Start Yachting
Duration: One Weekend, Sat 0900 – Sun 1600 (2 days) OR Fri 0900 – Sun 1600 (3 days)
This course is run over a weekend and is really designed to give you a taste as to what sailing on a yacht is all about. No previous sailing experience is required. The course introduces the student to the fun, relaxed elements of sailing on a yacht, and you will learn how to start the engine, steer the yacht, hoist and work the sails, learn the principle of how sailing works and learn a few knots too. By the end of a weekend on a Start Yachting Course you will no longer feel like just a “passenger” on a sailing yacht.
Whats included: Tuition, accommodation onboard, food, fuel, marina fees and use of our offshore waterproof clothing.
Whats not included: Sleeping Bag, Footwear, Towel, Personal Toiletries, Changes of Clothes, and Pocket Money for a beer or a soft drink.
Next Step: RYA/ISA Competent Crew Course. Holders of an RYA Start Yachting certificate can obtain a RYA Competent Crew certificate by completing a further two weekends of the RYA Competent Crew course
Click here for the itinerary of a typical weekend start yachting course
RYA/ISA Competent Crew Sailing Course
5 Days Duration: 5 Days (Weds – Sun) or 2 weekends (Sat -Sun & Fri -Sun = just 1 day off work!)
Previous Experience: None Required
This course introduces the absolute beginner to the enjoyment of sailing on a modern cruising yacht. The course is ideal for dinghy sailors new to sailing on a yacht, or those who have crewed on a yacht before but would like to learn the right way. Some of the most fundamentally important elements of sailing are taught on this course. It aims to build beginner sailors into confident competent members of any crew. The course is designed to provide as much fun and enjoyment as possible in a safe an reassuring environment.
The competent crew course is very hands on, with a lot of time spent just sailing, and understanding how it works. You will spend all five days onboard the yacht and visit many beautiful scenic anchorages and harbours from Co. Louth to Wicklow. There is a maximum student instructor ratio of 5:1, so your instructor can really devote plenty of time to your individual needs. Safety is paramount on all RYA/ ISA courses and you will learn how to operate flares, lifejackets, safety harnesses, liferafts and how to assist the recovery of a man overboard and you will experience in at least four hours of night sailing during the course. By the end of the course, you will be an asset to any yacht.
Whats included: Tuition, accommodation onboard, food, fuel, marina fees and use of our offshore waterproof clothing.
Whats not included: Sleeping Bag, Footwear, Towel, Personal Toiletries, Changes of Clothes, and Pocket Money for a beer or a soft drink.
Next Step: RYA/ISA Dayskipper Shorebased Navigation Course or the RYA/ISA Dayskipper all in one practical and shorebased course.
Dayskipper Practical Sailing Course
Duration: 5 days continuous training or for those more restricted with time off, a 2 day weekend Sat – Sun, followed by a 3 day weekend Fri – Sun. The course normally starts at 0900 meeting at the entrance to Dun Laoghaire marina .
Previous Experience Required: 5 days spent on a yacht as crew. Previous navigation is essential on this course, either as a basic navigation course or ideally a dayskipper theory course. Knowledge of pilotage, tidal heights, and course to steer required to Dayskipper theory standard. The cert at the end of this course can be handed into the Irish Sailing Association for the issuing of an ICC certificate, this is the cert required by most yacht charter companies worldwide.
The dayskipper course is designed to teach you how to “take charge” in a safe and confident manner on a sailing yacht. Skippering for the first time can be a daunting yet exhilarating experience. The course involves much more than practical navigation and pilotage. The aspiring skipper is responsible for the safety and well-being of both the yacht and the crew onboard. You will learn about weather forecasting, passage planning, routine engine maintenance, how to take charge and recover a man overboard. You will also learn how to park a yacht in a marina or on a mooring with confidence, and especially what to do if the engine breaks down.
Your patient instructor, will help you to hone these skills and command the vessel yourself. There is particular emphasis on boat handling, and you will learn to handle a yacht in various conditions of wind and tide under power and sail. You will spend 5 days onboard and liveaboard for the duration of the course. You will visit many beautiful harbours and anchorages on the east coast over a cruising area stretching from Drogheda to Arklow. Some of these harbours can be tricky to get into, especially with regards to the tidal heights. Your instructor will help you push out your sailing skills while keeping you just within your comfort zone at all times.
Successful completion of this course involves the award of the RYA/ISA dayskipper certificate. You can then charter a yacht from us or any other charter firm worldwide by submitting the certificate to obtain the ICC (international cruising certificate).
Whats included: Tuition, accommodation onboard, food, fuel, marina fees and use of our offshore waterproof clothing.
Whats not included: Sleeping Bag, Footwear, Towel, Personal Toiletries, Changes of Clothes, and Pocket Money for a beer or a soft drink.
Next Step: RYA/ISA Yachtmaster Theory and the RYA/ISA Yachtmaster Coastal Practical Course
Click here for a typical itinerary of a weekend practical sailing course
Dayskipper All In One Sailing Course
Duration: 5 days practical sailing + 5 days in the classroom
Previous Experience Required: 5 days spent on a yacht as crew.
The dayskipper all-in-one course combines the dayskipper theory followed immediately by the dayskipper practical. It is a challenging intensive course. But it is one of the best ways to learn. The dayskipper theory is covered first in the classroom across four days. You then get straight on the water and go and put everything you have learned into practice. From the point of view of consolidating your knowledge it is the best way to approach this course, and though tiring, it is incredible the progress you will make from start to finish.
On the course you will spend four days in a classroom, learning how to navigate and pilot a vessel. You will learn about weather forecasting, safety, tidal heights, and then you will go out and take command of our vessel. You will learn how to park the yacht properly with confidence, improve your sailing skills, learn how to pick up a man overboard, and actually take the yacht from one harbour to the next.
This is an exciting and popular course to take, successful completion of the course awards the RYA/ISA dayskipper certificate, from which you can apply for an ICC (international cruising certificate), this is the ticket you need to charter yachts up to 60’ in length anywhere in the world. See our ICC section for full details. For full details on the course content and for a sample of a weeks practical training on the yacht, please see the Dayskipper Theory and Dayskipper Practical sections.
Whats included: Your dayskipper shorebased course pack (includes charts, text book, and exam papers). A plotter and dividers which are essential are not included in the course pack, but can be purchased on the day for €30. Tuition, accomodation onboard from the day after the theory course finishes for 4 nights, food, fuel, marina fees and use of our offshore waterproof clothing.
Whats not included: Navigation plotters and dividers, Sleeping Bag, Footwear, Towel, Personal Toiletries, Changes of Clothes, and Pocket Money for a beer or a soft drink.
Next Step: At this stage, you really need to get practicing what you have learned, by getting more sea miles under your belt. This can be achieved by signing up for one of our distance sail cruises, by chartering a yacht from us, or by taking part an offshore yacht race. You will then be in a much better position to take the RYA/ISA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation courses. Whatever way you choose to build on your knowledge, the importance consolidating these skills as soon as possible cannot be over stated.
Click here for a typical itinerary of a weekend practical sailing course
RYA/ISA Coastal Skipper Practical
Duration: 5 days (Monday 0900 to Friday 1600)
Previous Experience Required: 15 days aboard, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles logged and 8 night hours. A knowledge of navigation to RYA/ISA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster theory level.
The coastal skipper course is designed to take an experienced dayskipper to a new level of confidence in experiencing the joy of longer passages. Longer passages demand a wide variety of skills from the aspiring skipper such as leadership, crew management and problem solving, when it comes to adverse weather and engine problems. Skippering a yacht on coastal and offshore passages demands strong navigation, seamanship and leadership skills. Weather permitting, we may undertake a longer passage as part of your course, possibly to Wales or Northern Ireland, so don’t forget to take your passport! During your course your experienced instructor will guide you through navigation, both offshore and in limited visibility, weather forecasting and passage planning, watchkeeping, preparation for sea and handling a vessel in heavy weather. You will get the opportunity to put into practice all the navigational skills learned on the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory course as you take full command of the vessel on longer passages. The focus will be on more advanced boat handling techniques and improving you confidence to pilot a yacht at night. Upon successful completion of the RYA/ISA coastal skipper course you will be awarded the RYA/ISA Coastal Skipper Completion certificate and will be able to skipper coastal passages safely and confidently. Students may also avail of the opportunity to extend the course to incorporate Coastal Skipper Certificate of Competence exam which is conducted by an independent RYA examiner. Please discuss this with us at the time of booking. Course extension €100, £185 RYA Exam fee.
Whats included: Tuition, accomodation onboard, food, fuel, marina fees and use of our offshore waterproof clothing.
Whats not included: Sleeping Bag, Footwear, Towel, Personal Toiletries, Changes of Clothes, and Pocket Money for a beer or a soft drink.
Next Step: Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation Practical Course
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Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation Course
Duration: 6 days (Monday to Friday 1300, Exam Friday 1300 to sometime Saturday)
Previous Experience Required: 50 days aboard, 5 days as skipper, 2500 miles logged, 5 passages of over 60 miles including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper. VHF radio operators certificate and a valid First Aid Certificate is also required.
For many sailors it is a very prestigious achievement to be awarded the Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate. It is not easily achieved and is recognized worldwide. It is a ticket which is awarded to candidates who have the ability to skipper a sailing vessel offshore in often arduous conditions for extended periods of time.This is an intensive practical course designed to prepare candidates to take the RYA or ISA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical Exam at the end of the course. The exam itself is conducted by an RYA Yachtmaster Examiner for which a separate exam fee is payable.
To attain the RYA or ISA Yachtmaster Offshore candidates must pass a practical examination of their skippering ability. A Yachtmaster is capable of skippering the yacht on extended offshore passages by day or night. He or she will essentially be a much more experienced Coastal Skipper and can do the same things more smoothly, for longer periods and in more arduous conditions.
Early in the week the instructor will asses your strengths and weaknesses and coach you in the areas required to pass the examination however our experience normally leads us to work on the following areas; passage planning, man overboard recovery, close quarters handling, skippering techniques, navigation in restricted visibility, pilotage and knowledge of the International Collision Regulations. The instructor will debrief you fully as the week progresses and ensure that you get time to work on those weaker areas. Before joining the course, students should have the pre-requisite experience outlined above, navigation theory to RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster theory level and a thorough knowledge of the Collision Regulations.
The examiner will ask each candidate to skipper the yacht on several short passages and complete various demonstrations of their skippering and sailing ability over the course of the weekend.
Whats included: Tuition, accomodation onboard, food, fuel, marina fees and use of our offshore waterproof clothing.
Whats not included: Sleeping Bag, Footwear, Towel, Personal Toiletries, Changes of Clothes, and Pocket Money for a beer or a soft drink.
Next Step: Cruising Instructor, Yachtmaster Ocean Theory
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Examiner’s travel expenses are also required to be covered per student, cost depends on examiner and number of students on exam
The ICC (International Certificate of Competency)
This is an internationally recognised certificate for users of pleasurecraft and was established to provide boat owners and people wishing to charter boats with an internationally recognised document certifying their competence to skipper a boat for recreational use. In Ireland the ISA are responsible for issuing ICC certificates to Irish Citizens and in the UK the RYA are responsible.
If you have completed a Dayskipper Practical Course you can then apply to the relevant governing body and they will issue you with the ICC. If you do not hold this certificate but feel that you are at or above this level of competency you can book onto a days assessment or you can have the exam run on your own boat. Please contact us to arrange whichever suits you best. These competitively priced intensive training days are normally run as 1:1 or 2:1 tuition and include the ICC examination.
