Our Royal Yachting Association (RYA) approved Sail Training Centre provides OnBoard dinghy sailing sessions and Stage 1 to 4 dinghy sail training courses.
All activities are led by fully qualified instructors supported by experienced volunteers.
Our sailing season runs from April to September dependent on weather and availability of suitable tides.
RYA Youth Sailing Scheme Courses
Stage 1
3-4 day course, approximately 5hrs each day*
- Learn how to rig boat
- Launching and recovering your dinghy
- Gain confidence on the water
- Steer and tack, sailing across and towards the wind.
- Understand the basic principles of sailing
Stage 1 is an introductory course teaching children all the basics necessary to enable them to sail with confidence. By the end of the course all pupils should be proficient enough in their sailing skills to be awarded a Level 1 Certificate.
Stage 2
3-4 day course, approximately 5hrs each day*
- Tacking and gybing
- Making turns quicker and smoother
- Collision avoidance
- Learning to sail around a triangular course
- Ropework and knots
The aim of this course is to improve confidence, skills and independence, sailing a small boat in light to moderate winds. By the end of the course all pupils should be proficient enough to be awarded a Level 2 Certificate.
Stage 3
3-4 day course, approximately 6hrs each day*
- Introduction to the ‘five essentials’: sail setting, boat balance, trim, course made good, and centerboard/daggerboard position
- Understand and deal with various wind conditions
- Capsize recovery
- Advanced sailing techniques and manoeuvres.
Students will develop the awareness to use their own judgement when dealing with changing conditions and the confidence to take charge if out with a more inexperienced sailor. This course is a big step up from stage 2 and practice between stages 2 and 3 is essential. By the end of the course all pupils should be proficient enough to be awarded a Level 3 Certificate.
Stage 4
3-4 day course, approximately 6hrs each day*
- Launching and returning to a beach
- Jetty or mooring
- Sailing a crewed dinghy around a triangle in moderate
- Able to launch & sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions
Students at this stage should be sailing regularly and confidently without too much instruction. With a high level of theory understanding. By the end of the course all pupils should be proficient enough to be awarded a Level 4 Certificate.
*Students will be invited to signing up to stage 4, if you have stage 3 you will be invited to do stage 3/4 course before continuing to complete stage 4
