Interview to Christian Rossi, instructor of the sailing, catamaran sailing and surf school in the International Tourist Village.
«We explain theory on the blackboard, on the beach and then immediately in the water!»
The speaker is Christian Rossi, twentynine, since two years instructor of the sailing, catamaran sailing and surf school in the International Tourist Village.
We ask Christian to tell us how the school works, about the International Nautical Centre and his experience here in the Village where he teaches to adults and children how to move in the sea.
«I’m a certified VDWS instructor (Verband Deutscher Windsurfing Watersport Schulen), i.e. the Association of the Windsurfing Watersport Schools and Aquatic 
Sports. The Association is situated in Germany but it is recognised all over the world».
At what age can children begin to learn sailing?
«The youngest students are six or seven years old, the oldest 13 or 14. The course guarantees the highest safety level. We start on really shallow water and the instructor is always close to the children who are never in danger ».
How is a lesson organized?
«Already from the first lesson we go in the water. But first of all you learn the fundamental theoric elements like the sailing terms, the wind direction, which the cardinal points are, how you make knots. I teach them the different types of sailing points, beam-reach, broad-reach, close-hauled, to tack and to gybe. They follow some 40 metres long routes, delimited by buoys, and so they learn to become autonomous on the boat and to pull it if it “capsizes”».
What kind of boats are used in the International Nautical Centre?
«We have four O’pen Bic (Bic Sport is the sponsor of the International Nautical Centre). They are agile boats, and they bear not more than 90 kilos. Furthermore they do not have any edges, thus they are extremely safe. And if a child is on holiday with his/her family for one week, at the end of the course he/she will already be autonomous, he/she will be able to man the boat that means to equip it before sailing, to steer it in favour or against the wind».
And what about the adults?
«For the adults, the situation is the same. Beginners can start to learn but lessons are also thought for persons that can already sail and want to improve. At the end of the course, after a test about theory and practice, both adults and children get the internationally acknowledged license».
In the school it is also possible to use catamarans.
«Yes. The catamaran has a more complex structure if compared to a sailing boat. For this reason it is suitable for adult people. The school puts a Bimare Classe A and a Hobie Cat 16 at disposal. Both are very fast. We also have other boats like the 4.70 and the Laser 2 together with other more elementary boats, but however perfect for the ones who want to practice or just go out with the family».
But you also teach windsurf.
«Of course. We teach windsurf to adults and children, with the new BIC windsurf boards. Thanks to the new BIC NOVA, very comfortable and versatile board indeed, our beginners can learn the fundamentals and also improve in windsurfing using always the same board. The principle is the same of sailing as far as the theory is concerned and they already learn it during the first lesson, together with the practice which is facilitated using a ground simulator.
Theory lessons, sailing, catamaran and windsurf: your day is really busy!
«From morning till evening I am really very busy but it is very satisfying for me to teach sailing, to let adults and children appreciate this passion, to teach that there are rules and responsabilities and that the boat is an occasion to be together with others and to learn how to live together in harmony. It often happens to teach to fathers and sons that will one day sale together!»