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 sails, 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
We accept bookings from members and non-members on a first come, first served basis. If the course is full, please email us at
sail@rlymyc.org.uk with details of the course on which you would like to book and we will add you to our waiting list with a view to scheduling a new course as soon as possible.