Sailing is a fantastic and diverse sport, with activities to suit everyone. The RYA (Royal Yachting Association) National Sailing Scheme has been designed to help you enjoy whichever aspect of the sport appeals to you.
The University of Southampton, as part of Southampton Sport, runs an RYA Recognised Training Centre which offers and runs all of our RYA training courses and all certificates issued for courses run will be issued from the "University of Southampton" RTC. All sailing courses will will either run from our satellite site at Southampton Sailing Club, or from our Watersports Centre on the River Itchen. All Courses are heavily discounted for Southampton Sport members.
Sailing Course Pathway | ||||
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I learnt a lot in just 2 days. The Instructor gave attention to each individual student and ensured we were taught everything required.
This course provides a short introduction to sailing for novices. By the end of the course you will have a basic understanding of dinghy-handling techniques and background knowledge. It is recommended that all participants consolidate this short introduction with the Basic Skills and Better Sailing courses.
This Course is suitable for those with no previous experience.
Upon completion of the course attendees should be able to sail in light winds under supervision
Date (2023) | Time |
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22nd April - 23rd April | 09:00 - 17:00 |
3rd June - 4th June | 09:00 - 17:00 |
16th September - 17th September | 09:00 - 17:00 |
14th October - 15th October | 09:00 - 17:00 |
Membership Type | Price |
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Southampton Sport Member | £99 |
Mayflower Member, Sports Pass or Non-Member | £180 |
On completion of this course, you will have a basic knowledge of sailing and sailing in light winds without an instructor on board. It will be assumed that every student starting this course has already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for Start Sailing. Dinghy capsize recovery will be conducted in a controlled manner, one boat at a time, with a suitable rescue boat in attendance.
RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 1 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)
Upon completion of the course, you should be able to sail without supervision and make decisions in favourable weather conditions. You will also now be qualified to join in with our Open Sailing sessions.
Date (2023) | Time |
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22nd April - 23rd April | 09:00 - 17:00 |
3rd June - 4th June | 09:00 - 17:00 |
16th September - 17th September | 09:00 - 17:00 |
14th October - 15th October | 09:00 - 17:00 |
Cost:
Membership Type | Price |
---|---|
Southampton Sport Member | £99 |
Mayflower Member, Sports Pass and Non-Member | £180 |
This improver course seeks to bridge the gap between Start Sailing. Basic Skills, and the Advanced modules by offering an introduction to the different modules. allowing sailors to select more easily their preferred route within the sport. Better Sailing allows for opportunity to practise and consolidate sailing techniques, and experience some of the activities the Advanced modules have to offer, helping to build confidence and support development of good technique and independent sailing
Additional module options are non-compulsory for completion of the Better Sailing course, but are designed to provide an introduction to the various aspects of sailing. Which elements are chosen should be discussed by student and Instructor. Where practicable, students should be provided with the opportunity to sail different dinghies during the course, single and double-handers.
RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 2 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)
Upon completion of this course you should be more confident in sailing skills and techniques, and ready to progress onto the Advanced Modules
Date (2023) | Time |
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TBC | TBC |
TBC | TBC |
Membership Type | Price |
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Full Southampton Sport Member | £99 |
Mayflower, Sports Pass and Non-Member | £180 |
Tuition will be given by trained Instructors, using appropriate supervision ratios with regard to the location and competence of the students. Much of the work afloat will be done without an Instructor aboard. The emphasis is on increasing the self-reliance and decision-making of the sailor.
On successful completion of this course, you will be capable of manoeuvring a dinghy in a seamanlike manner and making seamanship decisions in moderate conditions.
The course will include the planning and execution of a day sail, and, on successful completion, you will have a confident, safe approach to planning and executing a short day sail in a dinghy.
Upon Completion students should be aware of various aspects of safely planning a day sail and be confident to take part in a coastal dinghy day sail.
Tuition will be given by an Advanced Instructor, or by an Instructor with appropriate experience approved by the Principal, using appropriate supervision ratios with regard to the location and competence of the students.
On successful completion of this course you will understand how to sail a dinghy/keelboat/multihull rigged with an asymmetric or symmetric spinnaker.
On successful completion of this course, you will understand how to sail performance dinghies/keelboats/multihulls in all wind conditions that you can expect to encounter, sailing the boat to best advantage at all times.
The emphasis is on coaching to improve your sailing performance and will therefore involve coaching from powerboats. This course is intended primarily for two-person spinnaker boats; however, it may be delivered in performance single-handers and the certificate endorsed accordingly. Tuition will be given by an Advanced Instructor for the type of boat, using appropriate supervision ratios with regard to the location and competence of the students, and the need to provide continuous feedback on the water. It is assumed that every student starting this course has already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for previous levels. In practical terms, at least a full season's sailing experience since learning to sail is advisable.
Outcomes:
During the summer we offer some options for those aged 8-14 to get out on the water.
Primarily these are our youth sailing courses
Course Dates:
Dates (2023) | Times |
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30th August - 1st September | 09:00 - 16:00 |
Prices:
Space on our 3 day youth sailing course in 2023 are £177 per person
RYA Youth Sailing Stage 1
During this course you will learn the basics of sailing, parts of the boat and how to launch, recover, and steer. After completing Stage 1, you will understand the basic principles of sailing in order to move on to Stage 2. No prior knowledge or experience of sailing is needed to take up this course.
RYA Youth Sailing Stage 2
During this course you will continue to develop basic sailing skills, as well as ropework and collision avoidance. You will be able to tack and control boat speeds, leaving you in a good position to progress to Stage 3.
RYA Youth Sailing Stage 3
In Stage 3 you will continue to develop rigging and sailing techniques, capsize recovery and sailing theory, as well as launching and recovery skills. On completion of the course, you will be able to launch and sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions.
RYA Youth Sailing Stage 4
Learn to sail a double-handed boat as crew or helm, applying all the skills you have learnt up to and including Stage 3, as well as gaining a variety of exciting new skills afloat.
Open Sailing sessions are perfect if you want to get out there and practice your tacking and gybing and try to remember how to sail around that triangular course or to just get out for a fun sail on the tide. Come and join us for an Open Sailing session down at Southampton Sailing Club to gain some more time 'at the helm'. We provide safety cover and a variety of boats.
To take out our single handers you must have Sailing Level 1 or equivalent ability.
To take out our double handers you must have Sailing Level 2 or equivalent ability.
Email watersports@soton.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Date (2023) | Time |
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22nd April | 12:00 - 15:00 |
3rd June | 09:30 - 12:30 |
16th September | 10:00 - 13:00 |
14th October | 10:00 - 13:00 |
Cost
Membership Type | Price |
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Southampton Sport Member | £11.00 |
Mayflower Member, Sports Pass and Non-Member | £20.00 |
We retain the right to cancel a date and transfer your booking or offer you a refund if the weather is unsuitable to run the course on the basis of health and safety. As part of this decision we will be looking at wind, temperature and sea state. Where possible we will give you 24 hours’ notice when a clear and accurate weather forecast comes through.
On the rare occurrence of staff sickness we will endeavour to cover the staff shortage and continue to run the course. This would also be grounds for a refund or date transfer.
For most of our watersports courses we have a minimum ratio of 1:3. Where possible we will always endeavour to run a course but if we are below ratio we may have to transfer you onto a future booking.
Over 7 days before the course: We are happy to offer a full refund or transfer your booking to another date upon request.
Over 48 hours before the course: We will give a full refund upon the presentation of a current doctor’s note.
Less than 48 hours before the course: We are not able to offer a refund
Please note that the time period stated refers to start of the day, not the start of the course. All refunds are limited to course fees only. If you book local accommodation, you may choose to take out cancellation/holiday insurance.