Do I have to be a good sailor to buy a TIWAL? That is the whole point of TIWAL, to make the fun of sailing accessible to all! Intuitive and easy to use, TIWAL is easy to handle; all you need is a few basic skills to use it and have fun. However, if you wish, you can get personal coaching from me.
How durable is the TIWAL ? TIWAL has been tested and proven in the harshest conditions and passed all its tests with ease. The hull is strengthened in several places with special UV-treated materials. For example, a very thick material used for white-water rafting boats is used under the hull and anti-chafing bands protect the sides. If a puncture does occur, the hull consists of two airtight compartments, inflated separately. In the event of an incident, it can easily be repaired by an approved specialist. There will be TIWAL Demo Days in Queenstown and Wanaka over the next week and a half. Check out this Facebook page or check again on my website for details of where and when!
This portable and quick to assembly sailing dinghy will be out on the water this summer. My latest assembly time: 15 mins from car to water! Finally, some padding for your TIWAL sailing dinghy! Now you can leave the TIWAL tied onto the back of your boat and know both your TIWAL and boat can be left side by side with no damage!
Not to mention, a bit of comfort for those long destination sails you have planned. TIWAL Padding will be available in February. A beautiful Day on Waiheke and a great photo, thanks Helen Evans! I got a few people out on the water in the gentle breeze and a few nice waves. I had a beautiful adventure sail from Oneroa to Palm Beach.
Also last weekend at the Sir Peter Blake Regatta Helen managed to tack the TIWAL Sailing Dinghy with her three year old, Anna. Both were changing sides during the tack and Anna loved it so much she wanted to sail around Rangitoto Island! This week TIWAL brought out the new reefable sail. This allows you to change the size of the sail while on the water which is very useful if the wind increases or decreases, and an important safety function and in line with TIWAL's reputation as being a safe, stable, fun, fast sailing dinghy. See www.facebook.com/Tiwalnzaustralia/ to have a look at the new sail. This portable, easy to assemble sailing dinghy is still available to be delivered to your door in Australia and New Zealand in time for Christmas. The first TIWAL shipment has sold out, and a new TIWAL shipment has just arrived! Many TIWALs have been sold to cruising boat owners so you will see many out on the cruising grounds of Auckland and the Bay of Plenty over summer.
We have a few 'Have a Go' (Demo) days lined up over summer. If you would like to have a go in the TIWAL please get in touch and I will schedule a day in your area. There are also currently TIWALs owners in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Malborough Sounds and Queenstown. If you think you might like to have a sail, I will get in touch with an owner for you and arrange a 'demo'. Finally, with the new shipment comes a better TIWAL including stronger foils and a better balanced rudder which makes it easier to steer in stronger winds. I can't wait to test it out! Happy Sailing! To those new to the TIWAL website, my name is Melinda and I am the importer of this great little sailing dinghy from France. There is a boat at Kohi which is available anytime for Demos and I am a sailing instructor so I am happy to give you a few tips along the way. Lately I have been teaching in the TIWAL to a couple of ladies living on Kohi Beach who are challenging themselves with learning to sail at a much later age than they ever thought possible... we are pushing the boundaries out and we are having a lot of fun along the way! Next challenge.. to Rangitoto and back?!
Please come and ask for a sail or contact me if you would like to get out on the water for a sail on the TIWAL. After the Auckland On the Water Boat Show TIWAL will be running Demo days this weekend (6 & 7 November) Saturday at Kohimarama 2pm - 4pm and Sunday at Lake Pupuke 12pm - 3pm.
The hardest skill to master is leaving when the wind is blowing onshore. Many a sailing race has been cancelled when boats can't leave the beach The most important thing is to have centreboard down and mainsheet ready to pull in. See this video of the TIWAL Inflatable Sailing Dinghy -great for learning how to sail in, portable and quick to assemble. |
Melinda HenshawI am a New Zealand sailor who learned to sail in the beautiful Malborough Sounds and then went onto represent NZ at the 2000 Olympics. Archives
December 2023
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