Mile Building Weekend

Price: from £349 (Finance now available)

Location: Starts from our base at Premier Gosport Marina, and visits different ports further afield than the Solent on the South Coast.

Duration: 2 days (Starts evening before!)

Our Mile Building Weekends are the perfect way to build-up your sea miles and gain valuable experience and knowledge at the helm as Skipper or as crew under the watchful eye of one of our expert Instructors. With longer, more involved & exciting passages, sometimes including night sailing, it’s an adventure outside the confines of the Solent and a great way to gain confidence in the waters around the South Coast.

Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the Mile Building Weekend!

 

Mile Builder Sailing Course Information

Joining Instructions: Please click here for course joining instructions

Please note that the Mile Building weekends start the evening before at 6pm!

Recommended Reading: Sailing magazines and newspapers, but this is not essential 

Mile Builder Sailing Course Prerequisites: No assumed knowledge

Minimum Age: No minimum but Under 16’s must be accompanied by adult. Persons aged 16+ can be unaccompanied subject to other pre-requisites having been met

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.

So what is included in the course cost?

Well, unlike some other centres, we include all your meals (Breakfast, lunches, dinners and snacks), so you won’t have to go to any extra expense during your Mile Builder with us. We also include the following:

  • Yacht hire
  • RYA Qualified Instructor / Professional Skipper
  • Breakfast, lunches, snacks and evening meals on board
  • Tea, coffee & soft drinks
  • Accommodation on board
  • Diesel
  • Cooking gas
  • Wet weather kit hire (not footwear)
  • Hire of a Baltic automatic life jacket

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.

Yachts Used for the Mile Builder Course

All of our 2-day Mile Builder sailing weekends take place aboard spacious and fully-equipped Bavaria 38 and Bavaria 44 cruising yachts. These comfortable vessels are ideal for both novice and seasoned sailors, offering ample room to learn, collaborate, and relax between passages. With modern amenities and reliable handling, you’ll have everything you need on board for an enjoyable and productive weekend out on the water.

Safety Procedures and Standards

Safety sits at the heart of every mile under sail with us. Our courses are delivered following RYA & MCA operating procedures and best practices, ensuring a professional and secure environment throughout. Our instructors are RYA/MCA Qualified and highly experienced, continually monitoring both tidal and weather conditions to make well-informed decisions at sea.

Before you even set foot on deck, we conduct clear safety briefings covering life jacket use, emergency protocols, and safe movement about the yacht. High-quality Baltic automatic life jackets, wet weather gear, and essential safety kit are provided—and thoroughly checked before every departure.

Each passage is carefully planned with flexibility in mind, so we’re always prepared to adjust routes or schedules in response to changing conditions. If Mother Nature tries her best to surprise us, the safety and comfort of everyone on board will always come first.

It’s this uncompromising approach to best-practice seamanship and modern safety standards—with full respect for both sea and crew—that sets our experience apart.

Yachts Used for the Mile Builder Course

All of our 2-day Mile Builder sailing weekends take place aboard spacious and fully-equipped Bavaria 37, Bavaria 38 and our Bavaria 44 cruising yachts. These comfortable vessels are ideal for both novice and seasoned sailors, offering ample room to learn, collaborate, and relax between passages. With modern amenities and reliable handling, you’ll have everything you need on board for an enjoyable and productive weekend out on the water.

Number of Participants Per Sailing Event

For each Mile Builder Sailing Weekend, we keep group sizes small to ensure a top-notch learning and sailing experience. With a maximum of four participants on board, you’ll benefit from plenty of hands-on practice, personalised instruction from your RYA-qualified skipper, and a friendly, close-knit crew atmosphere.

This approach means every crew member has ample opportunity to get involved, ask questions, and develop their skills—whether you’re at the helm, plotting passages, or simply enjoying life at sea with fellow sailors.

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RYA Coastal Skipper crew collaborating on helm navigation during coastal passage
Four people on a sailboat are navigating water near a coastline, enjoying a sunny day. The background shows a distant shoreline.

Who is the mile builders  course for:

The Mile Building Weekend is the perfect introduction to newly qualified sailors who want to gain more experience and take in some longer passages.

Running over two days (with the evening before) the Mile Building Weekend will give you longer more involved passages and a more intense sailing experience than just hopping from marina to marina.

A great way to build some extra experience before undertaking that next course.

Please be aware that the Mile Building weekend starts on the evening before at 6-7pm with an overnight sail.

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What we cover on the course:

You’ll get to visit marinas and ports a little further afield than the Solent, like Portland & Weymouth. It’ll involve more intense and longer days sailing around the South Coast or even some long sails across the channel on perfect days.

Depending on the wind and tide, a typical two-day Mile Builder might see us cruising from our home base to the western reaches, such as Lymington or Yarmouth, or heading east toward Chichester or perhaps even beyond if conditions allow. Each trip has its own flavour, shaped by the elements and the crew’s ambitions.

Along with some cracking sailing, you’ll get to visit places you didn’t visit on your RYA Competent Crew or Day Skipper course. The passages are longer and it’ll involve more quality sea-time, but it’s such a rewarding weekends sailing.

Sailing Techniques Practiced During the Mile Builder Weekend

Throughout the Mile Building Weekend, you’ll sharpen a wide range of practical sailing techniques essential for open water cruising. Expect to spend time refining your helming skills, mastering sail trim for varied wind conditions, and getting comfortable with passage planning and pilotage along the South Coast You’ll also practice advanced navigation—both traditional and electronic—as well as learn how to manage watch systems and undertake longer passages, sometimes through the night.

The focus is on real-world seamanship, so you’ll have the chance to practice:

  • Sail handling and reefing underway
  • Tidal calculations and route selection
  • Night sailing and working under reduced visibility
  • Close-quarters maneuvering in unfamiliar marinas and harbours
  • Effective crew communication and teamwork

It’s a hands-on opportunity to put theory into practice while experiencing the unique challenges and rewards of coastal and offshore sailing. You’ll leave with greater confidence and a toolkit of practical skills that translate directly to your next adventure afloat.

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A group of people on a yacht sail in a large regatta, with numerous other boats visible under cloudy skies.
Sailboats docked at a marina during sunset, with modern apartment buildings in the background reflecting in the water.

Mile Builder Sailing Course formats & details:

Courses run in a choice of two formats:

  • One weekend: (Saturday or Sunday) NOTE – Leaves Friday 6-7pm!
  • Also available mid-week

Starts from our Gosport marina base (Friday evening!) and visits various ports and marinas further afield from the Portsmouth and Southampton area.

Please be aware that our Milebuilders start on the evening before (Friday) at 6-7pm, so we can get the most mileage in for your weekend!

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Our Principal says this about the Mile Building Weekend:

What better a way to celebrate that new RYA Competent Crew or Day Skipper qualification than with a Mile Building weekend aboard one of our fleet yachts!

A great way to build extra mileage and enjoy some longer passages to locations further afield than the Solent, guided by one of our experienced and professional RYA qualified instructors based in Gosport on the South Coast.

You’ll get to see first hand why the south coast is the perfect place to build some miles and gain more experience.

With so many locations to chose from (weather dependant of course) you might go and see Portland or Weymouth, or how about metropolitan Brighton Marina for a great night out when you arrive?

Please be aware that our Milebuilders depart Gosport Marina on the evening before (Friday) at 6-7pm, with a nice overnight sail, so you’ll really max-out the mileage on your weekend!

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A sailboat on calm water during sunset, silhouetted against a colorful sky, with distant land on the horizon and no recognizable landmarks.

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