Adult Sailing
Take your sailing to the next level.
We run courses for dinghy, keelboat, and multihull for every RYA Level below.
JYC Academy offers a full range of courses for all abilities, whether it’s your first time in a boat or you have plenty of experience on the water already.
All of our courses are led by expert RYA-certified instructors, in small groups with a maximum ratio of 6 students per instructor for personalized attention. Teaching alternates between on-water training and classroom learning, adapting to the specific needs of the group, weather conditions, and the requirements of the curriculum.
RYA Level 2
Basic Skills
Build on the skills from the previous level while learning new ones, guiding you on your path to becoming an independent sailor. Learn to rig with minimal help, understand how to launch a boat in different wind directions, and execute basic sailing maneuvers. Also covering essential safety knowledge, by the end of the program you’ll be capable of sailing in light winds without the need for an instructor onboard. To take this course, sailing ability and theoretical knowledge is assumed to be up to a Level 1 standard.
RYA Level 1
Start Sailing
The perfect introduction to sailing. Get practical hands-on experience learning how to sail in all directions, as well as rigging, wind awareness, launching and recovery, and everything else you need to get started while under supervision. As the start of your sailing journey, no previous knowledge is required.
RYA Level 3
Better Sailing
Now you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to really start sailing efficiently. In Level 3, we aim to maximize water time, consolidating your sailing skills across a variety of conditions and developing technique and skills in preparation for the advanced modules. Level 3 can include taster elements of Seamanship, Racing and Spinnakers, which you can choose depending on your personal sailing goals. To take this course, sailing ability and theoretical knowledge is assumed to be up to a Level 2 standard.
Advanced Sailing
Once you’ve mastered Level 3, the next step is to move onto our advanced sailing courses. These are designed to really hone your sailing skills, and get you ready for racing on the water.
RYA Seamanship
Skills
The RYA Seamanship skills course is aimed at competent sailors who are looking to improve a broad range of skills, learn independent thinking, and get even more from their time on the water. With an emphasis on advanced maneuvers and seamanship decisions, by the end of this course you will see a real improvement in your doublehander helming skills and boat positioning. Maneuvers include sailing backwards, sailing with no rudder or centreboard, anchoring, reefing afloat, recovery of a man overboard and being towed. Assumed knowledge: Sailing skills to a Level 3 standard
RYA Performance
Sailing
Want to sail faster in a high performance boat? This course is about understanding the forces on your boat, how to channel them in light winds and neutralize them in strong winds. The focus is on improving your boat handling skills and sailing performance, primarily in two person boats with spinnakers, and involves coaching from powerboats. By the end of this course, you’ll be able to confidently sail performance boats in all wind states, whether at high speeds on the water or launching and recovering in unstable conditions. Assumed knowledge: Sailing skills to a Level 3 standard, recommended to have Seamanship and Spinnaker courses too
RYA Dinghy
Start Racing
Ideal for aspiring dinghy racers. From fun racing to regattas, you’ll learn the fundamentals you need to know to get off the start line and around the course. The program covers mark rounding, pre-start boat handling at slow speed, transits, clean wind, tuning, race strategy, and much more. Upon completion, you’ll have all the skills required to start club racing, including how to maximize boat speed and outwit your opponents. Assumed knowledge: Sailing skills to at least a Level 2 standard
RYA Sailing
with Spinnakers
Learn to sail a boat confidently with either conventional or asymmetric spinnakers. If you're interested in racing, mastering the spinnaker is crucial, as it gives you a significant advantage in downwind legs of a race. Learn how to rig the boat, jibe and recover with one type of spinnaker (whether you opt for symmetric or asymmetric). By the end of the course, you’ll be competent in spinnaker hoisting, dropping and jibing, and how to sail the best possible course downwind. Assumed knowledge: Sailing skills to a Level 3 standard
