Suggestions for sailing schools in solent

[owen]

a colleague has posted the following on another site. I wonder f anyone has any suggestions for day skipper courses in the solent

My family and I are chartering a yacht this summer in Greece. We've done several charters together before. My husband is a very experienced sailor. My children (12 &15) and I are pretty decent comp crew. I'm keen on doing my day skipper, probably in the Solent as I've heard it's trickier but therefore more useful as tides and traffic etc to manage. Anyone have any recommendations please? Cheers

Thanks in advance

 

[KompetentKrew]

Might consider joining www.PhoenixYachtClub.co.uk - not a school, but they do Day and Coastal Skipper courses (probably cheaper than a school too).

Last time I was there one of the club's instructors, who I found very good and patient, also taught with www.boss-sail.co.uk.

 

[Stemar]

It was a good few years (<20 ) ago, but I did my DS with Commodore Yachting in Gosport. They're still there, so they must be doing something right.

 

[Skylark]

No doubt that The Solent waters are good for learning.

There are many schools, often sharing the same freelance instructor resource, all teaching the same syllabus.

It may be of benefit to choose one that has the same or similar size and type of boat that your family will be chartering in the summer.

May I suggest that, if you haven’t already, that you do the DS Shorebased course before the practical.

The wording on most websites will say something like “it is not necessary to have done the DS Shorebased course” but will then fail to read the next sentence “but you should have a level of knowledge equivalent to having done it”

In my experience, one of the most common reasons for the practical course completion certificate being withheld is candidate poor knowledge of the Shorebased content.

I’m a firm believer in the adage “the more you put in, the more you’ll get out”

Remember to pack an open mind and a sense of humour. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[wonkywinch]

As Skylark says, there are two parts to a DS, the shore based and the practical. As a minimum you may wish to add the VHF radio course. If you join the RYA, you can get an ICC (International Certificate of Competency)

For shorebased there are :

RYA Online Theory Courses. Start Your Yachtmaster Training Today!
Online RYA Theory Courses
RYA Online Courses with Sailtrain
Home | Urban Truant Sailing

For the practical course :

RYA Sailing Courses, RYA Sailing School and Lessons, Learn to Sail: Hamble School of Yachting: Hampshire, RYA Sea School
https://www.fairviewsailing.co.uk/
https://www.universalyachting.com/

For ancilliary stuff you may wish to do (VHF, First Aid, Sea Survival etc) :

RYA Sailing Courses, RYA Sailing School and Lessons, Learn to Sail: Hamble School of Yachting: Hampshire, RYA Sea School
https://technical-recreational-coaching.co.uk/
https://www.mendezmarine.co.uk/
https://chieftain.training/

Excuse the list being Hamble-centric, I have first hand experience of the first two companies in the lists and live on the Hamble next to Mercury Yacht Harbour, sail the Solent regularly and hear/see these people out and about all the time. For more suggestions, try a search here :

https://www.rya.org.uk/training

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

a colleague has posted the following on another site. I wonder f anyone has any suggestions for day skipper courses in the solent

My family and I are chartering a yacht this summer in Greece. We've done several charters together before. My husband is a very experienced sailor. My children (12 &15) and I are pretty decent comp crew. I'm keen on doing my day skipper, probably in the Solent as I've heard it's trickier but therefore more useful as tides and traffic etc to manage. Anyone have any recommendations please? Cheers

Thanks in advance

Apart from all the other useful advice. Do an online Search for "Day Skipper courses Hampshire" A lot of info.

 

[Sandy]

Why limit yourself to Lake Solent? You might find better/cheaper/more fun places elsewhere.

 

[Caer Urfa]

I have done a few courses at RYA Powerboat Sailing Motorboat Courses | Solent Boat Training and recommend

 

[wonkywinch]

Why limit yourself to Lake Solent? You might find better/cheaper/more fun places elsewhere.

There are plenty of more pleasurable places to learn but as the OP says "I'm keen on doing my day skipper, probably in the Solent as I've heard it's trickier but therefore more useful as tides and traffic etc to manage".

This has been my experience when chartering. The impression is that if you can sail in the Solent, you can sail anywhere. Trinity House have even been obliging and placed every type of buoy in the Solent that you are likely to come across. Nature provided the obstacle course and VTS the traffic to deal with ;-)

 

[capnsensible]

Why limit yourself to Lake Solent? You might find better/cheaper/more fun places elsewhere.

Bet you don't!

 

[Poignard]

There are plenty of more pleasurable places to learn but as the OP says "I'm keen on doing my day skipper, probably in the Solent as I've heard it's trickier but therefore more useful as tides and traffic etc to manage".

This has been my experience when chartering. The impression is that if you can sail in the Solent, you can sail anywhere. Trinity House have even been obliging and placed every type of buoy in the Solent that you are likely to come across. Nature provided the obstacle course and VTS the traffic to deal with ;-)

Yes, it's the yachting equivalent of learning to drive in London as opposed to some sleepy market town out in the boonies.

 

[dunedin]

Bet you don't!

RYA practical courses, yacht tuition | Sailing | Largs Clyde Scotland

 

[wonkywinch]

RYA practical courses, yacht tuition | Sailing | Largs Clyde Scotland

With respect, Largs - one boat, one instructor. Hamble School of Yachting, nine boats, large supply of instructors, courses rarely cancelled, plenty of options around Solent to find shelter keep sailing even in adverse weather. That's before you open yourself up to the dozen other schools within a 5 mile radius of Bramble Bank ;-)

No connection to the business, just a happy customer after being let down elsewhere. HSY is like a sausage machine, here are options for the 5 day DS course (weekend courses available in addition to these dates).

 

[Stemar]

Very much a "don't do as I do, do as I say", but I would suggest doing the DS theory first. Understanding the colregs, meteorology and navigation before the practical will significantly flatten the learning curve.

I didn't - my DS was my first time on a yacht; I had a lapsed private pilot's licence that covered nav and met in significant detail, but it was a lot of rusty knowledge to dredge up and new stuff to learn on top of 5 days of busy sailing.

 

[capnsensible]

RYA practical courses, yacht tuition | Sailing | Largs Clyde Scotland

Of all the places I've taught sailing, including the Clyde, I will always rate the Solent as no. 1. Its got the lot and if you want to do mile building, France beckons.

Plus it's normally raining on the Clyde. Or about to. And sun = midges. Best courses I ran there were YM preparation though. Lots to challenge around the islands.

 

[Sandy]

Bet you don't!

Bet I have done.

I'm not keen on the Solent, and yes I do sail there about 15 days a year. As I am from the west of Scotland and am currently based on the Tamar I know I've been spoilt for amazing places to sail. Did I mention that the west of Scotland is the best sailing in the known universe and that the West Country is pretty good.

My problem with the Solent is all you can see is land and the price of beer in Cowes.

 

[capnsensible]

Bet I have done.

I'm not keen on the Solent, and yes I do sail there about 15 days a year. As I am from the west of Scotland and am currently based on the Tamar I know I've been spoilt for amazing places to sail. Did I mention that the west of Scotland is the best sailing in the known universe and that the West Country is pretty good.

My problem with the Solent is all you can see is land and the price of beer in Cowes.

Teach a course or two in each of those places and you will find out which is the best place to fulfill the requirements of the course syllabus. We aren't talking cruising around here, in which case you may have a point. I'm not saying it can't be done. But to get the best, you really have to go somewhere that has tides, loadsa traffic.....including big stuff and plenty of harbours large and small. Other places may come close but in most instructors opinions, Solent is king.

Personally, I loved teaching a few courses in Antigua. Breeze, blue seas and sunshine. But no tide and not much traffic. You really need some ingenuity to complete a syllabus. There are a few harbours to enter, anchoring....everywhere, marinas for boat handling and the thrill of short tacking between a reef and the shore is great. But apart from the odd cruise ship, try and find a Power Driven Vessel probably over 50m....