ageddes
New Member
Hi, does anyone have any advice on where is the best place to do the RYA competent crew course?
RYA Competent Crew Course
- Thread starter ageddes
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alant
Well-Known Member
Almost anywhere you want.
Solent/Gibraltar/Canaries/etc, look on the RYA site & just choose.
WestWittering
Well-Known Member
I would recommend doing the course in the area you think you will do the most of your sailing. I think the schools themselves are much of a muchness and it is really down to the individual instructor as to how good the course will be. Try and get an instructor recommendation and start from there....
Good luck
Di
[70521]
Well-Known Member
Depends on where and when you want to do it.
November in the UK will be very different to Lanzarote in the summer. I recommend November in the UK.
November in the UK will be very different to Lanzarote in the summer. I recommend November in the UK.
ageddes
New Member
Ok, but some people have said that it's not a good idea to do training in the Mediterranean due to calmer seas and less tides. One person said that Scotland is best, however I would rather go somewhere that wasn't raining for most of the year!
Any recommendations for sailing schools? Are there any that are better than the rest?
How do I get an instructor recommendation? Wont they just recommend themselves or their sailing school?
vjmehra
Well-Known Member
The comp crew course isn't labelled as tidal or non-tidal in the same way as Dayskipper, so no need to worry about that in terms of chartering (if that's your concern), also I don't recall tidal calcs coming up in the syllabus (but I did mine in the Med, so I could be wrong)!
If you're new to sailing why not do it somewhere nice and warm, rather than cold and wet, it definitely helps with the motivation to carry on
That said, if you're simply after a bit of paper, as you want to charter a boat with an existing day skipper for example, then as people are saying it probably makes sense to choose somewhere local (or where you are using the boat).
If you're new to sailing why not do it somewhere nice and warm, rather than cold and wet, it definitely helps with the motivation to carry on
That said, if you're simply after a bit of paper, as you want to charter a boat with an existing day skipper for example, then as people are saying it probably makes sense to choose somewhere local (or where you are using the boat).
[70521]
Well-Known Member
OK prehaps the first question is where would you like to do the course? Do you want to travel or not? Do you want to do it in summer or winter?
I don't believe it does rain in Scotland most of the year, who has been puting that rumour about?
Ru88ell
Well-Known Member
Where do you live?
ageddes
New Member
I'm not just after a bit of paper and in the future would like to charter in the UK and the med. Would is be a good idea to do the Comp crew course in the med (to help with the motivation as you said) then the day skipper in the UK where the tides are bigger?
WestWittering
Well-Known Member
You may as well get a dose of realism to start with
Sailing in the UK will come as a horrible shock after a week of cruising in the Med...... Di
Talulah
Well-Known Member
When doing a sailing course in the UK especially in the winter it's worth asking a few questions.
i.e. Some sailing school boats don't have a spray hood fitted or heating. In the winter I would want a boat with both.
Having your own cabin might be important. In the winter you are likely to have more gear and it's nice to be able to shut yourself away.
What food is on board. Happy Shopper or Waitrose?
What waterproofs are provided. In the winter you're likely to be exposed to the rain/wind for much longer and cheaper/older waterproofs may let you down.
Whilst it's been mentioned above that Comp Crew isn't split in to tidal/non-tidal my preference would be to do tidal. You'll be steering a lot and you'll get a feel for how you get swepped sideways whilst trying to keep on a transit.
If you are doing a course over 5 days you may be prepared to travel further to get to the course. If it's spread over several weekends you're going to have to make the journey several times.
Are you going to get a full five days of tuition or will days 4 and 5 be spent crewing for someone taking an exam?
i.e. Some sailing school boats don't have a spray hood fitted or heating. In the winter I would want a boat with both.
Having your own cabin might be important. In the winter you are likely to have more gear and it's nice to be able to shut yourself away.
What food is on board. Happy Shopper or Waitrose?
What waterproofs are provided. In the winter you're likely to be exposed to the rain/wind for much longer and cheaper/older waterproofs may let you down.
Whilst it's been mentioned above that Comp Crew isn't split in to tidal/non-tidal my preference would be to do tidal. You'll be steering a lot and you'll get a feel for how you get swepped sideways whilst trying to keep on a transit.
If you are doing a course over 5 days you may be prepared to travel further to get to the course. If it's spread over several weekends you're going to have to make the journey several times.
Are you going to get a full five days of tuition or will days 4 and 5 be spent crewing for someone taking an exam?
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
I can recommend Oban Sea School in Scotland: -
http://www.obanseaschool.co.uk
The cruising area, boat and instructor (Robin Kincaid) are excellent. You will receive the best of tuition from a very experienced instructor. You will learn to sail the yacht in a cruising environment where self sufficiency and efficiency is important and not just hop from marina to marina. Of course other schools offer this as well, but those schools who do hop from marina to marina limit the learning experience. I am sure others will give more sailing school recommendations too.
http://www.obanseaschool.co.uk
The cruising area, boat and instructor (Robin Kincaid) are excellent. You will receive the best of tuition from a very experienced instructor. You will learn to sail the yacht in a cruising environment where self sufficiency and efficiency is important and not just hop from marina to marina. Of course other schools offer this as well, but those schools who do hop from marina to marina limit the learning experience. I am sure others will give more sailing school recommendations too.
GrahamM376
Well-Known Member
Gib would be a good option, treat it a a haoliday as well. There's plenty of tidal flow in the Straits to keep you happy and the area can be quite challenging. Have a look at - http://www.gibraltarsailingschool.com/
ageddes
New Member
I'm wanting to do the course in the Summer. I live in essex. I would like to travel. I'm not sure where the best location to do the course is, but I would prefer somewhere warm for at least the crew course. It will probably be one of the first times I will have been on a yacht, so some good weather would be encouraging. However, if the teaching is best in the UK then I'll do it in the UK. I have done a bit of dinghy sailing but nothing on a yacht.
I hear it rains in Scotland, but that's just a rumour by the government to get people to leave the country for a week on their holidays while they do experiments... some kind of conspiracy...
I hear it rains in Scotland, but that's just a rumour by the government to get people to leave the country for a week on their holidays while they do experiments... some kind of conspiracy...
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ageddes
New Member
Has anyone heard of Jolly Parrot? http://www.jollyparrot.co.uk/RYA_Competent_Crew#compcrew
Talulah
Well-Known Member
One of the issues in taking the course abroad is clients and instructor treating it as a holiday first, course second.
Often I meet people doing their Day Skipper course who did virtually nothing on their Comp Crew course in the Sun.
Often I meet people doing their Day Skipper course who did virtually nothing on their Comp Crew course in the Sun.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
If your objective is to be able to charter in the Med, then do a course there. You can still get your ICC which makes it easier to charter. Obviously you will need to learn about tides if you plan to skipper in the UK, but initially it is about learning to handle a boat and this does not need cold and wet, so doing it somewhere warm is much more sensible. You might look at charter companies that run mixed holiday/courses as an alternative to a straight sailing school course.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Late April to mid May on Scotland's West Coast, I promise good weather all week, all other times of the year good weather is a bonus. Remember a promise is not a guarantee! While I know that there are other good sailing schools near you, you will get what you want at my recommendation. I have no interest in this company, I just know the school, instructor and his abilities.
Seajet
...
I agree with Talulahs' comment about other people on the course treating it as a holiday.
As you plan to charter in the Med' yes there is a point to doing the course there - and treating it as a holiday as well.
On serious courses I'd definitely suggest going in the UK in mid winter as one gets the best instructors and fellow students won't just be after a sun tan, but Competent Crew is not a deadly serious course anyway; you would need to apply yourself to make the most of it though if the sun is shining and others on board not so bothered.
As you plan to charter in the Med' yes there is a point to doing the course there - and treating it as a holiday as well.
On serious courses I'd definitely suggest going in the UK in mid winter as one gets the best instructors and fellow students won't just be after a sun tan, but Competent Crew is not a deadly serious course anyway; you would need to apply yourself to make the most of it though if the sun is shining and others on board not so bothered.
ageddes
New Member
You may as well get a dose of realism to start with
Di
I don't think it will be a horrible shock- a bit of bad weather can be rather good fun at times. I would like some good weather for my summer week away though if possible, unless the UK is better.