All our RYA courses are very practical, “hands on” experiences that cater for all levels of experience and ability. During each course we will continually discuss your progress, so you will always know how you are doing. Practical sailing courses available include:
RYA Start Yachting
The RYA Start Yachting course is the basic introductory course for beginners. The RYA Start Yachting course is run over a weekend and by the end of the weekend, you will have experienced steering a yacht, sail handling, rope work and be aware of safety onboard. Holders of an RYA Start Yachting certificate can obtain a RYA Competent Crew certificate by completing a further two weekends of the RYA Competent Crew course.
The RYA Start Yachting weekend is ideal as an introductory gift and like all our courses we can provide a gift voucher.
2 day Start Yachting course: £325 including all on board costs
Competent Crew
This course is aimed at the complete beginner to sailing – or those who have been sailing, but don’t feel they “know the ropes” as they would wish to when crewing for family or friends. The course covers basic sailing and helming, seamanship, deckwork, safety and living aboard a yacht to enable you to become a competent and confident crew member. And – just as importantly – it will show you what fun sailing can be! .
The course is run over 5 days (Sunday evening to Friday afternoon)
- Suggested minimum pre-course experience: none.
- Assumed knowledge: none.
- Course content: basic seamanship and helmsmanship.
Ability after course: useful crew member.
5 day Competent Crew course: £740 including all on board costs.
Day Skipper
This course is aimed at those who already have experience of sailing as crew, and who now want to be able to skipper a cruising yacht safely on short passages by day. You will already know the basics of sailing, so the course focuses on pilotage, navigation and boat handling under both power (including getting in and out of that tight berth!) and sail. Equally importantly it looks at the skills and approach needed to become a successful skipper.
The course is run over 5 days (Sunday evening to Friday afternoon)
Suggested minimum pre-course experience:
- 5 days/100NMs, 4 night hours.
- Assumed knowledge: basic sailing skills and navigation theory up to day skipper shore based standard.
Ability after course: skipper a small yacht in familiar waters by day.
5 day Day Skipper course: £740 including all on board costs.
Coastal Skipper
This is a more advanced course that builds on your skippering experience to extend your ability to cruise further afield, by day and night. Advanced boat handling under sail and power, navigation and pilotage skills and handling emergencies are covered, as well as broader aspects of skippering including passage planning, yacht/crew management and weather forecasting – and what to do if the wind gets up or the visibility goes down.
The course in run over 5 days (Sunday evening to Friday afternoon)
Suggested minimum pre-course experience:
- 15 days (2 as skipper)/300 nautical miles, 8 night hours.
- Assumed knowledge: navigation to coastal skipper shorebased/sailing to day skipper practical level.
Ability after course: skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night.
5 day Coastal Skipper course: £740 including all on board costs.
Yachtmaster Coastal & Yachtmaster Offshore prep and exam
The YachtMaster qualification is for many the pinnacle of their yachting achievement. This special preparation course is an advanced coaching course for those who wish to maximise their chances of passing the exam. The course gives potential Yachtmasters the opportunity to thoroughly hone their practical skills.
Sailing will be in local waters as it is normally found that at this level boat handling in close quarters is required rather than long Channel crossings. We will tailor the course to your needs but our experience usually leads us to emphasize the following subjects: Passage Planning, Skippering Techniques, Man-overboard Recovery, Meteorology, Close Quarters Handling and Pilotage in Restricted Visibility.
You are strongly advised to arrive for the course already having a thorough knowledge of the Collision Regulations, particularly in relation to lights, shapes and signals.
The successful Yachtmaster Coastal has the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages. Pre Exam previous experience & minimum seatime:
- 30 days seatime, 2 days as skipper. 800 miles and 12 night hours
The successful Yachtmaster Offshore is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage up to 150 miles from harbor. The Yachtmaster Offshore certificated of competence is acknowledged throughout the world as the top sailing qualification. Pre Exam previous experience & minimum seatime:
- 50 days seatime, 5 days as skipper. 2500 miles. 5 passages over 60 miles including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper
Qualification: Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence
7 Day Yachtmaster Preperation course including exam: £895 + RYA Exam fee (£208 YM Coastal & £241 for YM Offshore) including all on board costs.
ICC prep and exam
If you are looking to charter or take your own boat abroad, many countries now insist on the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) as a formal qualification for at least one person on board.
To obtain an ICC you must prove your competence. If you have attended a RYA practical training course presenting your certificate with your ICC application form may be sufficient, otherwise you will need to take a practical test at a RYA recognised training centre.
We offer a tailored package to get you up to the standard required for the I.C.C, and then carry out the practical assessment for you. The length of time this will take varies depending on your current skills and experience. A brief telephone conversation will enable us to produce a plan to suit you.
If on the other hand you don’t wish to take any form of training course and just wish to come in for the practical assessment, we are more than happy to oblige.
For more information to include prices etc, please feel free to call us on 07774 745788 or e-mail here
RYA Cruising Instructor
A Cruising Instructor is able to teach up to the level of the RYA Day Skipper practical course through an RYA recognised training centre. This Course covers how to teach and debrief sailing students and how to plan and deliver consistently excellent courses. You will have the opportunity to practice teaching various parts of the Competent Crew and Day Skipper sail courses with regular feedback from the trainer. Day 5 of the course is moderated by a second trainer.
The successful Cruising Instructor candidate will be expected to give convincing demonstrations of any part of the RYA Competent Crew and RYA Day Skipper syllabus. This includes: knots, sail-handling, man overboard, mooring, pilotage by day and night, IRPCS, basic meteorology, navigation and skippering.
Cruising Instructor candidates who reach the required standard will be awarded the RYA Cruising Instructor endorsement which is valid for 5 years. After this time, Cruising Instructors must either attend a two day RYA Cruising Instructor revalidation course or apply for the RYA Yachtmaster Instructor course.
Course pre-requisites:
- Minimum age 18
- Commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore (Sail) Certificate of Competence
- In date First Aid Certificate
- In date Medical Fitness Examination (ML5, ENG1 or Seafarers Medical issued by a National Maritime Authority)
- Professional Practices & Responsibilities Certificate
- RYA Membership
- Successful completion of on-line pre course knowledge check
The cost of the 5 day Cruising Instructor Course and assessment is £890 to include all on board food, mooring fees and fuel.