Which RYA sailing course is right for you?

RYA Competent Crew: Your first sailing course

If you’ve never sailed before, RYA Competent Crew is a good place to start. You’ll get involved in running the yacht from day one: taking the helm, handling sails, working with lines and helping the crew anchor and moor. The course is designed to make you a useful crew member and give you the confidence to spend more time on the water.

RYA Day Skipper: Take responsibility for the yacht

If you already have some sailing experience and navigation knowledge, RYA Day Skipper is the next step towards skippering a yacht. You’ll practise planning short passages, briefing your crew and manoeuvring under sail and power. Starting from scratch? Our Beginner to RYA Day Skipper programme combines Competent Crew, Day Skipper theory and practical training.

RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster preparation

For experienced sailors, Coastal Skipper develops the judgement needed to lead longer passages by day and night. If you’re working towards an RYA Yachtmaster exam, our preparation training gives you time to practise boat handling, navigation and crew management. You can also build experience on our offshore mile building trips.

Learn to sail in Lefkada and the Ionian Islands

Our sailing school is based in Sivota, on the south coast of Lefkada. The Ionian Islands give you a varied setting to practise: you can plan a passage between islands, pilot the yacht into an unfamiliar harbour and work with your crew to anchor or moor. Routes depend on the weather and the aims of your course, so each passage is a chance to put what you’ve learned into practice.

If you’d rather learn with your family or your own group, we also offer private sailing tuition. Tell us how much experience you have and what you’d like to achieve, and we can help you choose the right course.