Sailing News

Our Competent Crew course is perfect for beginners new to sailing who wish to sail as a crew member, and not just as a passenger. The course starts and finishes in Southampton and takes place in and around the Solent, and at the end of the five days you will be a useful crew member. We… Read more

Our 5-day Competent Crew Course syllabus is designed to equip you with all the necessary knowledge and skills you need to be an effective crew member. This includes personal safety (yours, and others), navigation, and helmsmanship. You can sign-up to the practical course and take part either by yourself, or with family, friends, or a… Read more

Night sailing has its own rewards and challenges – it can be quite disorientating, but also magical. Hands-on experience undoubtedly is the best way to embed the skills you’ll need to see you through the night.

First Class Sailing are here to help you progress on your journey from being an aspiring skipper with some yachting experience to being a confident offshore Yachtmaster .

Mechanical failure is the main cause of rescue call-outs to cruisers and can be one of a skipper’s biggest fears. Most engine failures are due to a handful of problems and can be easily rectified given a few spares, a little knowledge and a basic set of tools. No skipper should go out to sea without being armed with these fundamentals.

260 thousand miles and counting…. From a family holiday to a Round the World Race, Ricky Chalmers talks about his sailing career to date

First-rate online learning courses leading to full RYA qualifications including Day Skipper Theory, Yachtmaster Theory, Ocean Yachtmaster Theory and even a Spanish or French Language Course for Sailors!

See the Solent in a different light   It may come as a surprise to you, but this time of year is our favourite for sailing courses and many of our instructors prefer it. So, we’ve listed a few of the reasons why we believe Autumn sailing can be much better than in the Summer:… Read more

  So, you’ve decided you want to learn to sail. Maybe it’s because you love the idea of getting around using nothing but wind power. Or, you know someone who’s just completed their ‘Day Skipper’ and they seem like a whole new person. Or, maybe someone dragged you along for a day sail on the… Read more