Start Yachting Course
Learn to sail with a Start Yachting Course
The RYA Start Yachting Course is a 2 day practical sailing course aimed at absolute beginners who would like to try sailing for the first time. If you have never been on a yacht before or if you want to brush up on your skills Start Yachting is the ideal course. You will get a chance to steer, handle sails and be part of the crew all in the sheltered waters of The Solent. The course starts at our Gosport Marina base and you will spend the weekend sailing around the Solent visiting ports and harbours such as Cowes, Yarmouth and Hamble. You will sleep on board the yacht in one of the Solent marinas where you will find all the facilities you need as well as excellent pubs and restaurants for your evening meal on Saturday night.
We hope that this RYA course will give you a taste to do more sailing and further your skills and experience. You will be awarded a Start Yachting certificate for completing this course. The 2 days can count towards the RYA Competent Crew Course, you can take a further 2 weekends or a 3 day Bank Holiday weekend sailing course to complete the Competent Crew syllabus. You will then be able to progress on to the RYA Day Skipper theory and Day Skipper practical courses.
Our experienced RYA instructors are used to having beginners on board and whilst teaching you sailing skills and safety on board a sailing yacht they place a big emphasis on having fun and enjoying all aspects of sailing including going ashore!
Course Information
| Duration | 2 days | Maximum students : instructor | 5:1 |
| Location | Solent | Minimum age | All ages although under 18s must be accompanied by an adult |
| What’s included | Accommodation on board one of our Bavaria yachts Breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks on board. Berthing fees. Free hire of wet weather gear. | Extras | Evening meal ashore on Friday if required and Saturday night. Log books if required £5.50 |
| When | Friday evening 1900hrs to Sunday afternoon 1600hrsAll year round | Don’t forget | Anything you cannot travel without as we cannot cater for everyone’s special favourites! |
| Let us know about | Any special dietary requirements and needs. Please note, we will do our best to cater for vegetarian diets or food allergies but not general food fads! Please call the office if in doubt. | Cost | October – March £210.00 April – September £220.00 |
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Feedback
FEEDBACK - Start Yachting Student Reviews
We found everyone we met very friendly and accommodating, the course was fantastic and could not fault Kevin our instructor at all – he was brilliant! We would certainly come back and use commodore yachting again based on the past experiences.
Ian – Start Yachting, April 2013
Had a great time with crew and skipper. Dave really went the extra mile and I enjoyed the course a lot. Tired but hooked and will be back!
Paul - Start Yachting, August 2012
Extremely fun, learnt loads. Fun sleeping on the yacht. Excellent skipper, overall fantastic and amazing. Learnt how to row properly. It couldn’t have been more fun. Great and fabulous!
Maggie aged 9 - Start Yachting June 2012
Really fun. I would do it again if I had the chance. Great boat and amazing instruction.
Nancy aged 9 - Start Yachting June 2012
Excellent experience and well instructed. Jodie was excellent, getting the right balance between very good instruction and fun. Very attentive and always willing to answer any questions. Cakm and patient and instills great confidence.
Glyn - Start Yachting May 2012
Recommended reading
The RYA Competent Crew book is the official course notebook for the RYA Competent Crew Course but it isalso essential reading for anyone who has limited yachting experience.
It gives advice on basic crewing techniques an seamanship and is designed to help you make sense of your first few days on board a yacht.
Publisher: RYA · Format: Paperback · Pages: 76 · Dimensions: 210 x 145mm · Edition: 2002 (reprinted: 2012) · ISBN: 9780901501875
Syllabus
RYA Start Yachting Syllabus
This course provides a short introduction to sail cruising for novices. By the end of the course, students will have experienced steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework and be aware of safety on board.
- 1. The Yacht
- Basic Knowledge of sea terms, parts of a boat, her rigging and sails
- 2. Ropework
- Ability to tie the following knots: figure of eight, round turn and two half hitches, bowline
- 3. Underway
- Has experienced sailing a yacht on all points of sail
- Can steer a yacht under sail or power
- 4. Rules of the road
- Can keep an efficient look out at sea
- 5. Meteorology
- Knows where to obtain a weather forecast
- 6. Man overboard recovery
- Understands the action to be taken to recover a man overboard
- 7. Clothing and equipment
- Understands and complies with the rules for the wearing of safety harnesses’, lifejackets and personal buoyancy aids
- 8. Emergency equipment and precautions
- Is aware of hazards on board a yacht
- Knows the action to be taken in the event of an emergency
* Evening meals taken ashore on weekend courses.
