Tauranga Windsurfers Inc are hoping to get more people involved in the sports of windsurfing, foiling and winging.

The new club, which has been in the making for five years, is offering free lessons and access to learner gear after successfully gathering sufficient support and community funding.

"Thanks to the Tauranga Western Bay Community Events Fund and One Foundation, we are now making this sport more accessible to the wider community," says club secretary, Chantelle Laurent.

"We offer free lessons and use of our gear for first timers then, if you wish to continue, you can join the club as a cadet for $80 a year which includes use of our gear and lessons when you want.

"We are one of the only windsurfing clubs in the country that has a huge community focus, with all the funds raised going directly back into our club and helping people learn the sport."

According to Chantelle, the club's "Bronze Fleet" of beginner sailors is rapidly growing.

'We have this incredible natural environment on our doorstep, along with fantastic conditions for windsurfing, foiling and winging. For Tauranga, this means that people are able to enjoy the sport to quite a high level as well as safely learn to get started.

"We have the inner harbor which is pretty safe and shallow with lots of people around, and now we have these new sports such as foiling and wing foiling which give people even more opportunity to sail in lighter winds and learn more quickly.

'It's all here right on our doorstep, so we just want to make it as easy and accessible as possible for locals."

Chantelle says the free lessons are aimed at getting participants to the point where they can decide if they want to pursue the sport on their own.

Photo: Supplied/Tauranga Windsurfers Inc.

'We get learners onto the water very quickly, and everyone can sail and turn the board within an hour or so on the water, when the conditions are right.”

Chantelle says the sport is worth sharing due to its environmentally friendly nature and the community it creates.

'I love the sport because we use natural resources. There's no fossil fuels being burned or sea emissions created. We are just taking advantage of the wind and sea elements, which makes it a pretty cool sport in that way.”

'Anyone wanting to learn to windsurf, wing or progress into foiling can contact us via our website or Facebook page. We open the club most weekends from September through to April, depending on tides and wind plus we run race days and other casual events for our members throughout the season.”

For more information on Tauranga Windsurfers Inc, visit https://taurangawindsurfers.org.nz/.