Sailing News

A mix of insights into our courses and trips, engaging stories from some adventures, and educational content for anyone passionate about sailing.

Top 10 Experience Gifts for Outdoor Lovers (and Why a Sailing Voucher Tops the List) – 2025 Edition

Nov 26, 2025

Looking for an unforgettable experience gift for an outdoor lover? From sailing weekends to wild adventures, here are 2025’s best outdoor experience gifts — and why a First Class Sailing voucher stands proudly at number one.

Offshore Adventures – Atlantic Mile Building Voyages

Join our Offshore Adventures — part of the Atlantic Circuit. Sail from Portsmouth to the Canaries, race the ARC to St Lucia, or return from Antigua to Portsmouth. Build miles, skill and confidence on these iconic bluewater voyages.

Weekend Channel Hops – Offshore Experience in Two Days

Join a Weekend Channel Hop and sail across the English Channel from Southampton to Cherbourg, or Alderney. Build offshore miles, experience night sailing, and even take the helm for a 60-mile passage under instructor guidance — ideal preparation for Yachtmaster Offshore candidates.

7-Day Channel Triangle Trips – Log Serious Miles in a Week

Challenge yourself on a 7-Day Channel Triangle Trip — a week-long offshore passage from Southampton to the Channel Islands, France and back. Log around 300–350 miles while practising passage planning, watchkeeping and night sailing — ideal for Yachtmaster Offshore preparation.

Mile Building Sailing Trips – Build Confidence, Experience, and Sea Miles

Build miles, confidence, and real offshore experience with our Mile Building Sailing Trips. From weekend Channel hops to coastal sails, Norway voyages, and Atlantic adventures, you’ll handle different conditions, learn to problem-solve at sea, and gain the miles needed for RYA Yachtmaster or Coastal Skipper progression.

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					  Yachmaster Ocean Theory  - I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie... read more FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!				
Marty S
October 24, 2025 

					  All female boat for day skipper practical  - Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3... read more of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice.				
ALMC62
October 15, 2025 

					  A consistently great experience  - Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF,... read more First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill.  A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!				
Mo M
October 30, 2025 

First Class Sailing Ltd

5.0

Based on 278 reviews

review us on

Maurice MacSweeney

11:45 30 Oct 25

Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF, First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill. A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!

Response from the owner 13:56 06 Nov 25

Hi Maurice, we're so pleased to have been with you from the start of your sailing journey. That's great that you enjoyed the ratio of students to instructor and felt confident with the levels you achieved. Thanks for the review, we hope you manage to get plenty of sailing in after all the hard work you've put in.

Marty Stromquist

15:22 24 Oct 25

I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!

Response from the owner 13:42 06 Nov 25

Thanks Marty. We're so pleased you enjoyed Nigel's expert guidance and passion for sailing. Like all our instructors, he loves teaching and sharing his knowledge, but manages to make it fun too. Thanks for the recommendation.

Anne-Laure McLeman

10:07 15 Oct 25

Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3 of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice. Such a good week!

Response from the owner 13:24 06 Nov 25

Thank-you for the review Anne-Laure. That's great that the all female option suited you well and you enjoyed learning with Kirsten. Hopefully all that practice has set you up well for future sailing. Good luck!

Angus Sandison

19:57 07 Oct 25

Really great experience with First Class. My partner and I did our Day Skipper over two weekends with our instructor Mark. He was fantastic. Patient as we learned and made the whole thing fun. The boats are great and organization by First Class was seamless. Would totally recommend.

Response from the owner 13:17 06 Nov 25

Thanks Angus. That's good that you enjoyed Mark's style of teaching and also had lots of fun along the way. Wishing you lots of happy sailing in the future.

Tricia Bunten

18:48 07 Oct 25

I just finished a fantastic week taking my Day Skipper practical with First Class Sailing and I highly recommend them. I chose the Women Only week and had an incredibly patient instructor who was able to help each of us individually with areas of weakness but also worked great with us as a group. I had never sailed in the Solent before and it was the perfect location for this class. I am so grateful for First Class and my instructor for helping me build confidence and experience.

Response from the owner 16:59 04 Nov 25

Thanks Tricia, we're so pleased you enjoyed the Women Only week and had a positive experience. We always say that the Solent really is one of the best places to learn and it has some beautiful scenery to explore too, so that's good that you appreciated it. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon.

Evan Ainsworth

20:30 05 Oct 25

They do say that what sets great companies apart is customer service. This is my third time with first class sailing the first time was a few years ago when we did our competent crew it was one of the best weeks of our lives. Then we came again in August for the kids to do their competent crew and my wife and I to do our day skipper course. Unfortunately when I did my day skipper course the weather was terrible and I was unable to have a good session to pass. So Jake said to me you can come back and have a free weekend on us to enable you to pass. And again I had a fabulous weekend. There was just three of us on the boat. A wonderful instructor, Tom, and another student. Tom was an excellent instructor he was relaxed, he had great experiences, he got on with the practical part of sailing not just a lot of theory and he was thorough. He had lots of practical tips to make sailing easier and had some good exercises forest to try. We had a super trip down to Yarmouth where he cooked a wonderful dinner and then we went to the pub. Where we met another first class sailing group and spent the evening listening to their tall tales. The following day we had a super sail back to Southampton, with lots of cool exercises and I was thrilled to pass my day skipper.

Response from the owner 16:46 04 Nov 25

Thanks for the review Evan and congratulations on passing your Day Skipper practical, the hard work has paid off. That's good that the whole family joined you for one of the trips and so now hopefully you have some willing crew members for future sails. Good luck!

hugo kirby

15:26 09 Sep 25

great course with a very engaged and helpful instructor - who was happy to go outside the curriculum and give us the benefit of his wider knowledge - throroughly recommended

Response from the owner 15:30 11 Sep 25

That's good that you appreciated the experiences and extra knowledge that the instructor passed on. Thanks for the recommendation.

Justin Brooks

11:11 23 Aug 25

We would highly recommend First Class Sailing.

Very well organised with a top quality instructor who provided tuition tailored to our differing needs.

A fantastic option for a couple wanting an entire boat to do a mixed Competent Crew / Day Skipper itinerary.

Response from the owner 14:21 28 Aug 25

Thanks Justin. We always find that mixing the Competent Crew & Day Skipper works well, so that's great that it worked for you too. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon and put all your learning into practice.

ChrisC

15:37 22 Aug 25

Great experience doing a Yachtmaster Offshore prep week followed by exam. Lots of useful paperwork up-front for the course admin and training exercises. The 3-day prep format worked well and Hayley did a brilliant job of cramming in the training over those days. Lovely modern boat too called Sazerac. Will be back.

Response from the owner 14:17 28 Aug 25

Hi Chris, thanks for the review. Congratulations on gaining your YMO qualification. There's a lot to cover, but as you've found, the hard work really pays off. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

Miles Barr

11:27 03 Aug 25

I completed my Competent Crew and Day Skipper Practical with First Class Sailing. It was a great experience. I hired the whole boat each time, taking my family members along who also earned their Competent Crew qualifications.

Response from the owner 15:21 21 Aug 25

Thanks Miles. That's great that hiring the whole boat for your courses worked well for you all. Now that your family have their comp crew qualifications, you'll have plenty of help onboard for future sails! Good luck.

All Blogs

Sail Across the Atlantic: Join the 2026 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC)

Oct 10, 2025

Join First Class Sailing in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers 2026 — a world-famous transatlantic adventure from Gran Canaria to St Lucia. Sail aboard a Challenger 72 yacht and make 2026 the year you cross the Atlantic.

What to Expect on an RYA Competent Crew Course | First Class Sailing

Oct 8, 2025

What to Expect on an RYA Competent Crew Course: A Day-by-Day Guide Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to live aboard a yacht while learning to sail? Whether you're completely new to sailing or just looking to build confidence on the water, the RYA Competent...

Competent Crew Syllabus (Explained)

Oct 6, 2025

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...

FAQs about Sailing Courses

Sep 15, 2025

This blog answers some of the FAQS about Sailing Courses that you might have..... but might be too embarrassed to ask. Like.. How do I go to the toilet on board a yacht? What are the cabins like? Will I have to share a cabin? If you are new to sailing or considering...

Downwind to the finish in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2025

Jul 31, 2025

Rounding the Fastnet Rock Espresso Martini Too and Challenger 4 rounded the Fastnet Rock in the early hours of Tuesday morning with under an hour between them. Espresso rounded at 02:47 on Tuesday 29 July with Challenger 4 hot on their heels at 03:31. They sat...