alant
Well-Known Member
Also like the horse business, there's a lot of manure about, particularly when looking from the outside at the sizzle & missing the sausage.
Yachtmaster Instructor, a new career?
- Thread starter Fascadale
- Start date
Also like the horse business, there's a lot of manure about, particularly when looking from the outside at the sizzle & missing the sausage.
Fascadale
Well-Known Member
That's a bit gloomy.
alant
Well-Known Member
Being realistic.
dratsea
Well-Known Member
You will not become rich but you will enjoy it.
20 yrs after CS felt I really, really, ought to do my offshore, did a five day course and by day two was doing as much teaching as owner/YMI and after passing on YMO on final day was invited back to teach. Pride and pay differential between YMO and YMI made it sensible to spend the week in North Wales doing YMI (sailing swellies to windward, but James bottled out and let me put on the engine, he has dried out on the rocks!). Then interesting sail (while duty cook) with JG as moderator and I have total faith in RYA system, the two candidates who did not own sailing schools were the two given clear passes. It is a very fair test. I think I got through cos I was not going to open a sailing school and just teach at weekends. I worked in NHS every other weekend so had never owned anything other than a windsurfer and an oppie on behalf of daughter. I could now sail any weekend I wanted (even if forecast 8) and got paid for it (£50 a day 15 years ago, loved it). Been round world once, now in Panama and aiming for Japan.
Go for it, if only to keep your brain from seizing up!
20 yrs after CS felt I really, really, ought to do my offshore, did a five day course and by day two was doing as much teaching as owner/YMI and after passing on YMO on final day was invited back to teach. Pride and pay differential between YMO and YMI made it sensible to spend the week in North Wales doing YMI (sailing swellies to windward, but James bottled out and let me put on the engine, he has dried out on the rocks!). Then interesting sail (while duty cook) with JG as moderator and I have total faith in RYA system, the two candidates who did not own sailing schools were the two given clear passes. It is a very fair test. I think I got through cos I was not going to open a sailing school and just teach at weekends. I worked in NHS every other weekend so had never owned anything other than a windsurfer and an oppie on behalf of daughter. I could now sail any weekend I wanted (even if forecast 8) and got paid for it (£50 a day 15 years ago, loved it). Been round world once, now in Panama and aiming for Japan.
Go for it, if only to keep your brain from seizing up!
dratsea
Well-Known Member
You will not become rich but you will enjoy it.
20 yrs after CS felt I really, really, ought to do my offshore, did a five day course and by day two was doing as much teaching as owner of school and YMI and after passing on YMO on the final day was invited back to teach. Pride and pay differential between YMO and YMI made it sensible to spend the week in North Wales doing YMI (sailing swellies to windward, but James bottled out and let me put on the engine, he has dried out on the rocks!). Then interesting sail (while duty cook) with JG as moderator and I have total faith in the RYA system, the two candidates who did not own sailing schools were the two given clear passes. It is a very fair test. I think I got through cos I was not going to open a sailing school and just teach at weekends. I worked in NHS every other weekend so had never owned anything other than a windsurfer and an oppie on behalf of daughter. I could now sail any weekend I wanted (even if forecast 8) and got paid for it (£50 a day 15 years ago, loved it). After five years got my own boat, been round world once, now in Panama and aiming for Japan.
Go for it, if only to keep your brain from seizing up!
20 yrs after CS felt I really, really, ought to do my offshore, did a five day course and by day two was doing as much teaching as owner of school and YMI and after passing on YMO on the final day was invited back to teach. Pride and pay differential between YMO and YMI made it sensible to spend the week in North Wales doing YMI (sailing swellies to windward, but James bottled out and let me put on the engine, he has dried out on the rocks!). Then interesting sail (while duty cook) with JG as moderator and I have total faith in the RYA system, the two candidates who did not own sailing schools were the two given clear passes. It is a very fair test. I think I got through cos I was not going to open a sailing school and just teach at weekends. I worked in NHS every other weekend so had never owned anything other than a windsurfer and an oppie on behalf of daughter. I could now sail any weekend I wanted (even if forecast 8) and got paid for it (£50 a day 15 years ago, loved it). After five years got my own boat, been round world once, now in Panama and aiming for Japan.
Go for it, if only to keep your brain from seizing up!
Last edited:
smiler
Member
I left my previous well paid job 7 yars ago at age 49 and set up as a self empoyed sailing instructor. I feel that the last 7 years have been the best of my life.I have worked for a number of schools and am now self employed Chief Instructor of one in in the UK I do not have any financial stake in the company.I have plenty of work all through the year and can turn my hand to a variety of marine tasks as I also have a marine engineering background.I have been tempted on two occasions over the years to buy part or all of sailing schools and set up on my own.I have resisted the temptation.Every time I go out sailing I teach or skipper and someone gets an invoice from me.That and a pension from a previous employment is the key to my sanity and good health.I really enjoy sailing and have not regretted my decision.
Fascadale
Well-Known Member
Talulah
Well-Known Member
There are a few sailing school operators on these forums and quite a few instructors.
I pretty much agree with everything that has been said.
Instructors must have an alternative source of income and Sailing Schools struggle to make any real income.
(I posted earlier how OnDeck went into administration last week and that's one company that came across as a very professional set up. There was another much smaller school that folded last week as well but I can't remember its name at the moment.)
Taking up instructing as a part time retirement filler is an excellent way forward for those who enjoy sailing AND teaching. I would much rather do that than stay at home gardening.
I pretty much agree with everything that has been said.
Instructors must have an alternative source of income and Sailing Schools struggle to make any real income.
(I posted earlier how OnDeck went into administration last week and that's one company that came across as a very professional set up. There was another much smaller school that folded last week as well but I can't remember its name at the moment.)
Taking up instructing as a part time retirement filler is an excellent way forward for those who enjoy sailing AND teaching. I would much rather do that than stay at home gardening.
Last edited:
