Day Skipper courses recomendations

Judders

Judders

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SWMBO is a wee bit nervous of sailing as just the two of us on Merit, so it occurred to me that it might be worth sending her on an intensive day skipper course to really give her confidence a boost. I have never done mine either so we could, perhaps, do mine at the same time as I have never yet go around to it.

Can any scuttlebutters recomend a good sea-school that will be equally useful for a nervous novice as it would for a slightly over confident old hand?

Money is an object as I am finding new found osterity in boat ownership!
 
Mrs_E did hers with Southern Sailing and had a ball. Ramming pontoons and drinking like a fish. Er isn't that what DS is all about?

Cost about £400/week all in.
 
I went to Southern Sailing about 10 years ago, when John Goode ran it, and was very impressed with the standard of the training. Don't know what it's like now but at that time they didn't have more than four students per boat so you got plenty of time "in charge".

By the way, instructors seem to think that it's not a good idea for a couple to take a course at the same time.
 
I did mine with four winds based at bucklers hard. From memory it was under £400 and I felt it was pretty comprehensive - i.e. lots of drills you keep doing until you get it right and with plenty of time on the water. The emphasis was very much on taking charge of the boat and I found them to be friendly too.
 
Although I don't have any personal experience to back it up , I've had some very long chats with students of AT Sailing and they are full of nothing but praise for both Al and Tina , apparently both extremely helpful and patient . They're currently organising a charity event ( which gives some indication of the type of people they are ,, nice ) and you can probably find their site through the Pirates of the Solent link in Al Jones signature . If not , try http://www.atsailing.com/
 
If you are in the West Country try Plymouth Sailing School. Plymouth Sound is an excellent training ground for the basics with some good little visits around the corner. The school were reasonalby priced and very competent. I was doing a Yachtmaster refresh along with two complete novices and we managed have a tremendous time and all got excellent value. Not sure about sharing the time with SWMBO mind you!!!
 
If she'd like to go exotic there's East Anglian Offshore Sailing - the skipper takes his boat to the Baltic and the the Channel Islands over the season picking up crews along the way. She could have a day shopping in Copenhagen or the like.
Or Dream2Reality sailing from Walton on the Naze - sailing on a 40' wooden (proper) boat around the Walton backwaters al a Ransome & Griffiths. She coud enjoy the olde worlde charme.
 
You can do the theory in 3 weekends at Hammersmith - old corinthians sailing club if I recall correctly
 
If you like the West Country, Cornish Cruising are a very friendly bunch with a good variety of sailing for the course. I did my DS with them, very good. Southern Sailing in Southampton are also very good, I did my CS there and they certainly keep you busy and you end the course knowing you've worked hard. No lounging about with either!
 
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I went to Southern Sailing about 10 years ago, when John Goode ran it, and was very impressed with the standard of the training. Don't know what it's like now but at that time they didn't have more than four students per boat so you got plenty of time "in charge".

By the way, instructors seem to think that it's not a good idea for a couple to take a course at the same time.

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Another vote for Southern. Still the same ethos. Bunch of my friends went with them last year, came back singing their praises.
 
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By the way, instructors seem to think that it's not a good idea for a couple to take a course at the same time

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As an ex instructor, I have to agree that it is not ideal. From personal experience, women in particular seem to learn more and become more confident in themselves when seperated from their often over confident and perhaps over protective husband. Who generally means well, but cannot help trying to tell them how to do every manoeuvre before they have had a chance to try and do it.
It is perhaps a sign of the insecure male ego?
The instructor has to be aware of such a situation developing and put an early end to it.
However, some couples can work well together in that scenario.

As for schools? Well, I have been out of it for a while so things may have changed, but Southern are probably the best. Certainly at Yachtmaster level. Though there boats were generally pretty crap unless you got the Sadler and the food was not much better.
Hamble had fantastic food.

Whoever you choose I would suggest you use a school that owns their own boats, not too new and are not afraid to scratch them a bit.
 
Team Sailing, based at Haslar Marina , Pompey.

Had a really good time with them a few years ago.

You don't mention whether you already have the Dazed Kipper Theory course under your belt. IMHO absolutley essential prior to attempting the Practical.
 
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You don't mention whether you already have the Dazed Kipper Theory course under your belt. IMHO absolutley essential prior to attempting the Practical.

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Nope. I was doing it on this winter in the evenings but I could not comit the time consistently. An intensive week where am cut off from the rest of the world will work far better. From my own point of view I feel I have got enough but so far as SWMBO is concerned, I am not so sure. I have got her reading Tom Cunliffe's book at the moment.
 
My answer was to book a week on a sail training vessel together which didn't actually involve a structured course. My wife wasn't bothered with the course idea but she was prepared to go on holiday. I think they'll still teach lots of basic seamanship which is what it's all about anyway.
We choose Classic Sailing on Anabel J for the obvious charms - my wife likes a pretty boat more than a structured learning programme perhaps your wife might be the same?
We go in a cuople of months' time.
 
Madame did Dazed Kipper with S*nsail from Port Solent. Underwhelmed, but it was a women-only course, which she felt was better for lumpy jumpers than a mixed course (she did Coastal Skip with Southern Sailing, much better instruction but the men wanted to do everything, so she felt less involved. Also it was a bit short of shower stops for the female of the species). Might be worth finding out if one of the better schools does a women-only.

She also did a "Suddenly Alone" day which Solent Chapter of the CA organised in conjuction with Southern Sailing and she found that very worthwhile.

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Although I don't have any personal experience to back it up , I've had some very long chats with students of AT Sailing and they are full of nothing but praise for both Al and Tina , apparently both extremely helpful and patient . They're currently organising a charity event ( which gives some indication of the type of people they are ,, nice ) and you can probably find their site through the Pirates of the Solent link in Al Jones signature . If not , try http://www.atsailing.com/

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Couldn't agree more, did my D.S. with Al & Glen afew years back.

Also agree with those who say send SWiMBO on her own. Mine did her Competant Crew without me and came back bristling with confidence. I've knonw several dinghy instructors who refuse point blank to teach a couple in the same boat.
 
Re: Day Skipper courses recommendations

Thanks for the recommendations Kim and Dave!

We do have these courses running, and if the guy's want to PM me they can!

Again, thanks for the recommendation!!!!!!

Al. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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