This 5-day course is for the more advanced sailor who has completed the shore based Coastal Yachtmaster course and has considerable knowledge of practical sailing and navigation.
By now you will be taking charge of the yacht and her crew on longer passages and will be well versed in safe navigation. Now you will learn to use more advanced navigational techniques and learn to take command of the yacht under more challenging situations.
| PRICE: | £850 per person (1st March – 31st October) £995 single occupancy private cabin £1,650 double occupancy private cabin £800 per person (1st November – 1st March) If you choose not to guarantee your own cabin, you may be allocated one of the two saloon berths. Couples, friends or family can guarantee a double occupancy private cabin which can be set up as a twin, or double. |
| COURSE DETAILS | |
| Experience | 15 days sea time. 300 miles. 8 night hours. A basic understanding of navigation and safety. Navigation to Coastal Skipper Shore based level. |
| Course Outline | The aim of this course is to lean to skipper a yacht on longer coastal passages by day and night. We teach you advanced boat handling techniques, have you mooring up under different conditions and anchoring under sail. |
| Duration | Course schedule – 5pm on Sunday until 10am on Saturday. Includes accommodation on Sunday night and Friday night |
| Includes | Accommodation Onboard Fresh bed linen Continental breakfasts, light lunches, refreshments Loan of quality wet weather gear, lifejacket and harness line Mooring Fees Gas Fuel |
| Numbers | Max 5 students per yacht |
RYA Coastal Skipper Sailing Course Itinerary
Meet and Greet
Upon arrival at Ocean Village marina at around 5pm on Sunday evening, your Instructor for the week will introduce you to the yacht you will be sailing and your home for the duration of the course. You will be given a basic safety brief and then everyone is free to settle in and get to know your fellow crew members. Decide among yourself what time you want to have dinner and we will book you in to a local restaurant.
Day 1
Wake up to the sunshine and, after a continental breakfast onboard, we begin at around 0930 with a full safety brief. As a Coastal Skipper, you will already have familiarised yourself with the location of the safety equipment and may be asked to do part of the briefing. We leave the berth later in the morning with one of our Coastal Skipper students taking the yacht out under the watchful eye of the Instructor. Hoist the mainsail, unfurl the headsail and practice some sailing manoeuvres in the Bay of Gibraltar. You sailing exercises will be of an advanced level – man overboard under power and sail, anchoring under sail, close quarter moorings and simulated engine failures. You will have time on helm and also on winches and main sheet. After a busy morning lunch will be on board, usually at anchor.
After lunch, more sailing exercises like tacking, gybing and heaving to. Finish is usually around 1800 on day one.
The evening is spent back in Ocean Village marina where you will have some free time to explore Gibraltar, soak up the sun and enjoy the local culture. We have many recommendations for dinner in the old town or around the marina.
Day 2
After breakfast today, someone will act as “Skipper of the Day” and will plan a passage to another port in ether in Spain or Morocco. As a Coastal Skipper you will be responsible for all the pre departure checks, crew briefings and pilotage out of the marina. You will be calculating the tides and preparing a pilotage into the next port under the guidance of your Instructor. Morning will be spent on mooring up practice and some more exercises before setting off on the passage in the afternoon or you may decide to set off for a distance early with the best tide. The finishing time may be later than day one depending upon the destination. Upon arrival in the evening you will have time to explore the local area but the emphasis this week will be on longer distance navigation as opposed to getting in early, so less leisure time and more sailing time.
Day 3 and 4
These two days are much the same as day 2 with overnight stops at other ports. You may find yourself in Morocco or anywhere along the Costa del Sol. There will be time in the morning or afternoon to do some mooring up practice. The focus during the course is on safely taking your yacht and crew from one place to another and to enjoy the voyage. We believe that you learn best when you are having fun so that is our promise to you. One evening you will do a night sail which will allow you to discover the many navigational lights on ships and on land.
Day 5
Today you will be returning to our home port of Ocean Village, Gibraltar. Depending on where the third passage took us, we will spend the day either on passage or in the Bay putting the final touches to your new skills. Once back in the berth, everyone gets involved in securing the yacht, switching the instruments off, tidying the chart table and hosing the deck down. Your Instructor will sign logbooks and award certificates as appropriate. The course will be finished by 1700 hrs.
Use our form below to contact us about this course, please provide as much detail as possible including preferred dates, experience to date, number of people wishing to enrol and any other information you think will assist us: