This course / experience provides a short introduction to sail cruising for first-timers or those coming back to sailing. Travelling in a luxury full-board cruising yacht whilst learning to sail amongst stunning islands and ports, is a fantastic way to learn steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework and safety-awareness on-board. Ideal for those wanting to be useful whilst chartering abroad on bareboat or flotilla charters.
Please read the FAQs Section for all the details about this experience!
This is one of ScotSails most popular courses as it is a great way to get out on the water for a whole weekend getaway!
Introductory courses for beginners and those who have some experience of either cruising or dinghy sailing. A shortened version called RYA Start Yachting can be taken over just 2 days which covers the very basics to sailing aimed at total beginners. The completion of the RYA Competent Crew Practical course will be another 2 weekends
The 5 Days/Nights RYA Competent Crew course aims to give you as much enjoyment as possible. While you sail you will learn about safety at sea and will be given opportunities to practise the seamanship skills of changing sails, steering, reefing and tying knots. In essence, your Instructor will try to teach you to enjoy sailing living onboard throughout the course.
Each night is spent in a new place, allowing you to experience the delights of a real cruise. You will visit many kinds of anchorages and yacht harbours.
By the end of this course, the successful Competent Crew will have sufficient knowledge and skills to be a useful and able crew member and want to sail regularly.
Basic knowledge of navigation & safety / Useful Crew Member.
Weekend Experience Overview:
Arrive Friday evening (1800hrs)
Meet instructor and crew
Get settled into cabin and unpack
Meal around 1930 hrs and chat with Instructor
Saturday Morning: Get up for breakfast and safety briefing and decide destination
Collect food and drinks according to everyones tastes and desires
Depart Yacht Haven using teamwork exercise
Sailing exercises and practice steering the yacht as 'Skipper' - catching some waves!
Put into island or marina destination that evening (perhaps go ashore sightseeing or for a meal & drinks).
Saturday Evening: (Evening ashore or perhaps watch a DVD or discuss sailing techniques with Instructor.
Sunday Morning: Rise early and prepare to get more sailing in! (Plenty of exercises and fun sailing during the day!
Perhaps stop at a marina or weigh anchor for a good lunch on-board
Return Sunday Afternoon and dock the yacht using new-found skills
De-briefing session at ScotSails Centre and awarding of RYA Start Yachting Course Certificates.
What do you get?:
RYA Start Yachting Experience
2 Nights / Full Board
All Safety Equipment
Official RYA Completion Certificate
Any weekend in Season 2017!
Let recipient choose dates!
bookonline! or call us on 0845 834 0335
Price:
£459.00
Per Person.
or just £449 Per Person
for 2 or more persons.
5 Nights / Full Board (Mon-Fri)
Learn-to-Sail Holiday
including RYA Tuition and Certification.
Price:
£199.00
Per Person / Weekend
3 Weekends / 6 Nights / Full Board (Sat/Sun)
Learn-to-Sail Holiday
including RYA Tuition and Certification.
*always check homepage for special offers, discounts, web-deals or cancellation offers, or ask your operator when you call. Please mention discount / offers prior to booking.
All ScotSail Sailing Practical Courses / Experience Prices are inclusive of:
Full Board Days (All Breakfasts, All Lunches, All Evening Meals, Snacks, Drinks, Teas/Coffees/Refreshments etc).
Gas / Fuel (ScotSail does not charge for boat fuel, domestic gas or engine hours usage).
Tuition/Certification.
All Safety Equipment (Everything you require is provided i.e. Lifejackets, Safety Harnesses etc).
Official Course Days Courses are officially Mon-Fri and Sat-Sun for Full Board. Check-In/Arrival is the evening prior.
All dietary requirements catered for. Please advise of any known allergys at time of booking.
Run every weekend, from March to October, each year.
Arrival & Check-in is at 1800 hours, on the Friday evening prior.
Each of our Training Yachts operates at a Student : Instructor ratio of 5:1.
All weekend courses / experiences are full board (Sat/Sun).
Are available as a Gift Voucher, at no extra cost.
RYA
Day Skipper Practical
(Sail Tidal) at LargsCentre
Learn-to-Sail Holiday with RYA Tuition and Certification.
Suggested minimum pre-course experience: - 5 Days sailing,
100 miles, 4 night hours plus
knowledge up to Day Skipper
shorebased theory.
On this RYA Day
Skipper Practical course you will learn
basic practical skippering techniques.
Completion of the Day Skipper
Shorebased Course beforehand
will add enormous value to this
practical course, although it
is possible to read up on the
syllabus at home.
Each student
is given the opportunity to
take control and navigate the
yacht on short coastal passages, with an Instructor on hand to give advice and encouragement and ensure your safety.
A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills...
During the course,
you will be given the opportunity
to practice your boat handling
in a variety of marina and mooring
situations, and whilst at sea
will cover subjects such as
watch keeping, deck work, sail
trim and how to cope in emergency
situations such as MOB (Man Over-board)
A skipper
is responsible for the management
of a yacht, so the course also
includes basic engine checks,
passage planning, preparing
the yacht for sea, rules of
the road and meteorology.
The pass rate for ScotSail RYA Day Skipper (Tidal) Practical courses is very high - around 95%! Holders of the Day Skipper certificate are eligible to apply for the International Certificate of Competence (I.C.C.). The I.C.C. is accepted by most international charter companies as your 'charter license' and is an extremely valuable and respected qualification. You can download the application form using the link below.
Preparation
for sea, Deck work, Navigation,
Pilotage, Meteorology,
Rule of the road, Maintenance
and repair work, Engines,
victualling, Emergency
situations, Yacht handling
under power, Yacht handling
under sail, passage making, night cruising.
Course
Aims:
By
the end of this course
the successful Day Skipper
will be able to skipper
a cruising yacht in familiar
waters and short coastal
passages by day, in both
tidal and non-tidal waters.
Pre-Course
Recommendations
To
gain RYA certificate in
5 days, it is recommended that participants have undertaken a minimum of 100 miles, 5 day sea-time, 4
night hours and have basic navigation ability.
Price:
£459.00
Per Person.
or just £449 Per Person
for 2 or more persons.
5 Nights / Full Board (Mon-Fri)
Learn-to-Sail Holiday
including RYA Tuition and Certification.
Price:
£199.00
Per Person, Per Weekend
3 Weekends / 6 Nights / Full Board (Sat/Sun)
Learn-to-Sail Holiday
including RYA Tuition and Certification.
*always check homepage for special offers, discounts, web-deals or cancellation offers, or ask your operator when you call. Please mention discount / offers prior to booking.
All ScotSail Sailing Practical Courses / Experience Prices are inclusive of:
Full Board Days (All Breakfasts, All Lunches, All Evening Meals, Snacks, Drinks, Teas/Coffees/Refreshments etc).
Gas / Fuel (ScotSail does not charge for boat fuel, domestic gas or engine hours usage)..
All Safety Equipment (Everything you require is provided i.e. Lifejackets, Safety Harnesses etc).
Official Course Days Courses are officially Mon-Fri and Sat-Sun for Full Board. Check-In/Arrival is the evening prior.
All dietary requirements catered for. Please advise of any known allergys at time of booking.
RYA Coastal Skipper (Sail Tidal) at ScotSail LargsCentre
Learn-to-Sail Holiday with RYA Tuition and Certification.
Previous experience recommended:
Participants should have knowledge
up to RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster
theory standard. Practical ability
to RYA Day Skipper level, 15 days
onboard (2 days as skipper), 300
miles, 8 night hours.
The course concentrates on
the techniques and skills required
to skipper a yacht on passages
involving complex decision making,
navigation, cruise planning,
and pilotage. A passage of longer
duration, with particular emphasis
placed on watch keeping techniques
will usually be undertaken to
demonstrate how to manage the
yacht on such a passage.
Also you will be given the opportunity
to improve your close quarter’s
boat handling skills under power
and sail. Preparation of the
yacht for heavy weather cruising
and navigation in restricted
visibility is also practised.
By the end of this course the
successful Yachtmaster Coastal Skipper will be awarded
a course completion certificate and
will have sufficient knowledge
to skipper a yacht safely on
long coastal and offshore passages
by day and night, in both tidal
and non-tidal waters.
Course
Content:
Passage
planning, Preparation
for sea, Pilotage, passage
making and ability as
skipper, Yacht handling
under power, yacht handling
under sail, Adverse weather
conditions, emergency
situations.
Course
Aims:
To
be able to skipper a yacht
on coastal passages by
day & night.
Course
Requirements:
To
gain RYA course completion
certificate in 5 days
you need to undertake
100 miles, 4 night hours
taking command of the
yacht demonstrating skippering
techniques for coastal
and offshore passages.
MCA Exam
Requirement:
This RYA Coastal SKipper course completion
certificate advisable,
plus 10 hr examination
by an examiner if the
full RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Skipper
certificate of competency
is required.
Price:
£459.00
Per Person.
or just £449 Per Person
for 2 or more persons.
5 Nights / Full Board (Mon-Fri)
Learn-to-Sail Holiday
including RYA Tuition and Certification.
*always check homepage for special offers, discounts, web-deals or cancellation offers, or ask your operator when you call. Please mention discount / offers prior to booking.
All ScotSail Sailing Practical Courses / Experience Prices are inclusive of:
Full Board Days (All Breakfasts, All Lunches, All Evening Meals, Snacks, Drinks, Teas/Coffees/Refreshments etc).
Gas / Fuel (ScotSail does not charge for boat fuel, domestic gas or engine hours usage).
Tuition/Certification Free standard RYA Certificates while stocks last.
All Safety Equipment (Everything you require is provided i.e. Lifejackets, Safety Harnesses etc).
Official Course Days Courses are officially Mon-Fri and Sat-Sun for Full Board. Check-In/Arrival is the evening prior. There are no 'hidden extras'.
All dietary requirements catered for. Please advise of any known allergys at time of booking.
RYA
Day Skipper Shorebased Course at ScotSail LargsCentre
Gives essential
knowledge to navigate around
familiar waters
This basic shorebased theory
course is intended to equip
the sailor with enough knowledge
to navigate around familiar
waters by day, and a basic knowledge
of lights is also included if
you arrive back in darkness.
Our 2012 Facilities Video
The course is invaluable for
those who want to learn how
to start making decisions on
board especially those beginners
and crew who would like to become
more actively involved in navigation.
It is a comprehensive introduction
to sailing for would-be skippers.
Course
Content:
Chart-work,
position fixing, plotting
a course to steer, weather
forecasting and meteorology,
a knowledge of tides and
international Regulations
for Prevention of Collision
at sea and electronic
charts. Construction,
parts and equipment of
a yacht, safety procedures,
emergency and safety equipment
and procedures such as
distress call, use of
flares, safety harnesses,
lifejackets and lifeafts
and the basics of seamanship.
Course
Aims:
This
shorebased course is intended
to equip the sailor with
enough knowledge to navigate
around familiar waters
by day.
Course
Requirements:
ScotSail runs 3 weekends, 7 day intensive and StudyFlex courses throughout the year at their training centre in Largs Yacht Haven. Clients are provided with a copy of all the lecture notes and all examples are worked out. This is available prior to the course starting.
RYA
Coastal/Yachtmaster® Shorebased Course at ScotSail LargsCentre
Equips the skippers
to be able to navigate safely
in coastal and offshore passages.
An advanced shorebased course
building on the Day skipper
syllabus for more experienced
skippers, which takes them up
to the theory knowledge required
for Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster
Practical examinations specifically
concentrating on advanced navigation
and meteorology skills
The aim of the course is to
equip the skipper to be able
to navigate safely in coastal
and offshore passages. The course
devotes some revision time to
the basics but covers advanced
navigation techniques including:
Our 2017 Facilities Video
Course
Content:
Position
fixing, course shaping
and plotting, tidal knowledge
and use of almanacs, admiralty
publications and electronic
position finding equipment.
Plotting of weather systems
and weather predictions
using barometer and by
observation, Planning
and executing passage
plans. Customs and excise
regulations for going
to and returning from
abroad. The international
Regulations for the Prevention
of Collision at sea.
Course
Aims:
This
shorebased course is intended
to cover the knowledge
required for the Coastal
Skipper and Yachtmaster
to navigate safely in
coastal and offshore passages
specifically concentrating
on advanced navigation
and meteorology skills..
It also serves to allow
students pass the MCA
Practical examinations.
Course
Requirements:
1st ScotSail Training run 3 weekend. Evenings and 5 day intensive courses throghout the year at therr training centres in Largs and Preston. Clients are provided with a copy of all the lecture notes and all examples are worked out. This is available prior to the course starting.
Diesel Engine Course at Largs Marina at ScotSail LargsCentre
Mechanical failure
is the main cause of lifeboat
callouts to yachts. This course
includes basic maintenance and
engine care which will prevent
most cases of engine failure.
Course
Type:
THEORY
Suggested
minimum pre-course experience:
None
Assumed
knowledge:
None
Course
content:
Basic
maintenance and engine
care
Ability
after course:
Awareness
of the main systems of
a marine diesel engine.
Able to take simple measures
to prevent mechanical
breakdown at sea and rectify
defects which do not require
workshop support
Minimum
duration:
1
day at our Training centre. The instructor will demonstrate a running engine and ensure each student takes a hands on approach to fault finding and remedy. A certificate will be awarded at the end of the course. See Published dates.
VHF Marine
Radio License Course at ScotSail LargsCentre
This radio operator
qualification authorises the
holder to operate a VHF radio
fitted with Digital Selective
Calling on board any British
vessel which is voluntarily
fitted with radio equipment.
Course
Type:
THEORY
Suggested
minimum pre-course experience:
None
Assumed
knowledge:
None
Course
content:
Use
of marine radio including
GMDSS. Routine, distress,
urgency and safety procedures.
Ability
after course:
Can
use a Marine VHF radio. It is a legal requirement that you have an Authority-to-Operate Licence if you own or use marine-band VHF Radio Equipment,