Sailing Logic for Fasttrack Yachtmaster?

[DanMcquhae]

I'm going to have 4-6 months of free time in the latter part of 2017 and was thinking it would be a great time to get some sailing skills, as I currently have none. What appeals to me about SL is the opportunity to participate in some racing as part of their program. Per their website, they also seem very flexible on dates and offer personally suited instruction. I've gathered up a dozen more schools (Hamble, BOSS, Universal etc etc.) that are all still up for consideration at this point, but am struggling to narrow it down much further as they all seem very comparable as far as class size, etc. If given the choice, I'd like the opportunity to sail multiple different boats, but for some reason I can't find anybody that offers cats, at least in the Solent. Some schools let you bunk on board (for the local stuff) so your not having to find a B&B at night, which is also a plus. Heard good stuff about UKSA, but I'm late 40's and they seem to cater more to the younger crowd.

So, if anybody can recommend (or not) SL, or any other school for that matter, I'd love to hear about it. Many thanks in advance.

Dan

 

[mobeydick]

UKSA used to run a 38ft catamaran in their fleet, but I do not see it on their curent list.

I am sure they would take your money, whatever age (I went to an open day there a few years ago, and they claimed they had a lot of older people on their courses).

Give them a ring for a chat?

MD

 

[jac]

Rather than one fast track course, why not mix it up a little if you want to experience different boats. You could do a mix of courses and mileage builders up to coastal skipper ( or YM Coastal as it now is) and get on 3 or 4 different boats.

It depends what your objective is of course but if you get to YM coastal and then look at assisting with deliveries you could get a lot of miles & experience. If you have the experience to assist with deliveries then your cost will be very low. You wonlt be paid unless you a skipper but it's cheaper than paying them. Then chuck in some specialist courses e.g. first aid, VHF, Radar, diesel maintenance etc and you're good.

As for racing - join local club, post in crew seekers and many of the big events have crew wanted / available sections on their websites. You'll be on a back of the fleet boat to start with but as you get experience you maybe able to upgrade!

 

[Mudisox]

There are plenty of folk who would like crew, so don't pay a school to get experience. OK learn how to pass the RYA tests but gain experience from normal folk at little cost other than a contribution to expenses. Schools will do the drills but are only interested in your money not passing on what is normally gathered by allowing other people to make a few mistakes. You will also gain a few friends that way.

 

[Uricanejack]

It depends on what you want to gain or achieve by doing the course.
If you just want to learn how to sail. its a heck of a price 8 to 10 k for a full fast track.
If you want to be certified to find work the 8 to 10 k might be worth while. its a lot of money to find a low paying entry level job.

If you just want to learn how to sail give ait a try. up to day skipper a bit at a time may be more expensive in the long run. but you will find out if you like it and want to keep going.

By the way I know a Pastor, who at 50 plus gave up Pastoring moved from Winnipeg to the coast because he had always wanted to work on the Water. He did an entry level deck hand course. found work and enjoyed it for a few years.
He got tired of it and went back to Pastoring.

If I was going to do an expensive course hoping to find work. I would want to know the training establishment had contacts and their graduates success finding work.

 

[alant]

I'm going to have 4-6 months of free time in the latter part of 2017 and was thinking it would be a great time to get some sailing skills, as I currently have none. What appeals to me about SL is the opportunity to participate in some racing as part of their program. Per their website, they also seem very flexible on dates and offer personally suited instruction. I've gathered up a dozen more schools (Hamble, BOSS, Universal etc etc.) that are all still up for consideration at this point, but am struggling to narrow it down much further as they all seem very comparable as far as class size, etc. If given the choice, I'd like the opportunity to sail multiple different boats, but for some reason I can't find anybody that offers cats, at least in the Solent. Some schools let you bunk on board (for the local stuff) so your not having to find a B&B at night, which is also a plus. Heard good stuff about UKSA, but I'm late 40's and they seem to cater more to the younger crowd.

So, if anybody can recommend (or not) SL, or any other school for that matter, I'd love to hear about it. Many thanks in advance.

Dan

UKSA, have people in their 50's on their YM courses.
Since you are training to become a skipper, training with a wide range of ages, surely can only be a good thing.

 

[DanMcquhae]

Thanks all for the input/ideas. Agreed. Fast track course is allot of coin up front. And no aspirations to make a career out of it. I've got the missus convinced to let me have up to 6 months off work so I can check this off the list, and would like to see how far I can take it in that time. Since we'll be living in the London area I fear I won't be able to progress much after I'm told to get back to work.
UKSA seems to have some fan's on here so I'll definitely give them a look when I get a little closer.

 

[srm]

When based in Orkney we used to get a few of these 'fast track' boats from different schools passing through Stromness Marina each year. The crews all seemed to be mid life males, I would guess late 30's upwards.

It was quite amusing watching them:
Especially the one that stayed for around four weeks fretting about weather, first to go north then later to go back south, until the company changed skippers when they sailed the next day.
- Half way around and only just learning how to coil and throw a line.
- Comming into to the marina with tricolour light above motoring white and deck level P S S lights! West Country sailing school name in very big letters along sail cover.
- Lent one skipper some tools and was invited on board - crew were busy doing RYA shorebased exercises.

 

[bjl]

Don't know about Sailing Logic but I reckon you'll have a great time on any fast track course and you will learn far more than any ad hoc approach to training. If you pass then you'll also have some formal qualifications to your name too. You'll also have a good deal of experience. Not as much as many but far more than most. Go for it! Then enjoy even more sailing opportunities.

 

[jac]

Don't know about Sailing Logic but I reckon you'll have a great time on any fast track course and you will learn far more than any ad hoc approach to training. If you pass then you'll also have some formal qualifications to your name too. You'll also have a good deal of experience. Not as much as many but far more than most. Go for it! Then enjoy even more sailing opportunities.

True

But OP asked about getting experience on different boats. Most schools seem to use modern AWBs so whilst there may be some difference, it will be fairly minor.

If he wants to get experience of very different boats he will need to actively search for them.

 

[JasperII]

I'd recommend Commodore Yachting in Gosport. Did my dayskipper with them and they are a great bunch.

On one of the courses I was sharing the boat with some on their yachtmaster, and they seemed to be having a good time. They were certainly getting lots of hours logged! Also they stayed on board full time.

 

[DanMcquhae]

Thanks for the rec. I'll add them to the list.