Sail Cruising Courses

Whether you are taking your first steps into the world of sail cruising, have already gained some experience or are working your way to the pinnacle of the RYA Training Scheme – the Yachtmaster Exams we have a wide range of Sail Cruising Courses to suit all abilities.

For beginners we have the Start Sailing/Yachting and Competent Crew Courses designed to help build confidence and make you a useful member of the crew. For those with sailing experience at a more intermediate level we offer the Day Skipper and Basic Skills courses.

If you have significant sailing experience then you are aiming for the Coastal Skipper course and then onward to the Yachtmaster Coastal / Offshore Certificate of Competence Exam Preparation and Exams.

Course are run on board our Sailing Vessel Northern Star or on board your own vessel.

Looking to get out on the water and experience the beauty of sailing then this 1 day Taster session is for you.

This 1 day taster session will give you an hands on experience of readying the yacht for sailing, hoisting the sails, taking the wheel under the supervision of our expert instructors. We will stop for a lovely lunch in one of the beautiful local anchorages.

This 2 day residential course provides a short introduction to sail cruising for novices. By the end of the course you will have experienced steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework and be aware of safety on board

This is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members or looking to move up from the dinghy scheme.

By the end of the 5 day residential course you should be able to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the day to day routines.

A 5 day residential course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills

This course gives you the chance to take charge on short passages under instruction. You will concentrate on pilotage boat handling seamanship and navigation

A 5 day residential course for those with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night.

Each delegate will skipper more challenging passages under the guidance of the instructor

We offer a range of development and experience builder sessions to cover all levels – please see our Practical Development page for more details.

The top level commercial and leisure qualification for boaters seeking to operate sail vessels with up to 12 passengers.

This is an entry level 2 day non-residential course which can be run in conjunction with the Basic Skills course. It covers the basics of sailing a yacht, focusing on sailing skills and manoeuvres

This 2 day non-residential course is designed to build on the skills gained during the Start Sailing Course, focusing on the skills required to sail a cruising yacht. This course is great for families or individuals who wish to improve their existing yacht handling skills under sail.

Wondering what you need to bring, what your course programme might look like, or anything else about your sail cruising course with us then check our our Sailing FAQs