parts of the boat/sail,
    • launching/landing,
    • How a Sail works & The Points of Sail,
    • Tides,
    • Wind and weather,
    • Shorebased games & On-water games,
    • Land drills
  • Presentation Skills
    • body language, instructor ‘voice’ confidence, use of visual aids / presentation aids
  • Teaching/Instructing/Coaching Theory
    • Personality types
    • Learning & Teaching styles
  • Teach the group a new skill not sailing related
  • Personal sailing skills as relevant to instructing
    • Follow the leader, dry capsizing, sailing through your voice
  • Course Planning & Session Planning
  • The “Instructor Tool Box”
  • Powerboat driving (for those 15 and over)
  • Fundraising

Most of the sessions will be led by you, the candidates, with the trainer guiding the discussion, providing feedback and overall direction. Some will be led by the trainer. There will also be a small amount of background reading, preparation and planning required outside of the programme times.

Pathway to paid work at NYC

As well as a great grounding in the operations at NYC, there are two main qualifications that our Leaders in Training programme is designed to prepare you for. You’ll need to achieve these in order to apply for a paid Casual Instructor role at the club:

  • RYA Powerboat Level 2
  • YNZ Assistant Learn to Sail Coach

Further training courses and qualifications are encouraged such as:

  • Marine VHF Radio Certificate of Competence
  • Basic First Aid
  • Coastguard Boating Education’s Dayskipper Certificate

If you are interested in applying for this programme, or have questions, please get in touch: manager@nelsonyachtclub.org.nz

What’s next!?

Pre-covid, we saw many of our instructors making great use of their training and experience at the club to head off overseas to teach watersports at USA Summer Camps, UK watersports centres, skippering and hosting on Caribbean yachting camps, and working in the Superyacht industry. With the easing of travel restrictions, you can look forward to accessing these exciting opportunities!

Even during the past two years, previous members of the team have taken up roles at prestigious Auckland yacht clubs, and worked for Yachting New Zealand.