Welcome to HSS Sailing & Windsurfing Center

Interested in sailing or windsurfing in Helsinki? Adult training in the HSS Sailing Center provides excellent training and atmosphere for Sailors and windsurfers of all levels. With us you can take courses, participate in Weekly trainings and race. Own sailing boat or windsurf board is not a prerequisite for participation. Come join us!

Beginner courses and gift cards for 2024 are here! Book your spot from our webshop»

We offer Beginner courses in sailing and Beginner courses in windsurfing.

Sailing Center HSS

JOIN US!

Registration for the 2024 season’s weekly training takes place in two parts:

1) Become a member of the club

2)Registration for SWC Weekly Training.

Read more of our membership and weekly training for sailing and windsurfing below on the page.

For updates, follow HSS Sailing & Windsurfing  Center on social media:

BEGINNERS’ COURSES

Beginners’ courses 2024 are here! Book your spot from our webshop»

We offer Beginners’ courses in sailing and Beginners’ courses in windsurfing

Beginner courses in Sailing 2024:

Schedule:

  • Friday: 18:00 – 20:00
  • Saturday: 09:45 – 16:00
  • Sunday: 09:45 – 16:00

Price: 330€

Book your spot for a beginners’ course from the HSS online shop»

BEGINNERS’ COURSES

Beginners’ courses 2024 are here! Book your spot from our webshop»

We offer Beginners’ courses in sailing and Beginners’ courses in windsurfing

Beginners’ courses in Windsurfing 2024:

Schedule:

Weekends: at 10 to 14,  weekdays Tuesday/ Thursday at 17 to 21.

Price: 250€

Book your spot for a discovery course from the HSS online shop»


About HSS Sailing  & Windsurfing Center

HSS Sailing and Windsurfing Center is a committee under Helsingfors Segelsällskap sailing club. We organize adult sailing and windsurfing courses, training, lectures, races and much more. With our selection of equipment, a team of talented coaches, and a variety of different training groups, we can offer learning opportunities for both beginners and experienced sailors as well as for windsurfers.

The season starts in April with the first “help” – that’s when all the RS Touras, Elliott 6m Boats and windsurfing equipment are fixed ready for sailing. The first Beginners’ weekend course will be organized and the first Brave ones will be training on the water at the end of April. The actual sailing season starts in May, and the season offers you Weekly trainings, Clinics on different topics, Races, parties, talcos, and lots of other activities on our island. The season continues until the end of October, when it’s time to lift all the boats and boards, and start planning the next season.

The heart of the HSS Sailing Center is the Sailing Center community which means our members – people who want and can make things happen together. Being part of the community means participating, learning, doing together and having fun – and of course sailing / windsurfing. Sailing Center works mainly on a voluntary basis so everyone’s input is important. Read more about us on the following pages.

ADULT SAILING

BECOME A CLUB MEMBER

Welcome to good company! Helsingfors Segelsällskap or HSS is a place where you share your passion for sailing, make friends with marine adventures and learn about the fascinating world of sailing. The club makes sailing possible as a way of life. What does it mean to be a member of the club? Community: HSS is like a family sharing a love of maritime adventures. You will get to know like-minded people who share a common interest in sailing. Safety and learning: Whether you are a beginner or an experienced sailor, HSS provides a safe environment to learn. Experienced members are ready to share their knowledge and skills, and we organize exercises, camps and training events for sailors of all skill levels and ages.

  • Membership benefits: With your personal membership card, you are entitled to membership benefits. The most important benefit is that you can take the Liuskasaari ferry for free. Other great benefits include discounts on food and drinks in restaurants in the island and use of the HSS islands of Andö (Inkoo) and Getören (Porvoo).

<<See all the categories and applications here>>

BEGINNER COURSES IN SAILING

 

Season 2024 beginner courses in sailing are now available! Book your spot for a course and learn the basics of sailing.

  • You do not need any previous sailing experience to join.
  • Every year we have multiple different nationalities represented, so feel comfortable joining in even if you don’t speak a word Finnish.

Beginner courses 2024:

Schedule:

  • Friday: 18:00-17:30
  • Saturday: 09:45-16:00
  • Sunday: 09:45-16:00

Price: 330€

During the weekend we will focus on both sailing theory indoors and sailing basics on land in a simulator and in water as existing weather conditions allow. After the course, you have learned the basics of sailing and rigging of the boat. If you choose to join the Sailing Center you will then be ready to take part in our coached beginner training. This course is held using our RS Touras that are sailed with a crew of 3 persons. Minimum age requirement is 15 years. Crews are formed of the participants of the course.

The course is carried out in English.

Book your spot for a beginners’ course from the HSS online shop»

HSS Sailing Center reserves the right to cancel a beginners’ course e.g. if there is less than 4 sailors. For such cases, the HSS Sailing & Windsurfing Center offers you a possibility to attend another similar beginner’s course later. Terms of cancellation can be founder here

SAILING COACHED TRAINING

 

The Sailing & Windsurfing Center organises approximately 19-21 weeks of training during a season. It is recommended to start training with one group which corresponds to your sailing skills level. After a few sessions, it is possible to try out other groups and boats too. Our coaches are more than happy to help you find the right group! You can find coaches’ contact information here »

Weekly training sessions are included in the training fee. Coaching language is english.

Training groups

“Basics and leisure”  Green , beginner’s group

Basics of sailing, preparation and maintenance of a boat, basics of racing. In this group Sailors will learn boat maintenance related things like taking the mast down, preparing the Spinnaker sail and measure the rig tension. For the Sailors who already have a little sailing experience and for the Sailors who attended Beginners’ course or sailed already last season a bit. You can also start straight in this group without any previous experience, but we highly recommend participating in the beginner’s course first. More detailed description of the group can be found SWC Training Groups

    • Group 1: starts 06.05.2024, training Mondays at 17.30
    • Group 2: starts 21.05.2024, training Tuesdays at 17.30

“RS Toura racing” Blue , intermediate group

Basics of Fleet racing, Tactics, trimming and boat control in Stronger Winds. In this group Sailors will learn boat maintenance related things like changing the shackles and other small pieces, changing the halyards inside the boat and how to fix a windex. More detailed description of the group can be found SWC Training Groups

    • Group 1: starts 02.05.2024, training Thursdays at 17.30
    • Further groups will be opened based on the demand

“Elliott Racing” Red , racing group

Advanced level Fleet racing, more challenging maneuvers, boat handling, rules and tactics. In this group Sailors will learn boat maintenance related things like how to trim shrouds when there are more of those, how to use the crane to lift the Boats and
about sail maintenance. More detailed description of the group can be found SWC Training Groups

    • Group 1: starts 07.05.2024, training Tuesdays at 17.30

“League Racing” Black, racing group

Advanced level Fleet racing in even Deeper level. Goal is to create teams thats will represent the club in the Finnish Sailing League. In this league we will focus on fleet racing as well as “sprint” fleet racing. Sailors will also learn boat maintenance related things like trimming the complete rig, marking the boat so that trimming is easy and other details affecting the boat speed. More detailed description of the group can be found SWC Training Groups

    • Group 1: starts 06.05.2024, training Mondays at 17.30

High performance training clinics

High performance level, weekend clinics targeted towards teams willing to do extra training to prepare themselves for the sailing league as well as other high competition fleet racing events. HSS will organize 3 weekend clinics during the season, the dates and prices will be published in a due course. The programme is open to HSS members as well as sailors from other clubs. The programme is geared towards minimum red level sailors or equivalent level. The clinics will be sailed with j70 class boats.

    • 9.30 briefing
    • 10.15 dock out
    • 10.30 – 16.30 training on the water (lunch break inside those hours)
    • 16.45 dock in
    • 17.00 – 17.45 debrief

Saturday “mixed” training

Starting from 11.5.2024 Saturdays at 11-15 all level groups are sailing together – everyone is welcome! Once a month, the program includes something out of the ordinary, such as trying out different boats, sailing sports or windsurfing. Otherwise,
practice competitions will be sailed on Saturdays. A couple of Sailors take turns organizing the Races together with the Coach. The results of the race will be announced and the “after sail” barbecue will be held once back shore.

Terms of cancellation

Terms of cancellation can be found here

Other info

For the Weekly training enrollment, we use SuomiSport Application. For the Green group you don’t need to have a team to attend the training session. Final boat allocation for training will be done on the shore-based on participants’ experience. For Blue, Red and Black level you need a team.

The minimum age requirement to participate in training sessions is 18 years. 

Please apply for HSS Membership before you signup for HSS SWC Training.

Join HSS Sailing Center by filling in HSS Sailing Center entry form 2024.

Weekly schedule

Weekday training sessions start at 17:30 for all groups (boat rigged and crew ready to go sailing, sailing gear on). Beginners’ groups (Green) start at 17:30, crew ready to go sailing, clothes changed etc, but no need to have Boats rigged yet. Training takes about 2.5-3 hours.

Saturday training sessions start at 11.00. Training takes about 3-4 hours.

It’s recommended to arrive 30-45 minutes before a coached training session. Boats should be prepared before the start of the training session and sailing clothes on.

During Autumns coached training sessions  start earlier due to Darker evenings. Please check the time from your Coach or with an email from sailingcenter@helsinkisailing.com.

You can see the schedule in calendar format under CALENDAR section »

Coaches

Introduction of the coaches here »

If you are not sure which group would be suitable for your level and interest: ask directly from the coaches or send an email to sailingcenter@helsinkisailing.com . We will find it together!

Sailing gear

What to wear for sailing?

This is a short guide about sailing equipment for starting at the Sailing Center. All equipment is a compromise between warmth / dryness / comfort / cost / agility and our top sailors have varying preferences. It makes sense to start with affordable gear and branch after finding one’s personal preferences.

For the beginner’s course, special equipment is not needed.

Personal Flotation Device

Every member of the sailing center should have their own lifejacket. Our training groups use non-inflatable PFDs “life jackets”. They will provide flotation in the water, but will not turn an unconscious body upright. Select a PFD for your weight range and consider fitting what is comfortable for your body shape. A pocket is sometimes nice to have in the PFD.

Jacket

Outdoor jackets are fine, sailing specific jackets / Tops are not required.

Trousers

Starting out with Generic outdoor trousers is fine. Select trousers depending on (water) temperature and weather. Trousers should either be waterproof or dry really quickly.

Many of our more advanced Sailors use waterproof long sailing trousers / salopettes from the likes of eg Musto / Henri Lloyd / Helly Hansen . Their prices vary widely depending on the model and shop.

A minority of our Sailors prefers to use “long john” style wetsuit trousers, which also works well. The model should have a panel in the knees to protect against wear and tear from sailing.

Some of our sailors use soft knee pads.

Gloves

There are sailing specific gloves but many of our Sailors use cheap Generic work gloves, depending on temperature. E .g. Wonder Grip Comfort gloves are popular.

For beginning anything that has a good grip is ok.

Shoes

Our Sailors use a wide variety of shoes depending on the weather and preference. We want something typically that either dries fast or is comfortable wet. This means something from sneakers to neoprene dinghy boots.

For beginning use any sturdy boot or sneaker is fine. Some of our Sailors have also experimented with watertight socks.

Some also use short rubber boots, which may be very comfortable but limit agility.

Hat

Depending on the weather you might want to use a hat. A typical choice is either a beanie “beanie” or a cap “cap”. Normal ones are good, but they shouldn’t fly away from your head!

Sunglasses & Sunscreen

If it is sunny you will need these! Cheap ones are fine.

Using sunscreen on sunny days is a very good habit! Normal ones are fine.

More gear: Lock, Tape & Start Watch

Our changing rooms have lockers for which you can use your own small paddle lock if you want to.

Someone in the boat should have electric tape for marking positions in ropes and avoiding chafe in various parts. Put a roll in your PFD pocket.

People more involved in racing will want a start watch. Currently, the most popular model is Optimum Time Series 3.

Shops

There are roughly three kinds of shops for buying equipment:

Sailing stores like Veneilijän Verkkokauppa , Maritim , Marineuppa , etc many of which are located near each other in Lauttasaari. They have a selection of sailing specific equipment and can help you with purchases. HSS members get a 15% discount from Maritim.

Generic outdoor stores can have Surprisingly large selections of stuff and be cheaper. Potential stores are eg Biltema , Motonet , Puuilo , Tokmanni , XXL , Scandinavian outdoor . They can be a source of cheap gloves, dinghy boots and PFDs.

Online stores have a wide selection of sailing equipment and can offer steep discounts. Shipping to Finland is typically 1-2 weeks from eg 

Second-hand sailing gear you can find from the following Facebook groups:

Come and visit our free market for second-hand sailing gear at HSS Sailing Center!

SELF TRAINING

Don’t have a boat but want to train independently? No problem!
Our club owns a J/70 boat which you can now use to train and race.
The active class offers a variety of activities, including numerous competitions throughout the season. Join this group and get the chance to find teammates, and expand your network as you meet new exciting people. Seize the opportunity and join the adventure that awaits on water!
For more information on the self training package, contact Dipesh, General Manager of SWC: dipesh@helsinkisailing.com / +358 50 5553115 or Michal Gryglewski +358 50 55061107 Michal@helsinkisailing.com

SAILING EVENTS

At HSS Sailing & Windsurfing Center you can practice racing in many ways.

Wednesday races

 

 

 

The tradition of the Wednesday races started at HSS before the second world war! Races are open for all club members and for several boat classes, including RS Toura, Elliott 6m, Hai/classic boats and LYS. Laser16-boats are the most used ones. After the race, there’s an after-sail on the island.

As there will be no coach to assist with the boats, you will need to have a qualified skipper with skipper rights in the boat. Before being qualified to skipper your own boat, you are warmly welcome to join the Wednesday races as a crew or join the organizing team. Put together your own Wednesday race team with your Sailing Center co-sailors or keep an eye on our internal communication channels for crew spots. Further sailing instructions here»

Spring Cup and Autumn Cup

 

 

Spring Cup and Autumn Cup are fleet racing events sailed by RS Toura and Elliott boats. Spring Cup is organized in June and Autumn Cup in August. Both events are 1-2 days regattas and open for all HSS members as well as for teams from other clubs. There will be 3-6 races per day. Collect your team and join! You can find more info here»

 

End of Season Race

This regatta is organized middle of October and it’s a great way to end the season. Sailors will compete in 4-6 races during one day. The regatta is sailed with RS Touras and Elliotts in fleet racing format. It is open for all HSS members and after the race, you can join the party.

Boxing Day Regatta

 

 

 

 

 

Last race of the season! This fun event is sailed every year after Christmas on 26th December. After spending a few days with family and friends, it’s good to go out and see some sailor friends. The regatta is sailed with Laser16 boats in match racing format. Follow HSS Sailing Center on Facebook or check our our Instagram for more info!

ADULT WINDSURFING

WINDSURF DISCOVERY COURSES

During the season 2024, we are organizing 6 discovery courses in windsurfing. Book your spot for a course and learn the basics of windsurfing!

  • You do not need any previous windsurfing experience to join.
  • Every year we have multiple different nationalities represented, so feel comfortable joining in even if you don’t speak a word in Finnish.

Discovery course schedules

The windsurfing courses will be held at the following dates. Weekends is: at 10 to 14,  weekdays is Tuesday/ Thursday at 17 to 21.

 

Who is this course for?

Our discovery courses are meant for all those who are interested in windsurfing, have no previous experience, and want to learn the basic skills and techniques of windsurfing in different wind conditions. The course is working in all wind conditions. The program might be changed based on the weather forecast. The minimum age for joining the course is 18 years, no maximum age. You don’t need to be a club member, but you should have your own leisure time accident insurance. The course is carried out in English.

What you will learn during this course?

  • How to prepare your equipment
  • Basic movements
  • Safety in the water
  • How to lift the sail
  • The correct body posture to avoid injuries
  • How to find balance on the board, hold relax or starting position
  • The controlled and safe crash
  • Basic maneuvers: starting, sailing, tack, and jibe
  • Surfing is fun!

Amount of participants

Minimum of three, maximum of four participants. If there are less than three participants, we will try to find a new date for a replacing course for each participant. If a suitable time cannot be found, we will refund the participation fee.

Prices

The cost of beginner course will be 250 Euros while each course will have 8 participants. The price includes ferry trips to and from the island. You can rent a wetsuit and life jacket from the club for an additional price (20e/wetsuits/two days, 10e/lifejacket/two days). If you have your own wetsuit and life jacket you can wear those.

Course price includes:

  • The use of club’s windsurfing equipment.
  • Three-hour lessons each day of the course, with a maximum of four participants per instructor.
  • We will start with a quick but essential theory part on the beach.
  • And continue with the main practical part in the water.

Equipment

Obligatory equipment for the beginner’s course is:

  • life jacket (can be rented from the club, 10e/course/person)
  • wetsuit (can be rented from the club, 20e/course/person), your own wetsuit must be long-sleeved and legged
  • neoprene shoes (not necessary in June and August)
  • beanie/hat
  • warm-up jacket (windproof or another warm jacket)
  • warm-up gloves (mittens, etc.)
  • You should also bring a drink bottle and a towel

In the discovery course, not everyone surfs at the same time, some participants might sit in an inflatable boat with the coach, which means that you should take warm clothes with you.

After the discovery course (in weekly trainings), it is no longer possible to rent equipment from the club, so everyone must have their own equipment. You can read more about the equipment here.

Sing-up

Book your spot for a discovery course from the HSS online shop»

WINDSURFING COACHED TRAINING

Sailing Center arranges coached training in the water for about 19-21 weeks per season. It is recommended to begin the coached training in the group which corresponds to your skill level. After a few sessions, it is possible to test other training groups also. Our coaches are willing to help you with the questions related to the choosing of the group! Find the contact information of our coaches here »

The training fee includes Weekly practices. Training languages ​​are in english

Training groups

Green, the Beginners’ group

Basics of windsurfing. Preparing and servicing a windsurfer. The group is suitable for a person who doesn’t have any previous experience or has attended a Beginners course . You can find a more detailed group description here.

    • Group 1: starts 16th May 2024, practices on Thursday at 5.30pm
    • Further groups will be opened based on the demand

Blue, intermediate group

Basics of competing, Tactics, trimming of the sail, and windsurfing in demanding wind conditions. The group will be more related to improving their own technique of sailing, doing some tours around the archipelago when conditions are light, practicing planning, planning gybes, when Stronger wind condition, Slalom / freeride / funboard equipment review etc. You can find a more detailed group description here.

    • Group 1: starts 15th May 2024, training Wednesday at 17.30
    • Further groups will be opened based on the demand

Monday and Saturday “mixed” training

All groups are surfing together – everyone is welcome! May 15th, 2023 will start Saturday’s mixed training from 12-15 and May 20th, 2023 will start Monday’s mixed training from 17: 30-20.

Terms of cancellation

Terms of cancellation can be found here

Other info

The members sign up for the practices in. The age limit for participation in the training groups is 18 years.

Please apply for HSS Membership before you signup for HSS SWC Training.

Sign in to the windsurfing season 2024 by filling in the registration form of the HSS Sailing & Windsurfing Center.

Weekly schedule

The Weekly training sets begin at 5:30 pm (board prepared / rigged, the clothes changed and ready to leave to the waters). The Beginners’ groups (Green) begin at 17:30 (preparation of the windsurf begins with the Coach, clothes changed). The practices last about 2.5-3 hours.

It is recommended to arrive 20-30 minutes before the beginning of the practice so that you have time to change the clothes and to prepare the windsurf.

In the Autumn, the practices can begin already earlier. Check the time from your Coach or by e-mail from sailingcenter@helsinkisailing.com .

You can see the schedule in calendar format under  CALENDAR section »

Coaches

Introduction of the coaches  here »

If you are not sure which group would be suitable for your level and interest: ask directly from the coaches or send an email to  sailingcenter@helsinkisailing.com .

Windsurfing equipment

How to dress for training sets?

This is a short guide to the equipment you need when starting windsurfing at the HSS Sailing Center. All equipment choices are compromises between heat, dryness, convenience, agility, and the costs, and Preferences vary among the top Surfers. It is reasonable to begin with basic equipment. After a while, it is possible to purchase new ones according to one’s own experience and personal preferences.

List of the equipment

Extra equipment: lock and start clock

In our dressing rooms, we have lockers where an own lock is needed (if desired)

People who compete, usually want their own start clock. At the moment, the most popular model is Optimum Time Series 3.

Shops

There are roughly three kinds of shops for buying equipment:

Stores like  Boater’s Online Store ,  MaritimMarine Store , etc. many of which are located near each other in Lauttasaari. They have a selection of sailing specific equipment and can help you with purchases. HSS members get a 15% discount from Maritim.

Generic outdoor stores can have Surprisingly large selections of stuff and be cheaper. Potential stores are eg BiltemaMotonetPuuiloTokmanniXXLScandinavian outdoor . These can be sources of cheap gloves, boots, and life jackets.

Online stores have a wide selection of sailing equipment and can offer steep discounts. Shipping to Finland is typically 1-2 weeks from eg

Second-hand sailing gear you can find from the following Facebook groups:

Come and visit our free market for second-hand sailing gear at HSS Sailing Center!

SAILING CENTER ACTIVITIES

LIFE ON THE ISLAND

Membership at HSS Sailing & Windsurfing Center is much more than just sailing. As more experienced sailors already know, surprisingly lot is happening ashore; maintenance of the boats, preparing them for sailing, caretaking tasks after a sailing training, etc. If you are a beginner you will learn how a boat is working and you will become familiar with all the proper care and upkeep tasks that are necessary for keeping a boat safe and reliable. And we do this together, which makes it fun too! After sailing you can enjoy hanging out in the club room, library, sauna, or grilling on the terrace. All the club facilities are free to use whenever there is not special booking.

During the summer it is very hard to find a more beautiful place than Liuskasaari. The island has one of the best views in Helsinki; looking from its rocks to the sea and Harmaja lighthouse during light summer nights will take your breath away.

Additionally, Liuskasaari has two great restaurants: HSS Paviljong and Skiffer (don’t forget to show your membership card for some discounts). Feeling like “After-sails” with à la carte dishes or pizza? Yes, we have it!

If you specifically love the sailing boats, the club has the biggest dock for the classic sailing boats in Helsinki. The classic sailing boats are not only beautiful to watch but also a real pleasure to sail. Many of the skippers of the classic sailing boats have welcomed Sailing Center members to sail and race with them.

Learn more about the happenings at our island on Facebook.

CLUB WORK

Club work and commissions

HSS is a sports club, not a commercial company. The club works mainly based on voluntary work. Everyone’s input is important and all the members must either participate in club work or pay club work fees. There are many things to do and even a small contribution is valuable! Club work is also a great way to get to know other sailors and find new sailor friends.

At HSS Sailing Center (adult sailing) every member must collect at least:

  • 8 points of boat maintenance,
  • 8 points of “talkoo” work,
  • 10 points by taking a task from one of our commissions. Tasks are very different and everyone will, for sure, find an interesting task for him or her self. All commission tasks are counted as 10 points to keep this simple. 

At the end of the season, all members should have collected 26 points of club work (8+8+10). Below you’ll find one example of how those 26 points can be collected:

Sailors:

Windsurfers:

Note! Windsurfers don’t participate in the tasks of the Maintenance group, they collect 16 + 10 points (instead of 8 + 8 + 10) and they don’t have to participate as an assistant skipper in Beginners’ courses for sailors.

1. Boat maintenance

Boat maintenance during season 2024 is largely based on “maintenance crews”. Each crew will be assigned a boat at the beginning of the season and will be responsible for its maintenance. The crew will have a crew leader (CL) and several crew members (CM). 

The CL should be the main contact point between a given crew/boat and the Maintenance Committee to report on what material is broken, equipment and tools that might need replacement, etc. and to report back to the crew on any issues relevant to them. The CL should also be able to keep the crew organized and active in the boat repair. The CL will receive 10 talkoo points per season.

The CM contributes actively to the upkeep of the boat that has been assigned to their crew together with other crew members. The CM will receive 5 points per season. Having a boat assigned for maintenance duty does not imply that the boat will always be for the use of the maintenance crew in trainings/races.

Please note that Elliott boats bottom washing is obligatory for everyone training in Red or Black group, i.e. using Elliotts regularly. Even though you would choose to pay the club work fee, you are expected to do your part of boat washing. Sailors choosing to do club work are not collecting club work points from bottom washing.

All boat maintenance talkoos (spring talkoos, minitalkoos, autumn talkoos) are worth 4 points per day. Covid-safety is taken care of in the arrangements of the talkoo duties.

  • two weekend spring talkoos in April
  • one training talkoo per month between May and September to support and train the maintenance crews.
  • two weekend autumn talkoos in October

2. Talkoo work

Talkoo work consists of five different types of tasks that are valued as follows:

  • Race organizer on a full-day event (Spring Cup, End of Season Race, Boxing Day Race etc.), 6 points per day
  • Race organizer on Wednesday race, 2 points per evening
  • Assistant skipper on beginners’ courses, 8 points per course
  • Skipper on Try Out Day, 6 points per day
  • Head of Commission for one whole season, 26 points

3. Commission work

Commission work is about keeping our daily operations running – each commission is responsible of one area of responsibility. Every commission has a task list and every member chooses one task from the list. Two persons can share a task together, e.g. having one new and one older member working together. 

Older members and Heads of Commissions will instruct and support new members in their tasks, so that everyone can manage their responsibilities. In addition, instructions from past years are available, so there is no need to “re-invent the wheel”, although new ideas and updates are very welcome! 

You can find information on the Commission leaders and their contact information below in Contact details.

Our commissions and their responsibility areas are:

1. Training and courses

Do you love helping other people? Are you interested in adult education and learning? Are you a stellar organizer who can keep tabs on multilayered learning experiences? Are you good at connecting and resolving problems arising from multiple perspectives? Do you have a background in education? Then Training and courses commission is a perfect match for you.

The tasks in this commission include (but are not limited to) organizing beginner’s courses, responsible for recruiting coaches, making a season plan, contact persons for coaches, planning the winter program, managing skippers’ rights, and maintaining an equipment booking system.

2. Communications and marketing

Communications and marketing commission is responsible for our internal and external communications and marketing. Tasks include for example marketing our beginners’ courses and events, sending out newsletters, updating our website and social media channels, and graphic designs when needed.

3. Races and events

This commission is responsible for organizing all events: info evening and welcome event for new members, Wednesday races and after-sails, full-day regattas, parties and barbeques etc. If you like organizing events, this is a group for you!

4. Maintenance

Maintenance commission is responsible for maintaining Sailing Center boats and technical boat fixing knowledge. The commission organizes all boat fixing talkoo days, maintains “to do” -list and equipment report -system. They contact professional boat fixers to repair bigger damages when needed and take care of insurance cases.

5. Sponsors and corporate sailing

The commission is raising money for Sailing Center to get better equipment (e.g. new sails) and keep the training fee at a current reasonable level. If you are interested in selling, keeping contact with current sponsors and creating marketing material this is a commission for you!

6. Finances

The commission looks after the finances of the Sailing Center. This includes the budget planning of the new season in the preceding autumn and keeping the Sailing Center committee informed about the financial status and any deviations from the plan during the season. Controlling of expenses is a focus, always in close collaboration with the other commissions. Forecasting until year’s end supports decision making on further ad-hoc purchases or investments.

Club work points

Club work points and commission tasks are followed – if you prefer not participating in these tasks, you can alternatively pay an additional fee of 535 € to cover your input for these tasks in other ways, e.g. purchasing the work from external parties.

Spending time in Liuskasaari and sailing with other members is by far one of the best ways to spend the summer in Helsinki. In the end, it’s up to you how much you want to get involved. But be aware – sailing can be an addictive hobby and you may notice that you end up using the whole summer sailing and spending time with fellow sailors on the island and that 24 points of club work became suddenly 50 happy points!

FLEET (BOATS AND BOARDS)

At HSS Sailing Center you have an opportunity to sail with two different boat types; RS Toura and Elliott 6m and windsurf with Techno293, Windsurfer Lt and Simmer AMP boards. More information of our fleet below:

Windsurfing boards

Techno293 – six boards

Techno 293 is a windsurfing class developed from Aloha windsurf class. The class is mainly a competition class favored by young people, but adults can also sail it. The World Sailing Association has confirmed the class as an official competition class. The class is sailed at the Youth Olympic Games. The World Championships have been sailed since 2006.

HSS has different sizes of sails in the categories: 2.5 square meter, 3.5 square meter, 5.8 square meter, 6.8 square meter, 7.8 square meter and 8.5 square meter. So there is a suitable sail for every wind and for a surfers of all sizes.

At HSS we also have techno foil board.

The volume of the board is 205L.

More information about the category can be found here»

Windsurfer LT – one board

Windsurfer LT is a retro-style windsurfing board that has an active one design competition class in Finland. The versatile board is suitable for a wide range of uses for sailors of different levels. The volume of the board is 229L. You can read more here.

Simmer AMP free ride boards – seven boards

In the fall of 2021, we purchased seven different Simmer AMP freeride boards for HSS. In addition, we purchased eight new sails of various sizes. More information about the boards here.

Boats

RS Toura  – 6 boats

Club owns 6 RS Toura boats. A modern dinghy with enviable space and a durable rotomolded polyethene hull – families and sailing schools can really revel in the freedom of being out on the water. Nestled in the RS range between the RS Quest and RS Venture, the RS Toura has room for up to 7 crew. Stability compliments the RS Toura’s impressive internal space, allowing sailors to tour coastal waters with confidence. Its modern design boasts responsive handling, well thought out controls and rewarding performance – with the PE3 hull removing traditional maintenance hassle. A reefable mainsail, asymmetric spinnaker, great stowage, optional outboard and a wardrobe of accessories really allows you to make the RS Toura your own – whether it’s for training or cruising, the RS Toura gives you the freedom to enjoy endless adventures in your own way.

Elliott 6m – six boats

The club owns six Elliott 6m boats. The Elliott 6m is an Olympic-class keelboat, designed by New Zealander, Greg Elliott. It was selected for the women’s match racing event for the 2012 Olympics. The Elliott 6m carries a spinnaker pole and symmetric spinnaker which is considered more suitable for match racing. 3-4 persons can sail Elliott boat.

Watch from Youtube: Finnish Women’s sailing team take bronze medal with Elliott 6m in London Olympics 2012. Link to the video here»

J/70 – one boat

The J/70 is a small racing keelboat, built predominantly of fiberglass. It has a fractional sloop rig, a transom-hung rudder, a retractable bowsprit and a lift keel. It displaces 1,790 lb (812 kg) and carries 628 lb (285 kg) of lead ballast. The boat features a very large asymmetrical spinnaker on a carbon fiber bow sprit with an area of 491 sq ft (45.6 m2). The j70 is the most popular small keelboat in the world.

 

 

 

FEES

HSS membership fees for the season 2024*:

  • Adult (age 26-64 years) 240 €
  • Young (age 20-25 years) 110 €
  • Student (not tied to age, required a valid student certificate, send to hss@helsinkisailing.com) 110 €
  • Junior (under 20 years) 70 €
  • Senior (above 65 years) 110 €

Everyone training at HSS must be a member in some Finnish sailing club*.
Membership fee will be invoiced in February by email or e-invoice.

Sailing Center training fees for the season 2024:

In addition to the membership fee, each participant to coached training sessions is required to pay an annual training fee:

1.Regular training

Our Regular training includes coached training once a week in your group. We have structured programs for sailors by our experienced coaches in different levels of sailing. You can also participate in Wednesday races and Mixed group trainings on Saturdays.

  • Earlybird: 670 € – Early Bird prices are discounted if a member signups before 15th March 2023.
  • Normal price: 730 €- Regular training fees for members at Sailing and windsurfing Center.

2.Combo training

If you choose to Sail and Windsurf during the season you have choose combo trainings. you are eligible to participate in coached trainings both in sailing and windsurfing.

  • Earlybird: 1035 €
  • Normal price: 1095 €

3.Self training

Self training  is a new way to for our alumnis and friends to enjoy Sailing & Windsurfing center.

With Self Training  you can use sailing center equipment (provided you have skipper rights),
join all our special events and be included in all our communications.

Unlike our normal members this does not include membership in a training group.
Thus it is suitable for experienced sailors and surfers who have experience
with our equipment.

  • Normal price: 365 €

For sailors who are not members of HSS and for sailors training without participating in Club Work the fee is higher. You can read more in “Club Work” section.

Accepted payment methods in 2024

  • Card/cash
  • Invoice
  • Smartum (only training fee, not membership fee)
  • Edenred (only training fee, not membership fee)
  • ePassi (only training fee, not membership fee)
  • Eazybreak (only training fee, not membership fee)

Notes:

  • HSS Sailing & Windsurfing Center entry form: Please fill in the entry form every year even you would have been a member before. HSS Sailing Center Entry form 2024 can be found from section Membership at the top of the page
  • Membership benefits: With your personal membership card, you are entitled to membership benefits. The most important benefit is that you can take the Liuskasaari ferry for free. Other great benefits include discounts on food and drinks in restaurants in the island and use of the HSS islands of Andö (Inkoo) and Getören (Porvoo).
  • Smartum/Edenred/ePassi: Payment only by visiting HSS office (ask for office open hours straight from the office).  Only one ticket, card or mobile payment/invoice. For more information hss@helsinkisailing.com or HSS office Kristina Lindqvist 09 633637
  • An invoice: The HSS membership and Training fee will be paid on Suomisport application. You will see the payment options as soon as you have signed up for Training and Membership.

*HSS is a Sailing Club with several divisions focused on different sailing activities including junior sailing, adult sailing, and classics. Sailing Club members are covered with Finnish Sailing and Boating association insurance and that’s why the membership of the club is obligatory.

CONTACT DETAILS

HSS Sailing & Windsurfing Center

sailingcenter@helsinkisailing.com

Sailing Center General Manager

Dipesh Nerpagare / dipesh@helsinkisailing.com / +358 50 5553115

Sailing Center representation in HSS board

HSS Sailing Center Commissions

 Communications and Marketing

Aurora Leikkonen
Deniz Caliskan
Races and Events 
Amin Abdelrehman
amin.abdelrahman@gmail.com
Minke Meijnders
minkemeijnders@gmail.com
Nina Oja
Heikki Karppinen
Marc Hauchwitz
Sven Martinssons

FOR MEMBERS

SKIPPER RIGHTS AND EQUIPMENT BOOKING

Skipper rights?

“Skipper rights” means that you have the right to skipper a boat or a surfboard outside coached training sessions. You need to have skipper rights if you want to participate in races and regattas or just want to go sailing by yourself.  You need to apply for the skipper rights for all the classes separately (RS Toura, Elliott 6M, J/70, Windsurfing, Techno Foil). Normally sailing members e.g. start with RS Toura skipper rights, then move on to Elliott skipper rights.

How to apply for skipper rights?

To apply for the skipper rights you need to have your coach’s recommendation. When you do have a recommendation from the coach you can just fill up a form».

After filling up a form you will get skipper rights in 7-14 days. When you get skipper rights, you will get access to the equipment booking system and you are able to book equipment.

If you have any problem accessing the booking system, please, contact hssboatbooking@gmail.com

Requirements to get skipper rights:

As a skipper, you have the responsibility for the safety of your crew and the equipment which means that you need to have a certain level of experience for obtaining the rights. The skipper rights can be requested for all boat and windsurfing classes separately depending on your experience and interest. 

Read here requirements to apply skipper rights for:

Self training rules:

  • Training area is limited for Elliotts to “Elliott training area map” unless skipper has a navigation certificate (“saaristolaivuri” or equivalent)
  • Elliott sailing area -> Elliott and J70 sailing area
  • J70 wind limit: 9m/s as measured on Harmaja
  • Self-training should not cause problems for weekly training groups, consult the coach in question if unsure

Skipper – responsibilities

Every skipper is responsible for the equipment and crew. This is standard practice all over the world and in every boat or board. The skipper’s responsibilities are to make sure that all equipment is in safe and good condition and they should know the basics of sea rules (meriteiden säännöt). At HSS Sailing Center the skipper agrees to the following:

Agreement and acceptance of terms

To get skipper rights (separately for each class) I commit to the following:

  • I am an HSS SC member and have paid my membership fees. (Not required for visiting skippers or HSS juniors.)
  • I am familiar with how to use the equipment (boat or windsurf) I request skipper right for. I acknowledge that, as a skipper, I am expected to be at a level where I am able to sail with a crew of inexperienced sailors in the given equipment type.

I hereby agree with HSS Sailing Center – Helsingfors Segelsällskap r.f. (hereafter “HSS SC”) on the following terms (hereafter “Agreement”):

The skipper agrees to look after the equipment they are using on behalf of their own actions and their crews’ actions and guarantees that the equipment is being used in accordance with the applicable rules, regulations and orders issued by HSS SC.

Insurance and damages:

HSS SC is responsible for insuring the equipment. The insurance covers damages to the skippered boats (Lasers and Elliotts) and damages caused to third parties (property damages up to 255.000 EUR and personal damages up to 510.000 EUR). The insurance does not cover damages to windsurfs and the cost of these repairs is at the charge of the party liable for the damage. Damage is predominantly understood as damage to the equipment or its togs that are the result of an accident. The liability does not extend to wear and tear that is the result of normal use.

The insurance include a 420 EUR insurance deductible (omavastuu) for Lasers and Elliotts.
Regardless of the liable party, HSS covers the costs for windsurf repairs over 210 EUR.

Liability for damage (including insurance deductible) depends on the time and place of the incident:

  • If an incident happens during guided trainings, HSS shall be liable for the damage.
  • If an incident happens during beginners’ course, Try Out day, corporate sailing or talkoo, HSS shall be liable for the damage.
  • If an incident happens outside guided trainings, e.g. during weekly races or when a skipper has taken equipment at other times, the skipper shall be liable for the damage.

If the insurance does not cover the damage, either a) the skipper or b) HSS shall be liable for the whole damage (i.e. skipper or HSS shall pay the costs related to the damage) depending on the time and place of the incident (see different alternatives above).

The aforesaid division of liability based on the time and place of the incident shall not be applied if the skipper acted intentionally or in gross negligence or the skippered equipment has been used contrary to the terms of this Agreement. In these cases, the skipper shall always be liable for the caused damage.

The skipper is required to book any equipment they will use, prior to using it, in the equipment booking system. The skipper must also fill out a sailing report after each sailing session (available on the HSS SC website). The failure to meet these requirements can lead to revoking the granted skipper rights.

Assignment of rights and termination of the Agreement:

The skipper shall not assign the right to use equipment to a third party. Skipper may neither assign this Agreement as a whole nor any parts of it to a third party without prior written consent from HSS SC. If the Skipper violates the terms of this Agreement HSS SC may immediately terminate the Agreement. This Agreement does not automatically grant the Skipper the right to skip the selected equipment and granting these rights is subject to HSS SC consideration and approval.

  • Elliot 6m skippers who don’t have the Saaristolaivuri or RYA Day Skipper license must stay in the restricted training area. The training area is illustrated in the picture below.


I hereby assure to have read this Agreement, HSS SC rules for equipment usage, rules for permitted sailing areas, as well as all other HSS SC instructions, and to adhere to those terms, rules and instructions.

What if there happens damage while sailing?

Read here» how the damage process works, even before any potential damage.

Equipment booking

By having Skipper Rights to a class of equipment, you can book a boat or windsurf set whenever you like through our booking system. Using the equipment booking system is mandatory when using HSS’s equipment. If you don’t have skipper rights, the coach will book the equipment for you for the training. After you have skipper rights you should book the equipment every time yourself; for coached training sessions, and for off-training sailings.

Not accessing the booking system?

If you have any problems accessing the booking system, please send an email to hssboatbooking@gmail.com,

Equipment booking system

To access the equipment booking system, you need skipper rights. Remember that you should always use the equipment booking system when sailing or windsurfing with HSS’s equipment.

Detailed instructions on how to use the equipment booking system here.

Quick instructions on how to use the equipment booking system

  • Access the equipment booking system with your own Google account
  • To book equipment, you must start by selecting an equipment number with a time slot that is not already reserved. There are:
    • Six RS Toura boats
    • Six Elliott 6M boats, numbered 1-6
    • Windsurfing sets
    • Techno Foil
  • You can check equipment availability in the calendars shown on this page.
  • You can book the selected boat by creating a Google calendar event using your own Google account. The event must contain the following information:
    • Choose the boat / windsurf type (Laser 16, Elliott 6M, Windsurf or Techno Foil) by selecting the appropriate calendar, e.g, Laser 16 (HSS)
    • Boat number you are reserving as event name, e.g. Boat 3
    • Day and time of the reservation

Filling Out an Equipment Report After Sailing

It is very important to fill out an equipment report after every time you go out, no matter if it is coached training or sailing/windsurfing on your own. One report per boat/windsurf set is filled out and if there is any damage or missing parts, please add them to the report.

Equipment report for boats here»

Equipment report for windsurfing here»

We hope you make use of the equipment and enjoy time out at sea as much as possible!

COMMUNICATION

 

To always stay up-to-date on our events and news, please make sure you follow our communication channels listed below:

1. Join Facebook group called HSS SC member agora

HSS SC member agora is the official communication channel for all Sailing Center members. Official notices and open discussion between sailors happens there! We know that not everyone is on Facebook, but we highly recommend creating a sailor account just for that.

2. Suomisport for training groups and coaches

In Suomisport  sailors sign up for training sessions and other events. That helps our coaches to plan every training and exercises. You can downloadSuomisport application or use it on your browser. You will get an invitation by e-mail after you have filled the HSS Sailing Center entry form. If you don’t get an invitation in two weeks after filling the entry form, please check your junk mail and contact us. Contacts can be found here»

3. Join Crew Finder on Slack 

A group for all Sailing Center members to find sailing company outside the training sessions. You can join the group browsing channels which you can find on slack 

4. Join Slack  for commissions

Every commission (Races and events, Training and courses, etc) have their own slack  group to discuss commission tasks. You can join your commissions by browsing commission on Slack

5. HSS Newsletter

All club members (juniors, boat owners, windsurfers) will get newsletter about once or twice a month by e-mail. As you are now a member of the club all events mentioned there are open for you as well!

6. Follow Sailing Center and share your sailing moments on social media: 

NEWS FOR MEMBERS

News, January, 2024

Naming of training groups will change for 2024

Sailing Center training groups

The names of Sailing Center’s training groups will be changed for the season 2024. The change will also affect the group colors that we have been using.

From 2024 onwards, each training group will have a new name that reflects its learning goals and group description. Every training group/level will also be featured with a distinctive color – avoiding confusions e.g. on Nimenhuuto between dark and light groups of the same color. The new color categorization (green-blue-red-black) is similar to what is commonly used in other sailing clubs in Finland.

After the changes, especially the new members and sailors who are interested in joining our club, are better able to comprehend the overall learning path that our training groups together form. In addition, the differences between the groups’ focus will become clearer, helping new members to select a group that fits their ambitions and skill levels.

In 2024, HSS Sailing Center’s training groups are as follows:

Sailing:

Windsurfing:

 

 

News, February 16, 2022

Michał Gryglewski selected as new head coach for HSS Sailing Center

We are excited to announce the appointment of Michał Gryglewski as the new head coach for HSS Sailing Center, the adult sailing activities of the club, for season 2022. Nicolas Vidal will continue as the head coach of HSS’s junior sailing.

Michał has over ten years of professional coaching experience. He has been working with many top racing teams in USA and across Europe, and his sailors have been ranking top positions in both national and international championship competitions.

Also a sailor, Michał has an impressive track record, having competed for years in different boat classes in national championships, world tours, and in other highly ranked regattas. The Polish coach and competitor sailor has been a member of the Polish sailing team and has won national and world championships.

We are happy to have a coach that has experience of many different boat classes and sailing formats. Michał’s a extensive experience of the Laser class and 3 person dinghies, small keelboats, as well as J70 class and Sailing League fits perfectly together with Sailing Center’s existing equipment and future plans.

Michał has already had a good start for season 2022 planning and getting familiar with HSS’s organization. He will start in his role first remotely from Poland and will arrive to Finland closer to the season start. Our members will have a chance to meet Michał in online meetings/workshops already during spring before the live training season.

Warmly welcome to our club, Michał!