Sailing is suitable for all people, including children from 6 years old and over. Let’s see how MANTA teaches children to learn sailing!
Why should children take sailing courses?
Children should participate in watersports to enhance their physical and mental health. It is a good way to take a break from smartphones and understand more about outside life and geography. Watersports develop skills for resilience and adaptation in the face of climate change.
Sailing is a great sport for kids to get used to the water and enjoy swimming. The British Medical Journal estimates that about 6,000 Vietnamese children drown every year. This is why people throughout the country fear drowning. To reduce the danger of drowning, every kid has to get training with instruction in swimming.
At MANTA, children do not have to know how to swim to play watersports. We ask children if they can swim 30m with a life jacket, ask if they can float comfortably with their head above water, and help them minimize the risks. MANTA has internationally qualified equipment and coaches on site so we can ensure your children’s safety. We have also chosen the safest sites to sail so that you can enjoy the quality of watersports with peace of mind.
Sailing can be considered the most suitable watersport for children because other sports such as kiteboarding require an older age. Participants in this sport can range in age from 6 to 80. Sailing is a sport in which a boat is driven by wind force rather than an engine. There are two types and two sizes of sailing boats: two types are monohulls and multihulls; two sizes are dinghies and larger sailing boats. At MANTA, we sail both foiling and monohull dinghies.
How does MANTA teach children to sail?
Sailing is a sport that requires much knowledge about wind direction and navigation. However, MANTA recommends that children should not read any material before taking the course to avoid confusion. It is best to arrive with an empty head and an upbeat attitude. The coach plans the sailing sessions so that the children may physically participate in the activity as well as see, hear, and read about it. There is more content (mostly videos) accessible to strengthen the skills.
Children initially learn to sail by imitating their instructor in small sequential steps. At MANTA, until a student has learned the ability to sail securely alone, the coach remains in the same boat as the student. With this method, you can be confident that your children will acquire the skills without having to unlearn any bad habits beforehand. They can practice on their own at sea while being watched by MANTA if they have demonstrated that they can sail safely alone.
MANTA’s trainers are watersports-trained fisherfolk, who are now Vietnam’s top sailing athletes, coaches, and managers, with 12 years of practical experience. Since English is rarely our client’s first language, MANTA has tailored the training program for Vietnam in order to give practical instruction faster with higher safety. We offer individual and large group options designed for each student’s requirements. Your child will also be guided in the most understandable and receptive way.
To prepare for the sailing course, children need to wear comfortable beach clothes, ideally shorts and t-shirts. They should pack swimming shoes or gym shoes to protect their feet, as well as a long-sleeved shirt and leggings to protect themselves if jellyfish happen to pass by. MANTA provides caps with clips that children can wear.
How does MANTA ensure safety while playing watersports?
MANTA connected Vietnam to the governing body of the sport (2009-2012) to ensure safety standards and to allow Vietnam to legally host and take part in international events. MANTA follows the governing body guidelines, with modifications for Vietnam.
MANTA always follows the standard of the sports framework for equipment and safety. We always try to keep the best condition for the equipment, including the boat safety. We design safe and suitable sailboat training courses for children and customer requirements. To offer the best courses, we strictly monitor the weather as well.
MANTA conducts risk assessments and shares them with students. We ask students to drink lots of water, wear sunscreen, wear a cap, keep cool by going underwater at the start of a watersports session, tie their glasses on, and wear a life jacket. MANTA has first aid boxes and has given first aid training to staff.
A coach from MANTA is always there to supervise the kids’ watersports and assist them when necessary. If children need assistance from the shore, they can signal certain arm motions to indicate it. Additionally, coaches keep an eye out for any issues that could develop with children.
With the above information, MANTA guarantees to bring safe sailing courses for children to help children become equipped with water skills as well as health benefits. If you and your child wish to participate in this rewarding activity, what are you waiting for, come to MANTA now!
***Photo by Elena Sergeevna
