playbook
Learning to sail on the Loosdrechtse Plassen for beginners
A half-day or full-day sailing lesson on the Loosdrechtse Plassen for beginners, with an instructor or as part of a group course at a sailing school.
4u
duration
€ 80–700
budget
Ground
pace
The Loosdrechtse Plassen have been the go-to learning spot for Dutch sailors for generations, with several CWO-certified sailing schools on the eastern side of Oud-Loosdrecht. No sailing licence or prior knowledge is required for a beginner course. The minimum age is often eight years for youth courses, and fifteen for the adult class. A day lesson with an instructor on an open valk or polyvalk costs between eighty and one hundred and fifty euros per person from May through August; a full week summer class runs between four hundred and seven hundred euros per person, including the boat, life jacket, and theory.
The best months are June and July, with a steady breeze of two to four Beaufort, sometimes thermally boosted in the afternoon. August is warm but changeable. The lakes lie between Hilversum and Utrecht, easily reachable by car. The Loosdrechtse Plas is large enough to practise all CWO-1 manoeuvres without crossing paths with other boats. Every group has its own chase boat with the instructor.
Checklist
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Zeilcursus geboekt
CWO-niveau gekozen
Snel droge kleding mee
Zwembril of zonnebril mee
Lunch of geld voor terras
Zonbescherming en pet
ID en handtekening ouders bij minderjarige
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by PlayTryBe team
Reserve a CWO course at a sailing school in Oud-Loosdrecht for May through August.
Complete a half-day registration and watch an instruction video in advance.
Start on the water with tacking and gybing exercises.
Plan a lunch break at the marina or on the school's terrace.
Head out for a lap around the Grote Plas in the afternoon.
Ask for feedback at the end of the day to prepare for the next lesson.
For anyone copying this
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Suggestions
- Book a CWO-1 or CWO-2 course, as it comes with a recognised certificate.
- Schedule your course on a weekday to avoid crowds on the water.
- Wear quick-drying clothing, you will get wet.
- Read a short sailing theory summary beforehand to get through day one faster.
- Ask whether the life jacket, trolley, and sails are included in the price.
Variations
- - Boek twee opvolgende dagen voor sneller resultaat.
- - Doe een privéles in plaats van groepscursus voor maatwerk tempo.
- - Combineer met een avondzeiltocht onder begeleiding aan het eind van de week.
- - Volg de jeugdkamp-variant met de kinderen apart.
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