Sail Training Spring 2025
* Application Form will be live from 31 January *
We are offering two separate courses this year just after Easter :-
Improvers
4 sessions starting 20 April
RYA Junior Stages 2 & 3 / Adult Level 2
Beginners
4 sessions starting 18 May
RYA Junior Stages 1-2 / Adult Level 1
- You must be a member of DYC before you start your training course. You’ll have to pay your club membership fee AND the sailing course fee. You can take out temporary membership of DYC for £40 OR a full year’s membership – see the Join Us page for details.
- Cost for the course is £110 per person. This includes boat use, support boat cover, instruction afloat & ashore, RYA books and certification, insurance, loan of buoyancy aid.
- The training group will be directly supervised by a RYA-qualified Senior Instructor.
- 10 places are available on each course. Youngsters should be at least 10 years old.
- An on-screen introductory session will give beginners practical advice.
- Sessions afloat will take place mainly on Sundays. Start times will vary because of tides (see table below).
- We will use mainly 2-handers (Argos, Wayfarers, Fevas) for the Improvers course and single-handers (Toppers & Qubas) for the Beginners.
- You will need to be fit/mobile enough to get in and out of a small dinghy fairly easily and move around the boat during manoevres
- In the event of a no-sail we will work ashore on theory and practical tasks. If sessions have to be shortened youngsters’ families will be contacted.
Course Programme
| Date | Session | Start | Finish | High Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thur 27 Mar | Introductory evening improvers | 19:30 | 20:15 | – |
| Thur 24 Apr | Introductory evening beginners | 19:30 | 20:15 | – |
| Sun 20 Apr | Improvers 1 | 14:00 | 18:30 | 17:27 |
| Sun 27 Apr | Improvers 2 | 09:30 | 13:45 | 12:45 |
| Sun 4 May | Improvers 3 | 15:00 | 19:15 | 18:15 |
| Sat 10 May | Improvers 4 | 09:00 | 13:00 | 12:02 |
| Sun 18 May | Beginners 1 | 13:00 | 17:30 | 16:32 |
| Mon 26 May | Beginners 2 | 09:00 | 13:15 | 12:20 |
| Sun 1 Jun | Beginners 3 | 13:30 | 18:00 | 17:02 |
| Sun 8 Jun | Beginners 4 | 09:00 | 12:15 | 11:20 |
Equipment Checklist
- Warm clothes that are OK to get wet; hat & gloves/mittens
- Several thin layers or wetsuit & layers
- Water- & wind-proof jacket and trousers (or spraysuit)
- Buoyancy aid (we advise you to buy your own but you can borrow one from us)
- Wetsuit boots or other suitable footwear like old trainers (not garden wellies)
- Towel and change of clothes
- Your LOGBOOK if you have done a previous course
Cancellation Policy
- In the event of a ‘no sail’ being declared for an individual session we will cover elements of theory and undertake practical activities on land so trainees will still gain valuable experience and practice. In the event of DYC having to cancel any sailing sessions before the date of the sessions we will refund an appropriate fraction of the course fee. In the event of DYC having to cancel the course your course fee will be refunded in full.
- If applicants have to miss individual sessions unfortunately we will not be able to arrange a refund. In the event of an applicant having to cancel their application for the course we will endeavour to find a new applicant. If successful, a refund will be arranged.
- We will always try to be flexible if people’s circumstances change so individual cases will be looked at on their merits.
Steve Scholey
Chief Instructor (dinghy sailing), DYC
January 2025