Elements Watersports on the great watersports they provide, leading activity and industry news.
Bookings for our popular GoSail and GoWindsurf days coming in for term4 and early term 1.
Drop me a line to find out more and confirm dates
At Elements Watersports we have been using the Topaz Uno and Omega dinghies from Topper for the last 6 years. With support and encouragement from Hugh at Oceanz1 we run sailing session for school groups, yacht clubs as well as adults that missed the opportunity when they were growing up.
6 years on and the boats are still going strong, when Topper say they are virtually maintenance free they are not kidding, all we do is waterblast the hulls clean every few months (no need to be gentle with soap and water), a few shackles, rivets and bits of rope have been changed. After 5 years we chose to replace the Topaz mains, that’s 5 tough years of daily use through the summer months!
We focus on minimal shore tuition to maximise on water time, this leads to plenty of knocks, bangs and running aground. not one centreboard or rudder has needed to be changed. From time to time the boats t-bone or crash into each other, they just keep on taking it, a glass fibre hull would just puncture and need constant repairs, each repair making the boat look more and more knocked about - not the topaz.
They say you can fire a 12 bore shotgun at the hull from 10m and no holes, we havn't done that but have had a boat blow off the top of our trailer (3.5m up in the air), land on a trailer handle and bounce of, there was a scuff mark but no scratch!
This summer we only had to cancel a few sessions due to too much wind, the boats reef down so that 2 kids can still sail happily in 20-25kts of wind. The high boom makes moving in the open transomed boat safe and easy. In addition having two in the Topaz means that teamwork makes learning easier and more enjoyable.
The Omega dinghies are powerful and spacious, groups of upto 5 can head out with an instructor and all have something to do. The boat is so stable and predictable that trying the trapeze or flying the asymmetric can all be covered in taster session.
We either store the hulls on their side so 3 boats can fit in same floor space as 1 on a trailer or we store them in a rack 1 above the other, we store upto 6 hulls and trailers taking up the space of just 1 boat. Being plastic the hulls can live in or outdoors, with the New Zealand UV it's good to put a sun shade over the top boat.
I first used the Topaz in 1996, there were minor changes in the 1st few years. Since then the range of boats has been used as an obvious choice for watersports centres, clubs and recreational sailors who simply want a fun, simple and tough boat.
I cannot recommend these boats enough for tuition or family users. They are a true multipurpose adaptable boat that exceeds the needs of many users around New Zealand and the world.
Happy Sailing
Pete
Elementswatersports.co.nz
Hi, one of the things that makes running elements watersports so much fun is the variety. For example in the last few days I've been teaching powerboating and VHF from a super yacht in Auckland Harbour and then back in Tauranga getting a new sailor cruising up and down wind in an Omega dinghy from Kulim Park, Tauranga Harbour).
This variety is not just good for us, it's often given as the reason for why students choose us, particularly on the more advanced or big group bookings.
When run an activity we are also drawing on delivery methods and skills from other activities.
In my experience the best seasoned instructors always have a random coaching qualification, gained to improve instructional technique/ diversity. In my case it's a basketball coach award, I can't say I've used it much on a court but it comes to mind every time I develop drills and brief groups for an activity.
A sailing taster with us can be to get you into a life of sailing or simply a great way to explore the Harbour.
After this session we will tailor make a package of lessons and rental to get you into the type of sailing that works for you.
Despite a very light wind start to the day the breeze did fill in enough for our Topaz lesson to run and our new renters who enjoyed a few sunny hours in the Omega.
Adam also headed out in his Topaz with his son.
What a relaxing way to finish the weekend.
Our professionally run GoSailing and GoWindsurfing days have been a popular choice resulting in more repeat bookings than anything else we do.
If you're a teacher looking for an EOTC day out that is as mental as it is physical then look no further than a day or more on the water with your class/ year with our professional seasoned instructors the best range of kit and clothing for the whole class. Our Tauranga base at Kulim Park is vertically impossible to beat, if you're not in Tauranga then we can arrange great camp accommodation on Matakana Island or we can always come to a great spot near your school.Elements Watersports is New Zealands Premier Centre for Watersports Instruction and Equipment Hire. We offer courses for Sailing, Windsurfing, Paddleboarding and RYA Powerboat Training. We also run Outdoor Activity Programs for Schools and Groups, Sailing and Windsurf Instructor Training Programs and Maritime Commercial Qualifications. Dinghy, Paddleboard and Windsurf Rental and equipment hire is also available from our base at Kulim Park.
