This video gives you and introduction to sailing and a flavour of some of things we cover during training.
Tuesday evenings are our training sessions and everyone, at any level, is welcome to participate – from absolute beginners to those who already race. We group participants and train based on abilities so everyone is engaged – we concentrate mostly on practical skills while covering all aspects of sailing.
What does the Training cover?
Although we don’t have a strict syllabus, we aim to cover a range of topics relevant to help attendees progress from basic sailing through to basic race training (if they wish). The topics we cover are broadly the same as the RYA training schemes (excluding things like sailing on the sea etc) but, while most of our trainers are RYA qualified, we don’t provide formal certification. Instead we aim to give trainees ongoing, practical and thorough instruction to embed the ability to sail well – with the confidence to face as many different situations as possible, looking after themselves and others on the water. Once you’ve reached ‘competent’ level you’re welcome to sail on other days where the club is open to join in club racing. (Which is a fantastic opportunity to improve your sailing skills even if you are not competitive).
Other than a briefing/debrief, we leave classroom sessions for when the weather is bad, so some learning by trainees is needed at home – particularly for things like terminology, ‘rules of the road’ and practicing knots.
If you want to have a feel for the areas we cover, have a look at the ‘Training Record’ documents which are available on the web site in the ‘Sail/Learn/Join’ menu (Junior / Adult).
How quickly will I Progress?
Progression is down to so many factors that we can’t be specific but, it’s possible that one full season will get you to a point of understanding the basics of sailing in practice and being able to rig and derig a boat with the minimal of help. Two seasons could get you to being ‘competent’ to sail on your own and looking to progress and improve your technique. Having said that, we aim for a relaxed atmosphere and we encourage everyone to progress at your own pace: If you are very enthusiastic (and maybe have some previous experience) you might get to the ‘competent’ level within one season, while others may wish to take a more relaxed approach and primarily enjoy the social aspect and atmosphere – The important thing is to enjoy sailing and we will cater to everyone’s needs and preferences.
Do I need a boat of my own?
We have club boats available so you don’t need your own, but they are shared between everyone coming so are usually 2-up for juniors (and occasionally alternating). If you’ve attended our sessions for a season or two we recommend that you consider buying your own boat. Not only will you get the benefit of not having to share but you’ll also know the boat is personally cared for. It also means that the club boats are available for newer trainees. Our experienced members will be more than happy to make recommendations and help you make a purchase.
What kit do I need?
Initially you only need are clothes that you hare happy to get wet, especially trainers, a towel and change of clothing, just in case. We provide buoyancy aids, some waterproof tops and we have some wetsuits (almost all in junior sizes). If you don’t have a wetsuit we will probably keep you off the water if the weather isn’t appropriate and there is an increased risk of capsize in cold water. However, capsizing is a normal part of sailing and you will need to do it at some point! We’ll discuss what to wear and, as you progress, you may want to buy your own kit. We recommend protective gloves as a first purchase, but cheap gardening or working gloves are more than adequate, as long as they can grip ropes and cope with being wet.
What about times and dates?
On the night, the aim is for juniors to be changed, rigged ready for a briefing at about 6pm before getting on the water – they can arrive from 5pm (food is available). Adults should be arriving from about 6pm to be on the water (after a briefing) by 7pm. The end of the evening will vary according to daylight and weather but we would be aiming for the juniors to come off from about 7.30pm and the adults 8.30pm. After the sessions we try to have a debrief to go through what we have covered and what to think about for next week.
Our Tuesday evening sessions start from around the beginning of April and run through to the end of July. There are usually some informal and more social sessions carrying on through August (and September while the light and weather hold out) for those adults who are fully competent to sail on their own (Competent Juniors who have sailing parents to look after them are also welcome).
Because we don’t follow a formal syllabus you can join at any point in the season, and you can choose to attend as many Tuesday nights as you wish (obviously though, the more you attend the faster you will progress). It probably isn’t worth starting from scratch after the end of June, however, as you will not have enough training before the end of the training to get to a basic level.
…and Juniors?
Our junior sailors are supervised separately to adults but can all be on the water at once (See above for timings on the evening). We try and cater for all levels of ability and experience, ensuring a positive and friendly atmosphere, so everyone can progress at their preferred rate.
Please note that all under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult for the whole time they are at the club (Although Trainers are DBS checked, they do not take over responsibility for the juniors). It’s also worth noting that both adults and Juniors may be in the changing rooms together.
How much does it Cost?
Everything at the club is run by volunteers and we don’t charge for training – we just want as many people as possible to learn and enjoy sailing 😊. To benefit from this you need to become a club member and learn about our unique Pay What You Can membership then click here >
What do I do Next?
If you want to see what we do you can book a tour of the club on a Tuesday evening. If you want to join as a member then please join the waiting list here >
It would be useful if you can print off a copy of the appropriate Training Record and bring it with you please – we keep them at the club for the Juniors but adults look after their own (so you can refer to it before or after the sessions). Please look on the website under the ‘Sail/Learn/Join’ menu for these.
If you have any questions or for further information please contact our Sailing Coach at training@yeadonsailingclub.co.uk.
If you have questions about membership please have a look here or contact our Membership Secretary at membership@yeadonsailingclub.co.uk.