Embarking on your sailing journey is going to be an exciting adventure, and we can help you with it, guiding you along the way. One of the first questions we are often asked is what the best course for a beginner is.
Our two beginner-friendly courses are Competent Crew where you’re out on the water with our instructors, or Day Skipper Shore-based, taken indoors.
You can either call us to find out more, or take this short level finder questionnaire which will help you to understand which sailing qualification is going to be best for you. But, as we explained, if you are a beginner, you can’t go wrong with one or both of the courses detailed below.
RYA Competent Crew (the perfect sailing qualification for a beginner)
Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Competent Crew Course is widely recognised as the best entry-level sailing qualification, making it perfect for beginners who want to learn the basics of sailing and get practical experience on the water. It’s a 5 day Solent sailing course on a yacht that can be taken over 5 consecutive days or over 5 weekends (a short and a long).
Accommodation is on board the yacht and you sail to a different marina, harbour or anchorage each night.
You will learn to be a useful crew member and at the end of the course, you will receive a certificate. This beginner qualification is awarded once you learn a wide range of sailing skills including understanding how a yacht operates, handling sails and ropes, and learning basic navigation techniques. Safety is also a key focus, as you learn how to use lifejackets, understand safety equipment, and follow procedures to prevent accidents onboard. You will also be given hands-on experience in steering the yacht under the guidance of an experienced skipper.
The Competent Crew course is an ideal sailing qualification for complete beginners because you don’t need any prior sailing experience. It uses a practical, hands-on approach that helps build confidence and ensures participants feel safe and comfortable, even if they have never been on a yacht before.
Here’s what a recent customer said about achieving their beginner sailing qualification with us, after a Competent Crew course.
“Thank you, First Class Sailing and to our skipper for an amazing experience and training for our Competent Crew certificates. It is obvious the company prides itself on the objective of combining professional, safe and trusted training courses to clients, while focusing on the serious nature and key elements of sailing and boat operation in a perfect learning environment, whilst also mixing that with a great balance of fun and social interaction, the whole experience was a joy. The ratio of instructor to students, with four of us on the boat including our skipper was great. I would seriously recommend this company when looking into sailing courses. First Class Sailing does exactly what it says on the tin. Thank you! Next stop Day Skipper.”
RYA Day Skipper Theory Course (an ideal classroom course for beginners)
With this beginner sailing qualification you will learn how to navigate and is perfect for those who want to get their knowledge up, without prior sailing experience. We run evening classes at various locations in London and during the day at our classrooms in Southampton. There is also an online option should you wish!
The course includes learning lots about Day Skipper navigation including the use of GPS and electronic charts, meteorology, the collision regulations and safety procedures. You will also learn seamanship, pilotage, chartwork, electronic charts, position fixing, plotting a course to steer, weather forecasting, and tides.
Here’s what a recent beginner said about the Day Skipper Theory sailing qualification.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my First Class Sailing ‘Day Skipper Theory Course’ with Johnny, great teaching. Johnny made it fun and taught us brilliantly including tidal streams and weather forecasting, I wholeheartedly recommend the Theory Course!”
Want to know more or still need help?
Both beginner qualifications can be browsed in full, including the full syllabus, dates and prices on the following links:
If you want to speak to a human, then we’d love to hear from you. Call us using the details found on our contact page, or send us an email for a call back.
