"Fantastic location &
instruction!"
Bay Sea School is unique in the North West. It's the 'go-to' place for adults to learn to sail on the sea on a small yacht (also called a keelboat).
This RYA Training Centre is different in other ways too. John, the Principal & Chief Instructor is no ordinary dinghy sailing instructor but a highly experienced Yachtmaster Instructor & Examiner. He's winner of the RYA 'Instructor of the Year' award too. His professional work also includes inspecting other training centres for the RYA so your safety on the water is very important at Bay Sea School.
Scroll down the page for course dates, booking form & joining instructions.
Beginners to Improvers (4 days tuition in total - Level 1 followed by Level 2)
- Level 1 Start Sailing - 2-day course. A gentle introduction to keelboat/yacht sailing on the sea for complete beginners or those with some experience as crew.
- Level 2 Basic Skills - 2-day course. Develop your sailing skills as the skipper. All the basic skills introduced in Level 1 are repeated. You get better with more practice and go into a bit more detail in the theory sessions. Additional topics include: synoptic charts; tidal sailing techniques; all points of sail & better sail settings; reefing; MOB & anchoring under sail.
As a complete beginner you'll be amazed how much you pick up during your first two days of sailing tuition on Level 1. Then over a total of four days tuition (Level 1 followed soon after by Level 2) you'll experience all the basics of how to skipper & crew a small yacht on the sea.
While keelboat sailing is more user friendly than dinghy sailing you still need a level of mobility to board the yacht from the inflatable dinghy & move promptly from a seated position on one side of the boat to the other when the boat changes direction. Please contact John if you'd like to have a chat about this.
Bay Sea School normally restrict numbers on their keelboat courses to 3 students but can accommodate 4 when required. On these learn to sail courses the instructor stays with you on the yacht providing personalised instruction throughout your course.
When you book a 2-day beginner level course you can work towards Level 1 or Level 2. You can decide which level is right for you after you've had a chance to experience what's involved. Because of the additional experiences of tidal sailing most people generally opt for Level 1. It gives them more time to absorb all the extra skills involved in keelboat sailing on the sea.
Expert sailors know the best way to learn to sail is on a small boat rather than on a larger cruising yacht. Keelboats are the perfect option for adult beginners interested in yacht sailing & cruising. With a winning combination of manoeuvrability and stability they're the ideal choice if small dinghies aren't your thing!
Keelboats also provide a great hands-on feel for sailing like a dinghy but with several key advantages: keelboats are bigger with more room to move around; the rigging & control lines are similar to a cruising yacht and most importantly they've a fixed keel underneath which stops the boat from capsizing.
These excellent RYA keelboat courses cover the basic dinghy learn to sail syllabus adapted for yacht sailing on the sea. And learning to sail with Bay Sea School you'll be taught by mature instructors, John & Deirdre, both of whom are Yachtmasters with over 25 years sailing experience on the sea!
To read more about learning to sail follow the link. Or, book your learn to sail course now from the dates below.
If your dream is a cruising holiday in the Mediterranean, here's a useful pathway through the various RYA courses to becoming a Day Skipper and gaining your ICC (International Certificate of Competence).
Your course fee includes:
- RYA Sailing Logbook (G4)
- Bay Sea School's unique course notes
- RYA course completion certificate
- Use of sailing waterproof trousers & jackets if required (adult sizes small to extra-large)
- All the necessary safety equipment including auto inflate life-jacket
If the weather is unsuitable for sailing, alternative dates will be agreed. Read Terms & Conditions.
Please make a note of your start time when booking your course.
The second day sometimes starts up to an hour later depending on the tide.
| Start | Time | Finish | Places Available |
| Thu 4/7/2019 | 9 am | Fri 5/7/2019 | FULL |
| Sat 6/7/2019 | 1030 am | Sun 7/7/2019 | FULL |
| Tue 16/7/2019 | 8.30 | Wed 17/7/2019 | FULL |
| Thu 18/7/2019 | 9 am | Fri 19/7/2019 | FULL |
| Thu 1/8/2019 | 8.30 am | Fri 2/8/2019 | 1 |
| Sat 3/8/2019 | 9.30 am | Sun 4/8/2019 | FULL |
| Thu 15/8/2019 | 9 am | Fri 16/8/2019 | 3 |
| Mon 19/8/2019 | 1030 am | Tue 20/8/2019 | 2 |
| Sat 31/8/2019 | 9 am | Sun 1/9/2019 | FULL |
| Wed 4/9/2019 | 11 am | Thu 5/9/2019 | 3 |
| Sat 14/9/2019 | 9 am | Sun 15/9/2019 | 3 |
| Mon 16/9/2019 | 9 am | Tue 17/9/2019 | 3 |
| Wed 18/9/2019 | 1030 am | Thu 19/9/2019 | 3 |
Click here for course joining instructions
"Patient and calm instructors. Different modes of learning. Felt able to ask questions and make mistakes. Great activities and tasks"
"Instructors have great knowledge and can pass this knowledge on in a very pleasant and efficient way"
"Patient explanation and good humour"
"Excellent throughout. Great teaching. Practical tutorship brilliant. (Weather perfect!)"
"Learnt a lot in 2 days!"
" The whole day was terrific. I really enjoyed it"
"The instructors complemented each other and were really knowledgeable"
I most liked...
"the balance of theory & practical and the opportunity for plenty of 'hands-on' practice.
Deirdre's explanation of rules of the road was excellent"
"the personal attention of the instructor, the boat and equipment"
"how the theory backed up the practical & the amount of practical"
"the detail and thoroughness of the instruction"
"gaining a clearer understanding of the basic skillsto improve my overall confidence"
"the feeling of sailing close to the wind and how everyone worked as a team"
"Excellent good all-round course. Deirdre is an excellent teacher"