Tel: 01590 672677
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Training

We provide RYA courses all year round for both members and non-members.

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RYA Training at Royal Lymington Yacht Club



Whether you're a beginner wishing to learn how to sail or a competent sailor or powerboater hoping to improve your skills, come to Royal Lymington Yacht Club for your RYA Training!

A prominent RYA Training Centre, Royal Lymington Yacht Club provides RYA training courses throughout the year for both members and non-members. Whether you are a beginner wishing to learn how to sail, a more experienced sailor hoping to expand your knowledge or a powerboater wanting to gain your RYA PB2, our highly experienced Chief Instructors of Sail and Power will provide you with a fantastic learning experience.

We offer courses all year round for both individuals and groups, or we can arrange for private tuition aboard your own boat. Upon successful completion of the course you will be issued with the relevant certification as prescribed by the RYA. 

Take a look at some of the courses we offer below and please contact our club office for more information about course dates and availability.

Our Training Courses

Sailing tuition and courses are available at Royal Lymington Yacht Club with our Chief Instructor (Sail). RYA sailing course dates for both children and adults, also including ladies only sailing, will be published once the government allows training to resume. 

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National Sailing Scheme

Dinghy Level 1 – Start Sailing

This RYA sailing course for beginners takes 2 days (or equivalent sessions) and provides an introduction to the sport of sailing. It covers all you need to know to get afloat under supervision, including how to sail in light winds in all directions, launching and recovering. There is no minimum age, although under 16s may prefer to learn through the Youth Sailing Scheme.

Dinghy Level 2 – Basic Skills

This RYA sailing course for beginners to intermediates takes 2 days (or equivalent sessions). It sets out the foundations of sailing to progress you to be a competent light wind sailor, developing skills to enable you to sail independently. The course assumes you have the sailing skills of Level 1 and trains you in rigging, launching, sailing in all directions, capsize recovery and essential sailing knowledge, enabling you to make decisions in good conditions. There is no minimum age, although under 16s may prefer to learn through the Youth Sailing Scheme.

Dinghy Level 3 – Better Sailing

This RYA sailing course for beginners and intermediates takes 2 days (or equivalent sessions). The course assumes you have the sailing skills of Level 2. It consolidates and develops further your sailing skills, improving your techniques, giving you more confidence and a taster of the advanced sailing modules. There is no minimum age, although under 16s may prefer to learn through the Youth Sailing Scheme.

Course fees

Member: £150
Non-member: £190


Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]

Sailing tuition and courses are available at Royal Lymington Yacht Club with our Chief Instructor (Sail). RYA sailing course dates for both children and adults, also including ladies only sailing, will be published once the government allows training to resume. 

RYA Training Centre logo
Youth Sailing Scheme

Youth Sailing Scheme – beginners’ courses

RYA Youth Sailing Scheme certificates are a significant achievement and can be used in other areas of your study or activities such as PE at school, or the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.


Stage 1 – Start Sailing

This RYA sailing course for beginners takes 2 days (or equivalent sessions) and provides an introduction to the sport of sailing. It provides a basic understanding of how a boat sailing, with some experience of steering and handling the boat. You’ll learn about launching and recovery, steering, parts of the boat and basic sailing techniques. Minimum age: 8 years.

Stage 2 – Building Confidence

This RYA sailing course for beginners who have completed Stage 1 takes 2 days (or equivalent sessions). You’ll build on the basic sailing skills learned in Stage 1, plus ropework and collision avoidance. On completion you will be able to tack and control boat speed, and understand basic principles of sailing. Minimum age: 8 years.

Stage 3 – Basic Skills (equivalent to Level 2 of the National Sailing Scheme)

This RYA sailing course for improvers who have completed Stages 1 and 2 takes 2 days (or equivalent sessions). You’ll learn about rigging, launching and recovery, sailing techniques, capsize recovery and sailing theory. On completion you will be able to launch and sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions. Minimum age: 8 years.

Stage 4 – Better Sailing (double handed)

This RYA sailing course for improvers who have completed Stages 1 - 3 takes 2 days (or equivalent sessions). It is optional if Stage 3 was taken in a double-hander. You will learn to sail a double handed boat as crew or helm, and solve a variety of problems afloat. The course includes rigging, launching and recovery, sailing techniques and manoeuvres in crewed boats, recovering a man overboard. On completion you will be able to launch and return to a beach, jetty or mooring, and sail a crewed dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions. Minimum age: 8 years.



Course fees

Member: £150
Non-member: £190


Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]

 

Sailing tuition and courses are available at Royal Lymington Yacht Club with our Chief Instructor (Sail). RYA sailing course dates for both children and adults, also including ladies only sailing, will be published once the government allows training to resume. 


Bespoke and individual sailing tuition

Bespoke training is available at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club for complete beginners through to racers; build your confidence and brush up on your skills. Private lessons are tailored to meet your needs and available at times to suit you. Sessions are 2.5 hours, please contact the club office for more details.


Tuition fees

One-2-One: Member £55, Non-member £65 
Group (max 3): Member £30 Member, Non-members £35 (per person)

Should the above dates not meet your requirements or indeed if you would like to discuss any other sailing tuition options including one-to-one lessons please do not hesitate to contact the Chief Instructor via the club office.

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Racing is an exciting and sociable way to develop your sailing. From beginners, through to club racers and preparing for higher level competition, there is a course for you.

Start Racing

A 2-day (16 hours) RYA course for those who have completed Level 2 in the National Sailing Scheme (Stage 3 for under 16s). You’ll learn all the skills required to start club racing, including how to maximise boat speed and outwit your opponents. After the course you’ll be able to take part in club racing in good conditions.

Intermediate Racing

A 2-day (16 hours) RYA course for those who have some experience of racing at club level. You’ll improve your racing technique and knowledge, build on your basic racing skills and improve the key principles of starting, boat handling, boat speed, strategy and tactics. The course will improve your core racing skills and enjoyment of racing - and better club results will follow!

Advanced Racing

A 2-day (16 hours) RYA course for those with several seasons experience of racing at club level. A predominantly practical course working on the key techniques and knowledge to enable you to take part in open meetings and regional competition.
 

Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]

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The RYA Dinghy Instructor course is a widely recognised teaching qualification that will equip you to inspire and teach the next generation. Taught by Club Chief Instructor, you’ll cover the RYA method, the structure of RYA and how to teach sailing.

This is the standard qualification for anyone wanting to teach dinghy sailing. During your training, you’ll learn how to coach the RYA syllabus, the skills of being a successful instructor, effective communication styles and teaching methods.

Course prerequisites

Prior to the course, candidates must fulfil the following requirements:
  • Minimum age 16 years 
  • Hold a valid first aid certificate
  • Hold an RYA Powerboat Level 2 certificate
  • Hold the RYA Safe and Fun Certificate and pre-course work completed (accessed within the RYA interactive online Safe & Fun course).
  • Have completed the pre-entry sailing assessment within 1 year prior to the instructor training course. 
The pre-entry course will need to be completed by all attendees of the Dinghy Instructor course regardless of their experience. The club can arrange courses to facilitate these qualifications.

Course fees

To secure a place on the RYA Dinghy Instructor course and pre-entry sailing assessment, please contact the Club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis.

Members: £300 (course and pre-entry assessment)
Non-members: £350 (course and pre-entry assessment)

Course dates

Contact the Club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]
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Our one-day course covers all the usual first aid subjects from a boating perspective. It is aimed at anyone who goes afloat, whether on inland waters, rivers, estuaries or on cross channel passages.

In a medical emergency a little first aid knowledge and immediate action can save lives, especially in remote locations. This one-day course is designed to provide a working knowledge of first aid for people using small craft and to support skippers.

It fulfils the requirements for:
  • professional skippers of small craft working within 60 miles of a safe haven, including Boatmasters;
  • the Senior First Aid certificate needed by offshore racers subject to ISAF's regulations on first aid training (OSR 4.08.4).
The course is recommended by the MCA and HSE. 

The subjects specific to boating include:
  • the recovery position in a confined space
  • CPR, including the drowning protocol
  • cold shock and hypothermia from immersion and/or exposure
  • seasickness and dehydration
  • medical assistance or advice by VHF
  • helicopter rescue


Course dates

18th & 19th May (evening course, 18:00 - 21:00)
13th June
15th & 16th June (evening course, 18:00 - 21:00)
20th June
21st August
22nd August


Course fees

To secure a place, please contact the club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis.

Members: £75
Non-members: £95
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This two-day course provides the skills and background knowledge needed to drive a powerboat and is the basis of the International Certificate of Competence (ICC).

The course provides all you need to know for self-sufficient powerboating at a basic level, including launching, mooring, anchoring and recovery plus all the boat driving skills required for basic competence in a powerboat. 

It includes close quarters handling, high speed manoeuvres, man overboard recovery and collision regulations. The course can be taken inland or on the coast and your certificate will be endorsed accordingly.

Ability after course: Self-sufficient powerboat in the right conditions, aware of own limitations and those of craft.

Minimum age: 12 years


Course fees

To secure a place, please contact the Club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis.

Members: £150 (group), £200 (2 to 1), £400 (1 to 1)
Non-members: £250 (group), £300 (2 to 1)

"I have completed the PB2 course and I would just like to pass on my thanks to the instructors who ran a very professional and informative course. All of the instructors were calm, reassuring and patient and I would certainly recommend them to friends!"

"We wanted to thank the instructors for teaching us about powerboats this weekend. We felt we learnt a great deal, although as with all things, the more you know the more you realise there is to learn! We both enjoyed it enormously and are looking forward to practising...maybe when the weather is a little warmer!"

Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]
 
This is a course is run by the Club Chief Instructor (Power), Andrew Eady. It does not carry with it an RYA qualification, but it is based on the RYA Safety Boat Course. Candidates must already have an RYA Powerboat Level 2 certificate and be a confident powerboat driver.
 
The one-day course is designed for those that help at Club events, and who may not necessarily drive the safety boat, but would like to gain some of the knowledge and skills to enable them to more effectively deal with safety of fleets and capsize situations as a crew.
 

Course fees

To secure a place, please contact the club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis. A minimum of 6 people are required for this course.
 
Members: £45 including lunch
Non-members: £45 including lunch
 

Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]
Over the winter the Royal Lymington Yacht Club runs a variety of sessions for members involved, or wishing to be involved, in the provision of racing and race events at the club. Members new to race management are particularly welcome. 

The sessions are, however, also designed to be a useful update to existing race team members, support boat drivers, marklayers, committee boat skippers and shore-based support. The sessions are provided free to members.
 

Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]
 
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A qualified RYA Level 2 Racing Coach is a good club racer with personal knowledge of club and/or regional racing and a broad basis of coaching skills. They will be able to deliver and award Start (can be delivered and awarded at RTCs only), Intermediate and Advanced Racing where appropriate, working at RYA affiliated clubs or recognised training centres.

The course to become an RYA Racing Coach L2 is an intense 2-3 days looking at the theory of coaching and applying it in a practical series of on the water exercises. Each candidate will be expected to run complete sessions including a brief, on the water exercises with feedback and a debrief. The aim of the course is to provide candidates with skills and techniques to coach racing to youth and adult sailors.  


Course prerequisites

  • A UK sailor working with UK clubs or the British Sailing team
  • Appropriate racing experience (good club racer)
  • Appropriate current racing knowledge (classes/ pathways)
  • RYA Powerboat Level 2 Powerboat Handling certificate
  • Have an approved and valid RYA First Aid certificate
  • An RYA member
  • Minimum age 16. Level 2 coaches aged under 18 should be appropriately supervised by an adult who is either a RYA Senior Instructor or a Racing Coach Level 2 or above.
  • Previous instructing experience is preferred but is not essential if the candidate has suitable alternative experience.
  • RYA Safe and Fun certificate  

Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]
 

Course fees

To secure a place, please contact the club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis.
 
Members: TBC
Non-members: TBC
 
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This two-day course provides the skills required when acting as an escort craft, safety boat or coach boat for a fleet of dinghies, windsurfers or canoes, and for racing or training activities. The course includes boat handling, rescue techniques for sailing dinghies, windsurfers and canoes, and tows.
 
After the course candidates will be able to provide safety cover to a range of craft, particularly sailing or windsurfing.
 

Course prerequisites

Suggested minimum pre-course experience include:
  • RYA Powerboat Level 2 certificate must be held prior to the course.
  • Minimum age 16.
  • Basic understanding of sailing boats.

 Course fees

To secure a place, please contact the club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis. A minimum of 6 people are required for this course.
 
Members: £95
Non-members: £195
 

Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]
 
During Lockdown, Roger Wilson recorded the Club Safety Boat Refresher Course. Find it below:



 
This two course is run by the Club Chief Instructor (Power), Andrew Eady. It is designed for those that help or would like to help at club events, who would like to gain some further knowledge and the skills to enable them to more effectively lay marks for various courses.

The course runs from 09:00 to 16:30.


Additional requirements

RYA Level 2 Powerboat Certificate


Course fees

To secure a place, please contact the club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis.
 
Members: £95 including lunch
Non-members: £95 including lunch
 

Course dates

Contact the club office on 01590 672677 or [email protected]

To secure a place, please contact the club office and pay for the full course fee. Places will be offered on a first come first served basis.
 

Book your training at RLymYC!


How to book on a course

To book on a course, complete a Training Course Form and pay the course fee to the club office. We accept cash, cheque or credit cards. Members may also use their club card either in person or via telephone or email. Your place will be secured once payment has been received in full.


Training for our volunteers

Royal Lymington Yacht Club believes that volunteers who contribute their time to the sailing programme should benefit from the opportunity to further their qualifications at a minimal cost. Therefore our course fees are considerably less than those charged at a commercial training centre. Officers responsible for each sailing or powerboating section will nominate volunteers who should be rewarded with priority places on training. RLymYC reserves the right to allocate course places to best suit volunteer training requirements. Non-member volunteers may also get priority but will be charged the non-member rate. At the Club’s discretion places maybe allocated in order to ensure the cost effectiveness of the course.

Cancellation policy

There will be no refunds for bespoke lessons. If you can't make a lesson which you have paid for, notice should be given within 7 days when an alternative date maybe be considered. The Club may cancel or postpone the lesson at any stage in the event of bad weather, equipment failure or otherwise during which an alternative date or refund will be offered.

Participants shall be guided by the RYA document Sailing & Racing in Mixed Households and by the control measures outlined in the Royal Lymington Yacht Club risk assessments for Dinghy Sailing and SUP, Pontoon and On The Water Activities and Clubhouse Operations.