2024 course, holiday & racing dates now available & 2024 RYA course dates

Finally! Yes, we know you’ve been bugging us for our 2024 dates, and after chaining Jonno to the laptop he’s finally managed to get all our 2024 courses, mile builders, holidays, yacht racing and more onto the website! We’ve kept our prices as low as we can, despite the ongoing cost of living increases we’ve all experienced recently. Some of our courses have even gone down in price, and for those looking for a bargain who can attend a course at short notice, we’ve got our very popular Late Notice courses with up to 30% off list prices for selected courses.

Commodore Yachting fleet of Bavaria yachts

We’ve packed as much as possible into 2024, so you’ve got plenty of choice for whatever sailing adventures you want to get up to:

As you can see, we’ve packed our diary full of good stuff, like the incredible Sail around Britain, which takes in the best sailing the UK has to offer, amazing scenery and we even had dolphins this year – Check out the Blog page! The ever-popular yearly Round the Island Race is not to be missed. With two practice days, meals and race entry included, plus an expert race skipper, it’s something no sailor should miss out on. We’ve got two boats racing this year, just to add a little competitiveness for both crews! It’s always fun and a rite of passage for most sailors, with over 1000 boats competing, it’s truly iconic. Our Channel Island Cruises are back for 2024. We’ve got a nice 4 day break over Easter, for those wanting to get away from the crowded Solent for a mini-break. We’ve also got the longer version over 7-days in August. A great way to build some mileage, get in a channel crossing and experience some incredible locations in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe. And of course our full range of RYA sailing courses. The ever-popular RYA Competent Crew, RYA Day Skipper, RYA Coastal Skipper and RYA Yachtmaster courses, with dates all through 2024. Due to popular demand, we’ve scheduled more split-weekend courses and Wednesday-Sunday dates, so you don’t have to take so much time off work. If you’re new to sailing, our RYA Start Yachting weekends are the perfect introduction. And of course, we love arranging bespoke personal or group courses or UK sailing holidays for you, your family, friends and colleagues. So don’t hesitate to ask us what we can do for you in 2024.

Charter seasonal discounts

For those of you who enjoy a yacht charter, we have a special offer. We are offering 20% off all yacht charters between 1st November 2023 and 29th February 2024. Contact us for a quote. Keep on sailing… The Commodore Chronicles

About sailing with commodore yachting

Commodore Yachting has been delivering RYA-accredited sailing courses from Gosport Marina on the Solent since 1999. Over the past 25+ years, our qualified instructors have trained thousands of students in the challenging tidal waters of the South Coast, building genuine sailing competence that transfers to any destination worldwide. The Solent offers one of the UK’s most rewarding sailing environments. Its complex tides, diverse ports of call, and changeable weather conditions create a proper classroom. Navigating the shipping lanes near Portsmouth Harbour, picking up a mooring in Newtown Creek, planning a passage across to the Isle of Wight – every trip teaches lessons you simply cannot learn in calmer, non-tidal waters. Training here means your skills are tested in real conditions, making you a better, more confident sailor wherever you choose to cruise. We offer courses from RYA Competent Crew through to Yachtmaster Fast Track. Our all-inclusive pricing covers tuition, accommodation on board our Bavaria yachts, all meals (full English breakfast, lunch, dinner), snacks and soft drinks, wet-weather gear and lifejacket hire, all safety equipment, and free marina berthing at Premier Marinas (worth £50–80 a night). Group sizes are capped at 5 students per course, ensuring you get proper one-to-one attention from your instructor.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Do I need previous experience? A: No. RYA Competent Crew is designed for complete beginners. You’ll learn everything on the course – sail handling, deck work, safety procedures, and living aboard a cruising yacht. Q: What type of yachts do you use? A: We maintain a modern fleet of Bavaria cruising yachts, 36 to 44 feet, fitted with the latest Raymarine navigation electronics and regularly serviced. Each yacht has multiple cabins, a galley, chart table, and full safety equipment including liferaft and EPIRB. Q: How many students per course? A: Maximum of 5. This gives you plenty of time at the helm and proper individual attention from your RYA-qualified instructor. Some schools pack 8 or more students onto a boat – we keep our groups small for a reason. Q: What’s included in the price? A: Everything. Tuition, accommodation, all meals, wet-weather gear, lifejackets, safety equipment, certificate, and marina berthing. No hidden extras. Many schools charge extra for food (£20–40/day), accommodation (£30–50/night), and kit hire (£15–25/day) – we don’t. Our prices are genuinely all-inclusive. Q: Can I do theory courses online? A: Yes. RYA Day Skipper Theory, Coastal Skipper Theory, and Yachtmaster Theory are all available online through Commodore Yachting. Work through them at your own pace and complete your RYA Day Skipper theory when you’re ready to take the next step. Q: What happens after I qualify? A: You can build experience with our Mile Building weekends, charter yachts from our fleet (available to qualified sailors), or progress to the next RYA level. Many of our students return year after year for advanced courses and cruises.

Why the Solent is the uk’s best training ground

The Solent is widely regarded as the finest sailing training area in the United Kingdom. The stretch of water between mainland England and the Isle of Wight offers everything a sailor needs to develop genuine competence: strong tides that demand careful planning, busy shipping lanes that teach collision avoidance, a wide variety of ports and anchorages that build pilotage skills, and weather patterns that can change from flat calm to a solid Force 6 in a matter of hours. Sailors who train on the Solent develop skills that transfer anywhere in the world. The tidal planning you learn here prepares you for cruising the Channel Islands, the coast of Brittany, or the deep waters of the Atlantic. The IRPCS knowledge you practise daily in the Solent’s traffic keeps you safe in any shipping lane worldwide. The weather interpretation you master in these changeable conditions makes you a more confident and capable navigator wherever you sail. Our base at Gosport Marina puts you right in the middle of it all. Within minutes of casting off, you’re sailing in the Solent with Portsmouth Harbour, Spithead, and the approaches to the Isle of Wight all within easy reach. Gosport itself is well served by road and rail, and we recommend familiarising yourself with our joining instructions before your course starts.

Our fleet and facilities

Commodore Yachting operates a modern fleet of Bavaria cruising yachts, ranging from 36 to 44 feet in length. Each yacht is fitted with Raymarine chart plotters, autopilot, VHF radio, and full safety equipment including liferaft, fire extinguishers, and EPIRB. Our yachts are serviced annually and undergo rigorous safety inspections. Recent upgrades include new sails from Hyde Sails, new sprayhoods and stack-packs from Tecsew in Lee-on-Solent, and engine upgrades including the latest Volvo Penta D1-30 engines. Our maintenance team works year-round to keep the fleet in peak condition. All lifejackets are serviced annually to manufacturers’ standards by factory-trained technicians. Our marina berths at Premier Gosport Marina give us direct access to the Solent and include free berthing for our students – a benefit worth £50–80 per night that most other schools don’t offer. In addition to our yachts, we provide full sets of Henri-Lloyd or similar quality wet-weather gear, Baltic automatic lifejackets with sprayhoods and lights, and all safety equipment free of charge. We also stock the boats with generous provisions – all meals, snacks, and soft drinks are included, so you can focus on sailing rather than worrying about catering. For those booking a full week, our RYA Day Skipper practical and Coastal Skipper courses offer the best value.

About the author

Scott Drinkwater is the IT Manager at Commodore Yachting, one of the South Coast’s leading RYA-accredited training centres. Scott manages the school’s online systems, course booking platform, and digital learning resources, ensuring students have seamless access to training information and services. For official information on RYA training standards, course content, and certification, visit the Royal Yachting Association website at rya.org.uk.

Get in touch

Ready to start your sailing journey? Contact the Commodore Yachting team on 023 9250 4443 or visit commodore-yachting.com to browse courses and book your place. You can also follow us on social media for the latest news, course availability, and special offers. Our friendly team will help you find the right course for your experience level and sailing goals – whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced skipper looking to take the next step.