Day in the Life of…… Max Rowe, Club Vass Instructor

Max Rowe is in his first season as an instructor for Club Vass in Vassiliki. Working for Club Vass is a dream job for any windsurf instructor. Not only does Max have the chance to learn off the best freestylers in the UK , he is also surrounded by a vast collection of highly talented instructors. Over the course of this season Max has learnt a lot about what it takes to be the ultimate Club Vass instructor!

0600: Crawl home from the Zeus bar after a visit to the bakery……

0700- 0930: Sleep!

1000-1100: Arrive at work, which is only a 5 minute bike ride from the staff house and de-cage the center's massive amounts of boards and sails. We have over 300 sails (all Gaastra) and over 300 boards. Each year we have brand new kit so our guests can try out the latest on offer.

1100 - 1200: Meet my group. Upon arrival at Club Vass you join a group of people all with the same ability. You will then have the same instructor for the full 5 days. Dependant on wind conditions or the level of my group I will either go out on the water with them or use the time to cover anything that may need explaining on a simulator. I try to spend as much of our time on the water as this is where the real teaching takes place.

1200 - 1300: General work on the beach. This may include putting the guests sails away or manning the beach hut which is where all the guests will come to collect mast feet, fins etc. and sometimes just to have a chat about the kit and the wind conditions. During this time I also get on the Turf Dog (a land surfer which has been adapted to be able to practice the most advanced freestyle moves). For me this season the Turf Dog has taken my windsurfing to a whole new level without getting my hair wet!

1300 - 1400: This is the time where we all take turns to rotate around who gets to go to lunch. We don’t get set lunch breaks, as you never know when the classic Vassiliki cross- shore is going to kick in.

1400 - 1500: After being trained in board repair by Ollie Scott, I have now taken on the role of fixing boards. This means while everyone else is relaxing in the beach hut, I’m busy repairing any boards that have been damaged during some of the windy days of the week.

1500 - 1700: On your average day at Club Vassiliki the cross-shore wind will start blowing around 3 o'clock. This is also the time I will meet back up with my group for their afternoon session. The teaching times are really flexible, depending on the wind. Some days I will postpone the lesson until the wind goes cross shore, just to make the most out of my groups time on the water.

1700 - 1900: When the afternoon teaching is finished, we begin the staff sailing rota. The way our rota works is in 40 minute sessions and some afternoons we can get up to three sessions in. As most people are aware, the standard of sailing amongst the Club Vass instructors is like no other centre in the world. I have learnt so much over the course of the season because I’m constantly getting pushed to learn new tricks. Ollie's way of making me learn to loop involved chasing me around in the rescue boat shouting abuse at me until I tried one. I'm sure that sailing in this kind of environment is no doubt going to push me into the competition scene within the next couple of years.

1900 - 2000: We will close up the centre whenever the wind drops or the light fades. Once finished, it's either upstairs to the cocktail bar or off home to prepare for events such as the infamous Club Vass BBQ (YEAH!)

Club Vass BBQ: The barbeque is the highlight of anyone’s week in Vass. Fancy dress is a must and the night is guaranteed to be one to remember. After the food, which is cooked by three naked chefs, we show a video of all the action that has been captured throughout the week. The night then moves on to the staff entertainment, Some weeks I find myself dancing wearing nothing but a rubber glove with ten other oiled up men!

All in all working for Club Vass is a dream come true for me and the lifestyle is unbeatable!

If you like the sound of Max Rowe’s life then click here: Club Vass Jobs