[Rent small sailboats around Howick/Pine Harbour area?]

Are there any places that rents out small sailboats like Lasers, RS Feva, etc. around Howick or Pine Harbour area? I've looked at the clubs around here, and they either don't mention anything about hiring them out, or they only hire out Optimists. Would be great if I didn't have to drive up all the way to North Shore to be able to hire out boats.

[Best path to become comfortable soloing a keelboat?]

Thanks for all the comments. To answer some of the questions above, I'm in Auckland, around Howick, so Bucklands Beach and Pine Harbour are relatively close to me. I found a 2-day class in Opua that I think I'd like to give a try with my kids, as it'd be a private session, and we'd get to actually go out on our own with the teacher. The long term goal here would then be to take their followup class that will let us sail on our own for a few days, but I'll probably wait on that course for a bit.

I'm also gonna take everyone's advice and take a class that teaches on small boats, as there are several places that hire them out, and I can continue learning doing that on my own after I finish the course. It'd also be fun to do that with my kids as they're keen to learn as well.

If I feel the need, and time permits, I'll check out the Richmond races as some of you mentioned. 

Hopefully between all those things, in a year or two I'll be comfortable enough to go out on our own.

[Best path to become comfortable soloing a keelboat?]

Hi,

I know next to nothing about sailing, but have always loved going out on a keelboat when I've had the chance. In the past, I took a sailing course, and while I learned stuff, I never felt comfortable enough to take a boat out on my own. I crewed a few times, but racing just isn't my thing, so while I enjoyed being on the boat, I mainly wanted to relax, and not worry about racing and such.

That was like a decade ago, and now I've forgotten basically everything, and I want to learn things properly this time and make sure that it sticks with me. So my thought is that I would take a course again, but how do I go from learning things, to becoming comfortable on my own? I don't know anyone with a sailboat, and I'd be way too nervous to rent a boat out on my own, and while I'd be down to crew again, I honestly never learned much doing that in the past, as I just did what they told me to do, but I never really understood why I did specific things. 

Are there any type of class or something that takes people who have just passed a course, and keep training them until they're comfortable? Even with driving, once you pass a test, you have a probationary period where you need to drive with someone experienced. Is there some sort of class where you can hire out a teacher to go out without a bunch of other people like once a week?

My goal is to eventually be comfortable enough to have my own keelboat so I can take my kids out on it. 

Cheers!