Port Curtis Sailing Club were the first club to initiate the scheme with Whitworths (Whitworths Marine & Leisure) for their new Tackers Boats in November 2024. Having spent a year using the Australian Sailing Tackers Loan Boats and setting up their first few courses successfully, the club are extremely happy to have their own boats to continue this amazing program. 

The club and the instructors have been supported by the instructors and management team at Keppel Bay Sailing Club, who lent a hand at the first Tackers Intro, provided guidance with promoting/advertising and invited Port Curtis Instructors to gain experience helping at Tackers courses at the Causeway. Keppel Bay has also been successful in purchasing new boats through the scheme. 

There were many club members who volunteered to help unpack and rig the new fleet ready to go for the start of the latest Tackers sailing course! 

The Tackers Loan Boats were gathered and transported down to Hervey Bay where they will be used at a brand-new Discover Sailing Centre – Fraser Coast Sailing Academy! 

Whitworths Marine and Leisure General Manager, Nigel Curry, stated "Whitworths Marine and Leisure in conjunction with Australian Sailing are delighted to see the continued interest from new clubs starting Tackers and existing clubs operating Tackers increasing the size of their club fleets of the Tackers Optimists."  

"There has been a large number of applicants for the 2024/2025 season and five clubs have been successful so far in receiving support from Whitworths Marine and Leisure to help purchase Whitworths Optimist dinghies. Applications are still being accepted via the Australian Sailing website. In addition to the 50 new optimists this season many clubs have also received new Whitworths Optimist Sails donated to replace old, and or damaged sails on existing tacker fleets across the country. Whitworths Marine and Leisure remains committed to helping clubs get youth into the lifelong sport of sailing through the Tackers program and give the club assistance in getting more young people to experience sailing at their local clubs." 

Details & Application Here - https://www.sailing.org.au/surveys/6969