Complete newbie wanting ICC...

[Advent3207]

Hi everyone,
I am a completely novice sailor. I have owned a small speedboat 15 years ago and know a little basic sailing theory. Im after information on the best way to go about getting some qualifications.
The first goal is to get an ICC so I can sail around the med.
After some research I realise I most likely will need to get a RYA Day Skipper first.
After more research I realise I may need to do a starter course before the Day Skipper, as I really am very green!

There seems to be so many different courses you can do so I am after a little clarification on what would be the best route/courses to go down. I cant seem to find out how knowledgeable I have to be before doing the Day Skipper(Or how green I can be).

My initial thoughts were to purchase a 18ft trailer sailor and self teach before doing any qualifications but now I'm leaning more towards being taught from the off.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Chris.

 

[martyn78]

I started by buying a Folkboat, casting off and reading the book from page 1.
However an introductory course would save a lot of reading, embarrassment and experiment.

Have fun.....

 

[Clancy Moped]

Hi everyone,
I am a completely novice sailor. I have owned a small speedboat 15 years ago and know a little basic sailing theory. Im after information on the best way to go about getting some qualifications.
The first goal is to get an ICC so I can sail around the med.
After some research I realise I most likely will need to get a RYA Day Skipper first.
After more research I realise I may need to do a starter course before the Day Skipper, as I really am very green!

There seems to be so many different courses you can do so I am after a little clarification on what would be the best route/courses to go down. I cant seem to find out how knowledgeable I have to be before doing the Day Skipper(Or how green I can be).

My initial thoughts were to purchase a 18ft trailer sailor and self teach before doing any qualifications but now I'm leaning more towards being taught from the off.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Chris.

Have a chat with capnsensible of this parish, he runs various RYA courses....

 

[capnsensible]

Hi everyone,
I am a completely novice sailor. I have owned a small speedboat 15 years ago and know a little basic sailing theory. Im after information on the best way to go about getting some qualifications.
The first goal is to get an ICC so I can sail around the med.
After some research I realise I most likely will need to get a RYA Day Skipper first.
After more research I realise I may need to do a starter course before the Day Skipper, as I really am very green!

There seems to be so many different courses you can do so I am after a little clarification on what would be the best route/courses to go down. I cant seem to find out how knowledgeable I have to be before doing the Day Skipper(Or how green I can be).

My initial thoughts were to purchase a 18ft trailer sailor and self teach before doing any qualifications but now I'm leaning more towards being taught from the off.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Chris.

Hiya.
General advice from any Training Centre would be to get out sailing with anyone you know who has got a boat. That's the cheapest way to find out if you actually like it before parting with money!
It surprising when you ask around in many work places who owns boats. Anything will do, depending on where you live.
There are a lot of sailing clubs to ask at too. A lake is as good a place as any to start. Might be more convenient?
The next step for a lot of people is then to take a formal course of instruction. There is a Start Yachting course for the very basics plus a couple of other 2 day courses that run on. I don't know how popular they are in the UK, I've worked overseas for the last 23 years....when people travel abroad for courses, it's more effective to do a full 5 day Competent Crew course.
So there is quite a mixture to get you going and to help guide you what to do....or not do, the RYA website has it all.
If you want to send a Personal Message, no problem. I do freelance stuff now so got no brand I have to stick with.

 

[Clancy Moped]

It's his first post so I think he may be restricted on PM privileges....

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Hiya.
General advice from any Training Centre would be to get out sailing with anyone you know who has got a boat. That's the cheapest way to find out if you actually like it before parting with money!
It surprising when you ask around in many work places who owns boats. Anything will do, depending on where you live.
There are a lot of sailing clubs to ask at too. A lake is as good a place as any to start. Might be more convenient?
The next step for a lot of people is then to take a formal course of instruction. There is a Start Yachting course for the very basics plus a couple of other 2 day courses that run on. I don't know how popular they are in the UK, I've worked overseas for the last 23 years....when people travel abroad for courses, it's more effective to do a full 5 day Competent Crew course.
So there is quite a mixture to get you going and to help guide you what to do....or not do, the RYA website has it all.
If you want to send a Personal Message, no problem. I do freelance stuff now so got no brand I have to stick with.

I guess the 5 day course is also a holiday of sorts, worth looking at that too.

 

[capnsensible]

I guess the 5 day course is also a holiday of sorts, worth looking at that too.

Yeah, especially competent crew. It's a chance to visit other ports and harbours abroad. Its quite pleasant sitting in the cockpit learning a bit of naval knitting with the mountains of Morocco as a backdrop, or another Canary Island, etc.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Yeah, especially competent crew. It's a chance to visit other ports and harbours abroad. Its quite pleasant sitting in the cockpit learning a bit of naval knitting with the mountains of Morocco as a backdrop, or another Canary Island, etc.

I can think of few finer ways to pass some time. Lots of uk based/English speaking instruction to be had, of course including your good self. more or less guaranteed sunshine and warmth while you learn, what’s not to love?

 

[Clancy Moped]

I can think of few finer ways to pass some time. Lots of uk based/English speaking instruction to be had, of course including your good self. more or less guaranteed sunshine and warmth while you learn, what’s not to love?

Especially if thats your chosen sailing ground in the future.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Especially if thats your chosen sailing ground in the future.

That too, indeed. Though IMHO a bit of channel, or (insert your chosen stretch of very tidal water) navigation is worth doing, the Med has it’s own hazards, but tides aren’t really one of them.

 

[Clancy Moped]

That too, indeed. Though IMHO a bit of channel, or (insert your chosen stretch of very tidal water) navigation is worth doing, the Med has it’s own hazards, but tides aren’t really one of them.

I agree, capnsensible is in tidal waters in the Canary Islands .

 

[Advent3207]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
It sounds like id be better doing a competent crew course before the day skipper course.
There is a Swift 18ft for sale not far from me and I am thinking of just buying it and trying it out. I live in Warrington,UK and not far from Wales where there are tidal channels. Maybe this would be the best learning experience, or maybe some closed water like Windermere first.

 

[Advent3207]

I guess the 5 day course is also a holiday of sorts, worth looking at that too.

Hmmm, I hadnt really thought of it this way. It would make a nice warm holiday experience abroad.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Hmmm, I hadnt really thought of it this way. It would make a nice warm holiday experience abroad.

Give it a month or two though, you don't learn so much sitting in the departure lounge! The boat sounds fun. I would give her the first swim in a lake, I think. Launch and recovery are intimidating enough 1st time around, a bit of flat water makes everything so much easier.

 

[Laser310]

There is a Swift 18ft for sale not far from me and I am thinking of just buying it and trying it out.

people who start to sail in small boats are nearly always better sailors than those who start in big boats and never sail small boats.

I would probably get something lighter and more responsive.., maybe without a cabin.., and take it to a lake or some other protected body of water. you could take a lesson or two in small boats as well to learn basic boat handling, sail trim, and safety.

I second the idea of sailing with someone else on their boat - any kind of boat, as long as the owner is knowledgeable, the boat is well maintained, and you don't start off with too big of a voyage. Don't sign on for a delivery across the Bay of Biscay, until you have figured a few things out...

 

[coveman]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
It sounds like id be better doing a competent crew course before the day skipper course.
There is a Swift 18ft for sale not far from me and I am thinking of just buying it and trying it out. I live in Warrington,UK and not far from Wales where there are tidal channels. Maybe this would be the best learning experience, or maybe some closed water like Windermere first.

There is no need to do a competent crew course before the Day Skipper, unless you just want to see if you like sailing. Day Skipper is designed for novices, although some experience of sailing helps. You would need to do the theory course first followed by the practical. Its worth noting that for qualification purposes do the practical in tidal waters.
You could do a competent crew course first but you will find a lot of it is duplicated in the Day skipper course ( at least it was when I did mine a few years ago).

 

[Praxinoscope]

Depends a lot on where you live, if near the coast then look for local yacht clubs, there are always boat owners looking for crew, if inland then lots of dinghy sailing on lakes, rivers etc.
Starting off in a dinghy does IMHO have some advantages, you learn to use the sails and how the winds affect them and very quickly, unless you enjoy tipping over and getting regularly wet.
Many yacht clubs also offer shore based RYA theory courses which don’t really help with boat handling, but do provide teaching of navigation, meteorology, safety at sea etc.

 

[capnsensible]

There is no need to do a competent crew course before the Day Skipper, unless you just want to see if you like sailing. Day Skipper is designed for novices, although some experience of sailing helps. You would need to do the theory course first followed by the practical. Its worth noting that for qualification purposes do the practical in tidal waters.
You could do a competent crew course first but you will find a lot of it is duplicated in the Day skipper course ( at least it was when I did mine a few years ago).

The Day Skipper course is actually designed for those that have some sailing experience. Recommended is 100nm, 5 days at sea and 4 hours night sailing. Some do try and run before they walk but it's rarely successful.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

With absolutely no experience a CC then a shore based navigation course then the dazed kipper course. You could do a distance learning shore based course or even try to teach yourself but you will need some degree of navigational ability between CC and DS practicals

 

[coveman]

The Day Skipper course is actually designed for those that have some sailing experience. Recommended is 100nm, 5 days at sea and 4 hours night sailing. Some do try and run before they walk but it's rarely successful.

Yes, I take your point but when I did my DS course there did seem to be a lot of duplication, and there was a mix of DS and CC on the same boat. But if you are a complete starter then CC is probably the way to go