At Personally Tailored School of Yachting we offer specialized courses for sailors wishing to improve specific areas of their knowledge and experience.

At Personally Tailored School of Yachting we offer specialized courses for sailors wishing to improve specific areas of their knowledge and experience.

• Close Quarter Manoeuvring
• Race Training
• Spinnaker & Asymmetric Kite Flying
• Mileage Building & Passage Planning
• Heavy Weather Techniques

We have found from client feedback that even qualified sailors appreciate further tuition and experience in these areas.

CLOSE QUARTER MANOEUVRING

Two-day course. Dates Prices

This is one of our most popular courses. All sailors, from Competent Crew to Yacht Masters, benefit from this two-day course. This can be taken at either a weekend or during the week.

Accidents are most common when bringing the yacht into berth. The pressure on the skipper to affect this manoeuvre is intense. He is responsible for the safety of his crew and for avoiding damage to his own craft as well as other boats in the marina. Participants will gain confidence by experiencing berthing in difficult situations as well as obtaining a sound knowledge of how to use the tide and wind to facilitate safe mooring. Being prepared for problems such as loss of electricity or engine power is another area covered by the course.

Sailors can book this course individually or as a group of friends or colleagues. Some sailing experience is necessary but no qualifications are required. This is not a test but two days of invaluable experience conducted in a fun atmosphere.

RACE TRAINING

Two or three-day courses. Dates Prices

Race training is given on our Maxi 1050 and Reflex 38s yachts. This course is thrilling and exciting and encourages all members to work closely as a team. All areas of yacht racing techniques are covered, including:

• Tactical Navigation
• Bowman
• Pit
• Helming
• Raising and lowering of kites
• Start lines
• Rounding of marks

Depending on the amount of students on the course there will be a race against a similar yacht and crewed by sailors who have received identical instruction.

Contact us for more information about group or individual bookings.

During the summer months for a real thrill and an unforgettable experience, take a day on an offshore ocean-going race yacht - the Farr 65. This will test skill and technique to the limit and give a day of incredible excitement.

SPINNAKER/CRUISING CHUTE & ASYMMETRIC TRAINING

Dates Prices

These sails are not officially taught in any part of the RYA syllabus and it is not uncommon for qualified Yacht Masters to have little or no experience of flying them. There are many horror stories and accompanying photographs of yachts wiping out and broaching spectacularly simply because sailors have not been instructed in any of their formal courses.

There is no secret to flying these sails. Learn exactly how to hoist and trip these fantastic sails and then exploit their use in a controlled teaching environment. Become experienced and confident in downwind sailing by joining one of our courses.

MILEAGE BUILDING & PASSAGE PLANNING

Various dates and prices, see both these links: Dates Prices

A chance to sail outside the confines of The Solent by crossing the Channel to small French ports or The Channel Isles! Gain further experience or simply increase logbook miles on the way to your next qualification - whatever the motive this course is enriching, challenging and fun.

Please look at our diary for dates.

HEAVY WEATHER SAILING TECHNIQUES

Three or Five days. Dates Prices

This course requires a minimum level of experience of Day Skipper, Sea Survival, First Aid and VHF. and involves half a day in the classroom followed by three days at sea. This is not a course for anyone who thinks sailing in bad weather is fun. Safety is paramount and this course is designed to give vital information about riding out the weather and making life as comfortable as possible in survival conditions.

Everyone suffers from seasickness at some time or another, but a skipper must know how to cope when his crew are incapacitated and the manpower is down to dangerous levels. Storm jibs - removing the main sail and headsail - using a sea anchor - hypothermia - removing the boom -

living on board for a prolonged period - sleep deprivation - recovering a man from the water - sectored searching when a man is lost in the water. There are many facets of heavy weather sailing and these will all be covered by the course.

Due to the nature of this course it is normally held during the winter months and therefore good personal equipment is required. These days are extremely challenging and intensely rewarding. Please contact us for further details and we can then advise whether this course is appropriate.

CHARTER A BERTH

Various dates and prices. Dates & Prices

The easy way to get some additional experience and training without having to organise a crew or skipper. More details.