Training Opportunities? Newb Level

N

NotBirdseye

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 Apr 2019
Messages
3,860
Location
Wales
Visit site
Hi all,

As a complete newb, I am trying to get into sailing, not the racing kind and I can't seem to find any courses in my area (south wales, unfortunately Milford Haven is a bit far). I want to learn Yachting and the RYA assures me there are several clubs near me (Swansea, Cardiff and Chepstow) that do a 'Start Yachting' course...on yachts. Chepstow does there's out of Milford Haven (go figure). Swansea (Watersports) appears not actually do anything at all re start yachting or even start sailing (not able to book, does not respond to telephone calls or emails) and Cardiff only uses Dinghy's and doesn't actually do either of them.

Are you guys aware of any opportunities in the area that I could enquire with? I'm after the skills rather than the qualification and I'm available most evenings. I can do the odd day here or there (very flexible).
 
Cheers! - Enquiry sent :)

Hopefully the website will be updated soon (according to the team, it's out of date). More hopefully, there will be some opportunity to train, otherwise I'm just going to have crash buy the boat and hope I don't sink (within the first day). ...could be fun.
 
Last edited:
Luminesent said:
Cheers! - Enquiry sent :)

Hopefully the website will be updated soon (according to the team, it's out of date). More hopefully, there will be some opportunity to train, otherwise I'm just going to have crash buy the boat and hope I don't sink (within the first day). ...could be fun.
Click to expand...

You could try visiting one of the clubs. CYC is my old club and they have helped many people like yourself. The club is run by volunteers and is very friendly. On a Thursday evening, in the summer, they used to go for a sail before heading to the bar, loads of people have started there.
CBYC are similar although they have a commercial aspect to they so are more expensive. Newport and Using is similar to CYC. There are a number of others, even the English side is available now the charges to leave England have stopped!
Allan
Allan
 
I have already sent them (We're talking about Cardiff Yacht Club right?) an inquiry but so far as I can tell they don't actually do the training on the size of the boat that I'm looking. (Standard yacht). Unfortunately, they haven't responded to my attempts to communicate with them and 'popping down' is not so easy, it's an hours drive out of my way. However if I do find an excuse to pop down to Cardiff I will certainly keep that in mind...even if that does mean trying to rearrange my excuse to a Thursday :). There seems to be a distinct focus on dinghy's however. Once company that's registered with the RYA as doing 'yachts' only does dinghy courses for example.

The other one, which is Chepstow (hah, it's actually based on the otherside of the channel apparently) operates out of Milford Haven and if that is the alternative then that's the way it'll have to be.

Still, thank you for the responses, I've at least had one response now :). (Cardiff Yacht Company rather than Cardiff Yacht Club)
 
No problem, I'm glad to help. CYC are not good at responding to emails. If you PM me your email address I'll pass it on to someone who will contact you. Note, I'll be sailing for two days from tomorrow afternoon and we're 5 hours behind you. While CYC stopped doing Day skipper classes you should find plenty of crewing opportunities. Wherever you go, don't discount the idea of racing, it's a good way to get a lot of experience quickly.
Allan
 
I can recommend the Chepstow and District lot. They used to do courses out of Swansea but if its a 5 day course then driving to Milford not so bad. And Milford sound will give you sailing in a vast relatively protected area if weather poor.

Cardiff YC sadly seem to be having issues these days and gave crap communication or assistance to several folk from their own and other clubs. A recent deterioration and hopefully not permanent. Perhaps Allans inside knowledge will get through that logjamb for you.
 
Chepstow does seem like a good club, but so far as I can tell, it generally offers shore based courses only (aside from Milford Haven) at the moment.

I will be taking a taster session with CYCompany in a couple of weeks or so (working out the final details) and we'll see where we go from there :). Hopefully I don't have chronic sea sickness! Sure it's pricier than an RYA course, but I can't do residential (yet) so...
 
First you have to decide what sort of training you want. You can do the theory in a classroom and arguably thats the best place to learn things like navigation and meteorology. Newport, Cardiff ( both the senior club Cardiff Bay Yacht club and the junior Cadiff Yacht club) do shorebased courses.

If you want to learn to sail you could do worse than a dinghy course at CBYC because the skills to sail a dinghy well are if anything harder than to sail a big boat. But after that then it does become difficult because the practical courses require the use of a coded boat and that isnt viable for most if not all clubs. So for the practical side you need a sailing school .

Or some kind sailor who is willing to take you on his personal boat.
 
Can't find it myself yet, I'll probably come across it at some point. Whether in the Lounge or the Seeking Crew area.

With regards to training, I'm sort of following the RYA's advice, which is to get some basic practical in first, then do a bit of theory, a bit of practice...so on.... but not RYA Courses. While their standards may be high and their value, not only low cost but also good value for what they are... unfortunately I can't commit to them as most places appear to have implemented the courses. ICC here I come.

At the moment, for me, based on basic research on the cost per hour of a lesson and what equipment they state is required, it would cost me far more to get in sailing a dinghy with a club, than sailing a yacht with someone's whose primary business appears to be about teaching. I appreciate that it may work out cheaper over a much longer period of time to go with a club, but that's a bit silly if I find out rather sharpish, that it's not for me.

Thanks for the input however, it has given me many potential destinations and waypoints on the horizon.
 
If you like, you can join me&Junior in Cardiff (CBYC). We sail most weekends, either the Bay or outside the barrage. We can show you the basics ;) for free:)
PM me if interested, and we will sort out the details.
 
Update:

Taster Session with Swansea Yacht Company (aka Cardiff Yacht Company) on the X Beat II.

Swansea Yacht Company do a great job of providing joining instructions for the course and even has a recommended reading list (one item, and yes, I think it's worth recommending having flicked through a copy myself) and making sure that everything is just so, so that you can arrive exactly where you need to be.

Sailing with Pete (the director) and Ian (co-director?) took me out across the Cardiff Bay on what turned out to be a pleasant day if turning surprisingly cold. (I'm a newb, I wasn't expecting it to get quite that chilly, so obviously I thought skipping the extra pair of trousers was okay...). I honestly wasn't expecting much from the Taster session. My objective was to see whether I was allergic to water, whether sailing worked for me and whether I thought I could learn how to do it.

These guys did more than just give me a taste, I felt like I was getting a full lesson. They set it out in stages, from helping out with the casting off, hoisting the main sail, winding a few winches. Heck they even allowed me to actually steer it and I was frankly astonished with how responsive a ship is to its rudder. They tried (repeatedly) to get me to call the commands (there were three, could I remember them after three seconds? No.) and put the ship through basic Tacks and Gybes (mostly leeward, but one or two windward) and a demonstration of the Man over board technique. (All credit to Ian demonstrating). Basically, you'll need some self confidence, to step up and lead, but this I expect comes with experience and being forcibly made Skipper once in a while.

They're very happy to get you out of the water as soon as possible (after you've been suited up with your life jacket) and they're happy to talk you through what they're doing, answer any questions (no matter how daft and seemingly obvious) and get you to take part. Even if you feel like you're merely getting in the way sometimes. Who knew mainsails were so hard to pack. What they won't do at least initially is bog you down with any paperwork, but this is available if you want it. They will also talk you through the different devices they use and why.

Now, if you've done some research prior about sailing, you might have a few confusing moments with different names and terminologies being used, mostly for your benefit.


Pro Tip: Sailing is probably gonna be cold, at a minimum you'll probably want a thermal layer, a jumper, pair of comfortable bottoms and decent shoes (George £10, tan-soled/white rimmed shoes). I'd recommend a second layer and probably a third in reserve. Extra pair of socks and a pair of gloves. Definitely a pair of gloves (no need for expensive things a couple of cheap value pairs from George will do). Handling ropes with cold hands...yeah okay. Otherwise follow the recommendations of the joining instructions and you won't go far wrong.

All in all, I recommend anyone getting into sailing to give these guys a shout.
 
Further update;

I think I've learned the hard way but while I completely standby that "Pro Tip" even in so called 'warm weather' of summer (some of us get cold easily)... get sunblock. Highest factor possible and liberally apply it on any exposed skin (and on any skin that is only thinly protected by clothes, i.e a t-shirt/leggings). What you really want to do is get a bowl of the stuff and just stick your head in it. It's not the 'heat' that burns you it's the suns radiation (UV Rays) and it's why you can get burned on cloudy days too. Otherwise when you go out you will get burned and return home looking like a half baked panda...

Also, baseball cap. Any old cheap baseball cap. Not only will it keep any hair out of your face, it'll provide additional (you think you can skip on the sunblock?...haha) protection from the sun.

and the bobbing sensation if it's a bit rough might continue long after you've left the boat...


Reason: Sorry Mods, new development that's kinda important. This thread is referenced on another site so it'll benefit anyone who is interested about what they need to prepare for lessons. I'd have edited, but edit function gone ._.
 
Last edited:
Luminescent said:
Hi all,

As a complete newb, I am trying to get into sailing, not the racing kind and I can't seem to find any courses in my area (south wales, unfortunately Milford Haven is a bit far). I want to learn Yachting and the RYA assures me there are several clubs near me (Swansea, Cardiff and Chepstow) that do a 'Start Yachting' course...on yachts. Chepstow does there's out of Milford Haven (go figure). Swansea (Watersports) appears not actually do anything at all re start yachting or even start sailing (not able to book, does not respond to telephone calls or emails) and Cardiff only uses Dinghy's and doesn't actually do either of them.

Are you guys aware of any opportunities in the area that I could enquire with? I'm after the skills rather than the qualification and I'm available most evenings. I can do the odd day here or there (very flexible).
Click to expand...

I’ve just started day skipper at Barry Yacht club as the others in the area didn’t have anything on. You can email from their website. I would think you can still sign up as it’s only just starting now. Let me know if you need contact details
 
Bellinos said:
I’ve just started day skipper at Barry Yacht club as the others in the area didn’t have anything on. You can email from their website. I would think you can still sign up as it’s only just starting now. Let me know if you need contact details
Click to expand...

I'll send an email, but I'm not sure they'll be able to accommodate sadly. Email sent, here's hoping.

38mess said:
Tony barebones from cbyc is looking for crew. It's on the lounge thread I think.
Click to expand...

I never did find that thread! However, I've sailed with Tony a few times (I was passed details from Cardiff Yacht Company no less!) and I'll be taking him a replacement lifejacket cartridge down next time. :redface-new: I now have my own lifejacket too!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top