Learning in a dinghy is a great way to start sailing. Single-handers (boats sailed by one person) are a popular choice and can be the quickest way to learn due to being lightweight and easy to rig and launch. If you don’t fancy being in a boat alone, double-handers are larger boats designed to be sailed by two people, making it an enjoyable way to learn with others aboard. The choice is yours!
Once you’ve mastered the basics, there are plenty of opportunities to continue to develop your skills with our advanced, foiling and racing courses. Find out more about our dinghy courses below.
A course for complete beginners. Learn how to sail in all directions and awareness of launching and recovery
Build your confidence and gain the skills needed to sail and make decisions in good conditions
Improve your sailing, consolidating skills and trying new ones in a variety of conditions.
An introduction to the parts of the boat and the basic principles of how to get a boat sailing.
Develop the sailing skills needed to sail around a course tacking, gybing and controlling boat speed.
Build your confidence and develop the skills needed to sail in different directions in moderate conditions.
Learn how to sail a double-handed boat as crew or helm and solve a variety of problems afloat.
Our Youth Sailing certificates are a huge achievement and, once completed, can be used for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme or for PE at school. Find out more...
Learn how to handle a boat in all circumstances and solve problems afloat.
Master passage planning and decision making for going on a day sail in a dinghy.
Everything you need to know about sailing with conventional or asymmetric spinnakers.
Improve your boat handling and confidence in performance dinghies.
An introduction to the concept of foiling, the equipment and all the knowledge you need to 'take off' for the first time.
Gain the skills and confidence to sustain foiling and feel comfortable steering. All transitions will be non-foiling.
Control the foil with confidence in a wider range of conditions and unlock the knowledge and skills needed to sustain flight into tacks and foiling gybes.
Progressing through the RYA racing courses will take you from complete beginner to experienced competitor, developing your skills in the core areas of starting, boat-handling, speed, tactics and strategy. You'll need to be a Level 2 or Stage 3 sailor to start racing.
A course for new sailors, wishing to start racing. Build your confidence and general racing knowledge by learning the skills needed to enter and compete in a race.
Perfect for racing at club level. Build on your boat handling, speed and develop strategic plans based on the conditions.
Develop the skills needed to adapt to racing at different venues and in more challenging conditions.
This training is tailored to the needs of the sailors and is quite likely the end result of a full training programme.