PRACTICAL COURSES

These can be booked per person on our scheduled tuition yacht which will accommodate up to a maximum of 5 students with our qualified English speaking instructor. Alternatively, if you are chartering your own yacht for a holiday, we also offer an own yacht tuition option, where all or part of your party (up to maximum 5 students) can participate in the tuition. This can be a mixed ability group with some crew members qualifying at different levels according to previous experience and ability.

Start Yachting Course
This course provides a short introduction to sail cruising for novices. By the end of the course, you will have experienced steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework and be aware of safety on board. The Start Yachting course is, in effect, the first 2 days of the Competent Crew course.

Please note that as most of our courses are 6 days long if you take this course we cannot guarantee that you will disembark the training boat on Poros Island.

Previous experience required: None

Recommended reading: RYA Competent crew handbook (ref CCPCN)

Duration of course: 2 days

PYA students practicing their knots

Competent Crew Course
This course will teach you how to be a competent crew member of a cruising yacht. With successful completion of the course you will be able to steer the yacht under sail and power, understand the principles of sailing and points of sail, sail trim, safety routines such as 'man over board', understand knots and rope-work, row a dinghy and generally safely contribute to daily routines. Children over 9 can be awarded a Competent Crew certificate, whilst learning to sail in such an attractive and warm environment is a pleasant holiday in its own right

This is the ideal course for novices and for dinghy sailors who want to start sailing on cruising yachts.

Previous experience required: None

Recommended reading: RYA Competent crew handbook (ref CCPCN)

Duration of Course: 6 days

Day Skipper (non-tidal)

This course is for those who already have some sailing experience and knowledge of navigation, and wish to progress to skipper level. The course provides a good foundation for you to safely and confidently skipper a cruising yacht, skipper a flotilla yacht and is recognised by charter companies in Greece and elsewhere.

On this course you will learn to skipper a yacht safely in non-tidal waters. In addition to boat handling and pilotage, the emphasis is on giving you experience of being in charge. You will be asked to skipper the yacht on a short passage, with the instructor on hand to give advice and encouragement. The course also covers preparation of a yacht for sea, yacht handling under sail and power, navigation, pilotage and passage making, rules of the road, emergency situations, meteorology and basic boat maintenance.

As we are in Greece, you will get plenty of practice in techniques like 'Med mooring' so you will be able to moor safely and competently and look professional when you bring your own boat into the quay.

Previous minimum experience: 5 days / 100 miles, including 4 night hours. This experience should have been in the form of active participation in the sailing of a similar sized yacht - ideally a Competent Crew course.

Theoretical knowledge: RYA Day Skipper Shorebased, or equivalent level from experience/self study. For students requiring additional assistance with areas of the shorebased course some extra tuition can be given but this is no substitute for being properly prepared before you arrive on Poros.

Recommended Reading: RYA Day Skipper-shorebased handbook (Ref DSN), for students who have completed the shorebased course. The Complete Day Skipper (Tom Cunliffe), RYA Navigation handbook (Ref G6) & exercises (ref G7)

Duration of Course: 6 days
Student James Graham during his RYA course.

Coastal Skipper (non-tidal)
This sailing course is for experienced skippers only. This is an advanced course for those with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation. It is the highest level of non-tidal course under the RYA scheme. You will learn the skills needed to skipper a yacht safely, by day or night, throughout the Mediterranean and other non tidal waters. As well as advanced boat-handling under power and sail, dealing with heavy weather passage planning and pilotage, at least one long night passage will be undertaken.

RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper examinations for those who have successfully completed the practical course and have the appropriate theory certificates can be arranged.

Previous minimum experience: 15 days (2 days as skipper) / 300 miles, including 8 night hours. Ideally you should hold a day skipper certificate.

Theoretical knowledge: RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Shorebased or equivalent. For students requiring additional assistance with areas of the shore based course some extra tuition can be given but this is no substitute for being properly prepared before you arrive on Poros.

Duration of Course: 6 days
Checking and adjusting the sail trim

RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation & Examinations
This course is designed for those advanced sailors who want to take the RYA/MCA exams for a Certificate of Competence - Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Offshore. The 6 day course is split into 4½ days training and 1½ days of examination and recovery! The training will cover boat handling, navigation, pilotage, safety with an emphasis on crew and yacht management

Certification required before exam: Restricted (VHF only) Radio Operator's Certificate and First Aid Certificate