RYA Competent Crew Course

Weekend or weekday RYA training courses starting from Shamrock Quay, Southampton.

These 5 day courses are a great introduction to yachting. There are no prerequisites, simply come along, and enjoy learning to sail.

The RYA Competent Crew course ìntroduces the complete beginner to yachting and teaches personal safety, seamanship, helmsmanship to the level required to be a useful crew member on a sailing yacht. It also provides an opportunity to experience sailing at night, providing a totally different perspective on the tasks and hazards!

At the end of the course you should have gained sufficient knowledge to be a useful crew member. An RYA Competent Crew certificate is awarded for successful completion of the course.

The Details

Prices are from £435 and include accommodation, meals on board, fuel and overnight public mooring fees.

Our yachts are fitted out to a high specification including the deck equipment and personal safety gear necessary to complete all aspects of the RYA Competent Crew course. The yachts are also fitted with home comforts such as refrigerated cool box, showers, 240v shore supply and cabin heating.

Training courses generally run with a low student to instructor ratio (maximum 4:1), however we are happy to consider groups of five people if booking as a group.

Your sailing instructor will be a fully qualified RYA Cruising or Yachtmaster Instructor.

What To Do Next....

Choose a (2 day plus 3 day weekend combination or a 5 day period) from our schedule. Other dates may be available - please ask.

If you are a group of four or five people, please call us to discuss group discounts and preferred dates.

Simply call us on +44(0)7977 459671 or +44(0)1253 853075 to confirm availability and to discuss your requirements in more detail, then complete and return one booking form per person with a 30% deposit payment.

Once the full course fee has been received we will send a formal booking confirmation and Joining Instructions to you.

Other useful pre course information is provided in our Sail Cruising Courses - Preliminaries sheet

Useful Pre Course Reading

The following books are available by mail order.

RYA Competent Crew Practical Course Notes
RYA Sail Cruising - Syllabus & Logbook (G15)

It is handy to build up a small library of useful books and manuals covering seamanship, navigation and other specialist subjects such as weather. Please see our recommended list of reading and equipment.

...and after Competent Crew?

You should consider completing the RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Course now. This course can even be completed prior to joining us for the RYA Competent Crew course if you prefer.

It is important to gain more crewing experience if you intend to progress to the RYA Day Skipper Practical Course and beyond. This can be achieved by joining us on holiday cruises in a variety of exotic locations! For those looking for more excitement, why not join us for the, thrills and spills of regattas regattas and racing!

If you enjoy a challenge or develop an addiction to sailing (it happens frequently!) or if time away from work is an issue, have a look at our 9 Day RYA Combined Shorebased & Practical Course - this course is the most time efficient way of achieving both RYA Day Skipper qualifications together!