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Beginners Sailing Courses

Beginners Sailing Courses

Adult Beginners' Courses

The scheme is comprised of a series of two-day courses enabling you to progress quickly from beginner to experts in a controlled, safe and enjoyable environment. Each course can be taken in a dinghy, small keelboat or multihull (see below for an explanation).

Stage 1Stage 2Stage 3 (pilot course)
Overview Introducing you sailing with all you need to know to get afloat under supervision Setting out the foundations of sailing for you Consolidating skills and trying new ones 
Assumed knowledge None Sailing skills to the standard of Level 1 Sailing skills to the standard of Level 2
Minimum duration 2 days 2 days, but is often combined with the Level 1 course into a 4 or 5 day course 2 days or equivalent
Minimum age 16 16 16
Course content How to sail in all directions, including an awareness of launching and recovering Rigging, launching, sailing in all directions. Capsize recovery and essential safety knowledge Coaching of level 1 and 2 skills and taster sessions from the advanced modules
Ability after course Able to sail in light winds under supervision Able to sail and make decisions in good conditions More confident in sailing skills and techniques, and ready to progress onto the advanced modules

Youth Beginners' Courses

The Youth Scheme is usually completed in small dinghies suitable for your size. However, it can also be completed in keelboats and multihulls.

To make the most of our courses, ensure you are confident with the skills of one course before moving on to the next course. Most courses are a minimum of two days long (or an equivalent number of short sessions). They may be run over a longer period, especially if you haven't sailed since your last course. Sailing is a sport which gets better with practice, and you should try to sail between courses whenever you can. Practice makes perfect!

Stage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4
Overview A basic understanding of how a boat sailing, with some experience of steering and handling the boat A range of sailing skills and knowledge to help in becoming a confident sailor Rigging, launching and sailing in any direction. Equivalent to Level 2 in the National Sailing Scheme Sail a double handed boat as crew or helm, and solve a variety of problems afloat. (optional if Stage 3 was taken in a double hander
Assumed knowledge None Stage 1, unless you are doing a combined Stage 1 and 2 course. Basic knowledge and steering ability Up to and including the Stage 2 course Up to and including Stage 3
Minimum duration 2 days 2 days 2 days 2 days
Minimum age None, but training centres often take children from the age of 8 None, but training centres often take children from the age of 8 None, but training centres often take children from the age of 8 None, but training centres often take children from the age of 8
Course content Launching and recovery, steering, parts of the boat, basic sailing Basic sailing skills, ropework, collision avoidance Rigging, launching and recovery, sailing techniques, capsize recovery, sailing theory Rigging, launching and recovery, sailing techniques and manoeuvres in crewed boats, recovering a man overboard
Ability after course Able to steer and understand basic principles Able to tack and control boat speed, and understand basic principles Able to launch and sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions Can launch and return to a beach, jetty or mooring, and sail a crewed dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions