RYA Start Yachting
Booking details
Please select your preferred start date below.
Please select your preferred start date below.
Whether you’re completely new to yacht sailing or just eager to get a taste of life on the water, the RYA Start Yachting course is the perfect entry point. This two-day experience is designed for those with little or no previous sailing knowledge—think of it as dipping your toes in before taking the plunge!
You’ll join a small group (maximum of four students) for a hands-on introduction to all things yachting. Over the weekend or midweek, you’ll learn the essentials: basic ropework, how to handle a yacht both under sail and engine power, and the crucial safety know-how every sailor needs. Expect to unravel boating jargon, identify parts of the yacht, and try your hand at steering, sail trimming, and even practicing those all-important knots.
What’s more, your learning doesn’t stop at sunset—the course includes a night aboard your training yacht at Premier Marina Gosport, giving you a true taste of onboard living. By the end, you’ll have a solid foundation in yacht sailing, a dash of sea lore, and, quite possibly, the sailing bug!
Joining Instructions: Please click here for training course joining instructions
What is included in the training course cost:
We can accommodate most dietary requirements, such as vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian or gluten free. Just let us know when you fill out the booking form.
Looking to get a head start before your course? We suggest picking up a copy of RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques G84 (approx. £15). It’s a helpful resource that covers essential skills and is a solid companion for both new and aspiring sailors. This book complements the practical experience you’ll gain and can serve as a handy reference long after your weekend out on the water.
No previous sailing experience or prior knowledge is needed to join this course—the RYA Start Yachting programme is designed specifically for complete beginners. Whether you’re brand new to boating or just looking to refresh the basics, all are welcome to take part.
Participants must be at least 8 years old to enrol in this course. If you’re under 18, you’ll need to attend with a parent or guardian—so it’s a fantastic opportunity for family members to enjoy learning together on the water.
Holiday Insurance: We would advise ALL our customers to ensure they have suitable holiday insurance in-place. Yachtsman’s insurance is available from a variety of souces like Topsail Insurance and can cover things like cancellations and personal effects cover.
Please note that all events—including the RYA Start Yachting course—are planned with your safety firmly in mind. Activities may be adjusted to suit prevailing weather and tidal conditions, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone onboard. Our instructors continually monitor forecasts and local conditions, making real-time decisions as necessary. The welfare of our students remains our top priority at every stage of the course.
The RYA Start Yachting course offers a friendly and hands-on introduction to life afloat. Whether you’re new to sailing or just brushing up on the basics, you’ll find plenty of practical know-how packed into these sessions.
Key skills and topics include:
Of course, you won’t just be talking about sailing—you’ll spend plenty of time on the water, learning how to steer and control the yacht both under sail and under power.
This is a brilliant training course if you want a taste of sailing to see if the sport is for you.
It’s also a wonderful gift for any budding sailors you know who want to take their first tentative steps into the world of sailing!
Running over two days the training course will give you a taste of what the sailing world has to offer. You’ll learn to sail in the vibrant and exciting waters of the Solent, experiencing the tranquillity and fun of being on a sailing yacht!
For your Start Yachting adventure, you’ll be learning the ropes aboard a comfortable and well-equipped Bavaria 37ft – 44ft cruising yachts. This vessel is perfectly suited to both beginners and those wanting to gain a little more experience, offering:
Throughout the course, you’ll experience the Solent and its neighbouring marinas. We typically spend an overnight onboard, giving you a taste of life at sea while also letting you explore some of the area’s best marinas—such as Port Hamble, Yarmouth, Lymington, Cowes, Chichester, and Haslar. These marinas provide fantastic shoreside amenities, including bars, bistros, showers, laundry, and more, to complement the yacht’s onboard facilities.
The training course covers knowledge of general sailing terminology and the parts of a yacht, including her rigging and sails, sail handling and setting the sails, ropework and knots, fire precautions and emergency actions, personal safety equipment, man overboard actions, emergency equipment, meteorology, seasickness, helmsmanship, general duties, manners and customs plus some rules of the road. A great start to learning to sail.
Our Start Yachting training courses have 4 to 5 students. All students will get their own bed on board. In some instances sharing a cabin may be required.
While our course fees include shared accommodation on board the training yacht, we understand that some guests may prefer additional privacy and comfort. By selecting the single supplement, you’ll enjoy a cabin all to yourself for the duration of your course—meaning no need to share with a stranger.
If you’d like your own cabin, please be sure to add the single supplement to your basket along with your main ticket before checkout.
Booking the entire yacht for your own private course offers a range of unique advantages:
Make your RYA Start Yachting journey even more memorable—private bookings start from as little as £1245 midweek or £1749 on weekends.
Training courses run in a choice of two formats:
During your RYA Start Yachting training course you will cover practical navigation, pilotage, boat handling, seamanship and watch skippering techniques as well as the skills mentioned previously.
The training course includes free accommodation aboard our immaculate, well-maintained yachts with breakfast, lunch and snacks plus an evening meal onboard. We also include all fuel and safety kit such as lifejackets and waterproofs. All Students are able to live and stay on board the yacht for the duration of the training course.
Fancy going VIP and having your own exclusive private training course for you and your friends or family? You can book the whole yacht just for your own exclusive training course from only £295 per person. Enjoy the training course in style, with up to five persons on the boat being taught by one of our friendly, experienced Yachtmaster Instructors! What a way to start your sailing adventure!
This is a fantastic introduction to the world of sailing to see if it’s something you might like and want to take further.
You’ll learn to sail in the vibrant and varied waters of the Solent, the heart of sailing in the UK, you’ll get to experience yacht sailing at its best. Use these two days to really throw yourself into it! You’ll get to have a go on the helm and steer the boat, work a winch, hoist the sails and experience a vibrant and fun pastime for the whole family!
You’ll be in safe hands throughout the training course with one of our Yachtmaster Instructors on hand to ensure you get the best out of your two days with us. So what are you waiting for?
During your RYA Start Yachting course, you’ll experience an overnight stay on board and have the chance to explore several popular marinas around the Solent. Typical destinations may include Ocean Village, Southampton Town Quay, Hamble, Port Hamble, Cowes, Lymington, Yarmouth, Chichester, Port Solent and Haslar.
Each marina offers a variety of facilities to enhance your time ashore, such as bars, bistros, shops, laundry, and well-equipped showers. The exact route taken will depend on conditions and group preferences, but you can look forward to discovering the best the Solent has to offer, all from the comfort of your yacht.
Related Courses & Further Learning
Explore these courses to broaden your knowledge, gain hands-on experience, and build confidence—whatever your current level. Each one is designed to enhance your seamanship skills and prepare you for your next adventure on the water.
Please select your preferred start date below.
The perfect sailing course for beginners all over the UK, the five day RYA Competent Crew practical RYA course will give you the best building blocks to start your sailing journey with.
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA Competent Crew course at Gosport Marina!
Learn more
Our famous Solent Sailing Weekend is the perfect way to spend a weekend afloat! You’ll visit various marinas around the Solent with one of our brilliant and helpful Instructors on hand. You can do as much or as little as you like on board, so they are a great way to build confidence and skills in the vibrant and exciting waters of the Solent. Perfect for newly qualified sailors.
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the Solent Sailing Weekend!
Learn more
The perfect introduction to Powerboats & Ribs, the two day RYA Powerboat Level 2 practical powerboat course will give you the best building blocks to kick-off your powerboat adventure from!
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course! You can easily browse upcoming availability—simply select a specific highlighted date to see which courses are running, or search within a date range to find what fits your schedule.
Whether you’re planning ahead or looking for a last-minute adventure, our calendar makes it straightforward to find the perfect start date. Don’t forget you can spread the cost via invoice. Give us a call or email to talk about this option.
Learn more
Exciting Channle islands exploration!! This will be my third time with Commodore, no regrets. 😁 Such a great trip exploring the Channle islands and northern France. We got to see lovely towns in Guernsey and Jersey as well as a fab market in Cherbourg. The sailing was so great! Over 350 miles covered and well over doubled my night hours. Big shoutout and thank you to our amazing skipper Ed who always had to the best recommendation and was so flexible to what we wanted to do as a group. He was an amazing support through out the trip, gave great MOB training and help in passage planning. Boat was great as always. Amazing experience and can’t wait to go on similar trips with the company.
Orla SimpsonWe did a mile builder channel crossing with Karen. She was absolutely brilliant, a great combination of confident and relaxed to help us build our feeling of confidence. Would highly recommend the mile builder with her. Overall a tiring but extremely rewarding experience. Thank you Karen!!
Ana Sofia Almagro