Skip to main navigationSkip to main content
The University of Southampton
Southampton Sport

RYA sailing courses

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

RYA Level 1 - Start Sailing

RYA Level 2 - Basic Skills

RYA Level 3 - Better Sailing

Open

Sailing

Day

Sailing

Seamanship

Skills

Performance

Sailing

Sailing With

Spinnakers

I learnt a lot in just 2 days. The Instructor gave attention to each individual student and ensured we were taught everything required.

RYA Level 1 - Start Sailing

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.

 

Prerequisites:

This Course is suitable for those with no previous experience.

 

Outcomes:

Upon completion of the course attendees should be able to sail in light winds under supervision

 

Course Dates:

Date (2023)Time
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 TypePrice
Southampton Sport Member £99
Mayflower Member, Sports Pass or Non-Member £180

RYA Level 2 - Basic Skills

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.

  • Rigging
  • Launching
  • Sailing in all directions
  • Capsize recovery
  • Essential safety knowledge

 

Prerequisites:

RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 1 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)

 

Outcomes:

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.

 

Course Dates:

Date (2023)Time
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 TypePrice
Southampton Sport Member £99
Mayflower Member, Sports Pass and Non-Member £180

RYA Level 3 - Better Sailing

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.

 

Prerequisites:

RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 2 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)

 

Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course you should be more confident in sailing skills and techniques, and ready to progress onto the Advanced Modules

 Course Dates:

Date (2023)Time
TBC TBC
TBC TBC

 

Cost:

Membership TypePrice
Full Southampton Sport Member £99
Mayflower, Sports Pass and Non-Member £180

Seamanship Skills

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.

Prerequisites:

  • RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 3 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)
  • It will be assumed that, when starting on this course, you have already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for the previous levels.

Outcomes:

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.

Day Sailing

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.

Prerequisites:

  • RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 3 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)
  • On starting this course you should have already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for the previous levels.
  • In addition, sailors wishing to cruise independently should ensure that they understand and can carry out the manoeuvres in the Seamanship Skills part of the RYA National Sailing Scheme.

Outcomes:

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.

Sailing With Spinnakers

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.

Prerequisites:

  • RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 3 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)
  • It is assumed when starting this course you have already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for previous levels.

Outcomes:

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.

Prerequisites:

  • RYA Dinghy Sailing Level 3 (or equivalent experience, email us if you are unsure)
  • 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
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

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
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 TypePrice
Southampton Sport Member £11.00
Mayflower Member, Sports Pass and Non-Member £20.00

Course Cancellations/Transfers

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.

 

The bookee cancelling the 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.

RYA
British Canoeing
Privacy Settings