
Not everybody can find the time for a 5-6 day Competent Crew course, so the RYA have introduced a slimmed down version that can fit into a long weekend, the RYA Start Yachting Course. The aim is to provide a short introduction to sailing for novices or dinghy sailors. This is a ‘hands on’ course where you are the crew under the guidance and training of the skipper. You will live aboard ‘Eve of St Mawes’ in Cornwall sailing to a different destination each night and experiencing as wide a range of sailing as we can squeeze into 3 days. By the end of the RYA Start Yachting course participants will have experienced steering a yacht, sail handling, rope-work and be aware of safety on board.
Holders of a Start Yachting certificate can obtain a full Competent Crew certificate by completing the additional aspects of the longer syllabus on any sailing voyage on Eve of St Mawes (3 days or more).
Start Yachting Course Syllabus at Eve's Sailing School
1 The Yacht: Basic Knowledge of sea terms and parts of the boat, her rigging and sails.
2 Rope-work: Ability to tie the following knots and know their correct use: figure of eight, bowline, round turn and two half hitches, use of winches and jamming cleats, securing a rope to cleats
3 Underway: Has experienced sailing a yacht on all points of sail. Can steer a yacht under sail and power.
4 Rules of the Road: Can keep an efficient lookout at sea.
5 Meteorology: Knows where to obtain a weather forecast
6 Man overboard: Understands the action to be taken to recover a man overboard.
7 Clothing and Equipment: Understands rules for wearing of safety harnesses and lifejackets.
8 Emergency Equipment and precautions Aware of the hazards on board and action to be taken in emergency.
Eve's Sailing School has been training students since 2002 and we have a very, very high pass rate.