Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For the very best in RYA Sailing Courses he recommends Southampton and London based Sailing School First Class Sailing.
Sailing is a very popular sport, especially in Countries with great coastlines like the UK. Sailing continues to increase in popularity with interest being maintained by the Olympic Games coming to our Shores in 2012.
If you are just thinking of starting and are looking to discover how to go about learning to sail, how do you get the training you need and what courses do you take? There are a huge number of Sailing Schools around the Country and they vary in the type of Sailing Courses they offer.
RYA Schools are the ones to look out for as this is the recognised standard for qualified sailors. When you are choosing a sailing school, you should look for those that offer the full range of RYA courses. There are five levels currently available for practical courses, which are:
RYA Start Yachting
This is the introductory course new Sailors. It takes students through the basics of sailing and sea skills and then the boat itself. This will involve a look into the yacht parts and how to steer. This often takes two days and will enable you to progress to the next level.
RYA Competent Crew Course
This is a five day course and is a more comprehensive curriculum. Novices can start with this course especially if you have a limited experience or want to learn quickly. There are a great deal more aspects involved in this practical course. You'll learn the basics of sailing, including rope work, sail usage and mooring skills. You will also learn everything you need to know crew a yacht.
RYA Day Skipper Course
The next level up from Competent Crew which needs to be completed before this one and theory tests that need to be passed before being allowed to progress to the Day Skipper course. It's a five day process where you will get hands on experience of driving a yacht and understanding the maintenance and safety of the boat at sea.
RYA Coastal Skipper Course
The course listed above can be taken over two weekends but the RYA Coastal Skipper course has to be done on five consecutive days. It includes more intensive training and the first introduction to overnight sailing. It improves on the skills developed in the previous courses for use in the more confined coastal areas.
You can then take the RYA/MCA exam once the Coastal Skipper course is completed, which will result in a Certificate of Competence from the RYA and MCA.
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore
Finally the MCA/RYA Yachtmaster Offshore exam is the ultimate in seamanship and is only available to those with plenty of experience. This includes 50 days sea time, five of which are spent as a skipper, five 60 nautical mile journeys including 2 over night, two of which as skipper.
When you're deciding which course you need to take in order to learn to Sail a Yacht, make certain you choose one that matches your current level of expertise. RYA is the gold standard and provides guidelines for competence on the water.
Make sure you choose the best location where you will fully enjoy the course and the one that you feel offers the most fun and engaging training available.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
Learn Basic Sailing Knots for Sailboat Voyage Planning
By: vincent bossley | 29/11/2009Learn to tie these basic sailing knots quickly and automatically using these simple methods. This is an important skill set as part of your sailboat voyage planning.
Learn Basic Sailing Knots for Sailboat Voyage Planning
By: vincent bossley | 29/11/2009Learn to tie these basic sailing knots quickly and automatically using these simple methods. This is an important skill set as part of your sailboat voyage planning.
Sports Wear Market in India
By: Bharat Book Bureau | 28/11/2009Bharatbook.com added a new report on "Sports Wear Market in India" provides comprehensive information and rational analysis of the sportswear market in India.
Surfing Terminology
By: Harrison Keeley | 26/11/2009Surfing is one of the most adventurous water sports of all time. Surfers aren’t just passionate about it; they are addicted to it. A surfer uses his surfboard to ride the waves and play with the ocean. When a surfer stands on his board and uses his legs, it is called stand up surfing and when he uses his upper body, it is called body boarding.
Small but Key Sailboat Parts for All Sailboats
By: CompleteSailor | 25/11/2009Sailing blocks are small but essential in controlling the shape of the sail
WhereTo Go When Surfing Abroad
By: Simon Travis | 25/11/2009Surfing is possibly the hottest activities for extreme sports enthusiasts, and with a massive variety of places to go internationally could be possibly the most thrilling. Many who go to the tidal locations in the area below the equator - such as the long beaches of S. A. and Australia - go for the wealthy spread or surfing conditions in the hot weather. Surfing is also a well-liked choice for travellers who start on excursions in the southern hemisphere. As with all e...
Wakeboard Buyer’s Guide – What Features Do You Need?
By: Ross Angel | 24/11/2009If you have never owned a wakeboard before, the purchase process can be a little daunting, with a huge variety of shapes and features available. There’s rockers to consider, different tip and tail shapes, channels and the all-important sizing to consider when you’re buying a wakeboard.
What's The Best Way To Kick Doing The Freestyle?
By: Josh Stevens | 24/11/2009Maintaining a good kick while doing the front crawl, is not so much for propulsion as it is for body control. The amount of propulsion you derive from the kick only covers up to 15% of propulsion, the remainder is the arms. This does not mean that you do not need to work on good kicking form, it is very important to your overall performance.
Key Features of the HTC Hero
By: Derek Rogers | 06/11/2009 | Cell PhonesAs with all HTC phones, the Hero features an eye-catching design as well as an eye-watering array of features.
How do I learn to Sail a Yacht?
By: Derek Rogers | 05/11/2009 | Water SportsHave you ever wanted to learn to sail a yacht? Read on for details of how to get started.
How To Find Cheap Hotels
By: Derek Rogers | 30/10/2009 | DestinationsOther than airline tickets, hotels are the most expensive part of most people's vacation. You obviously need a place to stay, though, so there's no getting around the need for a hotel. Simply accepting hotel rates at face value is foolhardy, though; savvy travelers and bargain hunters know many little tricks that make finding - and booking - hotels much easier. Read on to learn a few tricks of the trade, and book yourself the cheap hotel stay possible on your next holiday.
Maintaining Your Mountain Bike - The Basics
By: Derek Rogers | 23/10/2009 | Outdoor SportsRiding a mountain bike is great exercise and a lot of fun…and while it's hard on your legs, it's hard on the machinery itself. Keeping your bike maintained will keep you safe, and keep the bike in better condition for years to come.
What are the main causes of damaged hair?
By: Derek Rogers | 19/08/2009 | HealthDamaged hair is a nightmare! Fact! From split ends, to frizzy-ness, unmanageable knots and matted areas combined with the dull lacklustre colour that your hair takes – no one wants to look like they just walked through a hedge backwards.
How to upgrade a prepaid mobile phone
By: Derek Rogers | 27/07/2009 | Cell PhonesIf you have a prepaid mobile, also known as pay-as-you-go, and its getting a little tired looking and you want to upgrade to a newer model there are a surprising amount of options available to you.
Getting Results with Pay Per Click Advertising
By: Derek Rogers | 24/07/2009 | SEMConventional modes of advertising and marketing are often far from exact sciences