Sailing News

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

How to Get Fit for Sailing (Fitness Tips)

Dec 3, 2024

Before you read this short guide to getting fit for sailing, let us be clear… sailing is for everyone. You don’t need to be super fit to get started. In fact, sailing is a fun way to get into shape as a beginner, but that doesn’t mean it will be...

Sharp squalls and sudden lulls – update from Skipper Sue

Jan 10, 2020

Short report, keyboard & mouse won’t stay...

Life on the Ocean Wave – some words from today’s Mother Watch

Jan 10, 2020

Plain Sailing So we remain on our course north...

Crew prepare to eat own body weight in Spag Bol

Jan 9, 2020

The first update from Challenger 2, as they sail...

Final preparation for Challenger 2 before sailing across the Atlantic – Man Over Board and emergency drills

Jan 6, 2020

The Crew of Challenger 2 - go swimming Training...

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					  First Class experience.  - Very good experience with First Class Sailing. Mark was a terrific teacher and the boat was well equipped and comfortable for a 5 day course. Would definitely recommend.				
Michael K
October 8, 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 

					  Excellent training course with Fergus!  - Excellent training course with Fergus! He made sure that across levels we were all learning and having fun! The extra context from his experience sailing was insightful and entertaining!				
Jamie S
October 25, 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

Norway Crew hit Haugesund and Then Find Peace at Anchor

Jun 8, 2017

Dirty Tricks and Free Climbing Mate The Intrepid crew of Challenger 1 have leisurely made their way North with Bergen their final destination today. Here's the latest instalment from the boat. Tuesday 6 June With the two teams reunited for the whole day, there was...

Our #PlasticChallenge For Cleaner Oceans

Jun 6, 2017

Here is a blog to give you hope, plus a campaign to join if you are concerned about the amount of plastic in our oceans. Not only will you read below about new inventions and people literally pushing the boat out for the environment but also the Marine Conservation...

Exploring Norway. Crew hike up Pulpit Rock

Jun 6, 2017

The Norway crew have arrived! Here is the latest instalment of their adventure. 5th June "Yesterday (Saturday)we arrived in Stavanger, in the driving rain, and after a bit of a night’s sleep we spent the day exploring the town and its famous petroleum museum. We had...

Day 4 – Sailing to Norway – Nearly There

Jun 5, 2017

Nearly there! Day 4 of Sailing to Norway: 1100 2nd June – 1145 3rd June "Started the day in fog to the sound of a working diesel engine. However that did not dampen our spirits due to the serenity of the North Sea being so sublime. Through the morning the fog started...

The Wind is the Myth of Malham

Jun 2, 2017

Crew of Challenger 3 on deck during Myth of Malham The training continues, the tactics and race are planned, the crew ready for anything and last weekend in the Myth of Malham everything was thrown at FCS crew on Challenger 3, everything apart from the wind....

Day 3 – Three Star Michelin Restaurant in the North Sea

Jun 2, 2017

The Norwegian Fjords beckon As the eclectic crew of Challenger 1 get closer and closer to the Norwegian Fjords the spinnaker gets some quality time out of it's bag and the cooking improves. Day 3: Position 200nm SSW Stavanger 13.30 1st June – 11.00 2nd June "Great...

Day 2 – Sailing up the North Sea to Norway

Jun 1, 2017

Fog and phosphorescence in the North Sea enroute to Norway Here is the latest blog from Challenger 1 as she starts sailing up the North Sea to Norway. The crew experience fog, phosphorescence, dolphins and downwind spinnaker sailing. "Unfortunately the fog stayed...

Sailing to Norway – Day 1. Hoping for wind!

May 31, 2017

Norway Sailing Adventure Cruise Begins The crew assembled yesterday for the first of three Norway Adventure Sailing Cruises. Sailing on a 72ft Challenger yacht, extremely suitable to this kind of a voyage, the boat cast off from Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth yesterday....

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