42 Boating & Sailing courses

This 2 day course builds upon the basic knowledge and skills covered in the Level 2 course and is aimed at those who want to drive larger and more powerful powerboats and is a good step to progressing onto the Advanced course. This course covers the practical use of pilotage and passage planning by day on coastal waters using both traditional and electronic navigational techniques, boat preperation, cruising at planing speed, advanced boat handlingand man overboard drills. By the end of the course you will be able to plan and execute short coastal passages by day. It is strongly recommended that candidates hold a first aid certificate and a VHF/SRC operator's certificate. Power Courses Our powerboat training is currently delivered on an MCA coded 7.8m Ribcraft with a 200hp Suzuki four stroke outboard engine and an E-series Raymarine chart plotter. We maintain a 3:1 student to instructor ratio which allows our experienced RYA instructors to tailor courses to the various levels and needs on board and deliver at a manageable pace. All course costs include tea and coffee, waterproofs are available on request.

Providing the skills and background knowledge required of a competent powerboat driver, this is a beginner 2 day course . The course is split in half to cover theory and practical, where the theory is applied. subjects covered include low speed close quarters handling, man overboard recovery, an introduction to driving at planing speed, and collision regulations. By the end of the course you will be a self-sufficient powerboater in the right conditions and be aware of your own limitations and those of the craft. Power Courses Our powerboat training is currently delivered on an MCA coded 7.8m Ribcraft with a 200hp Suzuki four stroke outboard engine and an E-series Raymarine chart plotter. We maintain a 3:1 student to instructor ratio which allows our experienced RYA instructors to tailor courses to the various levels and needs on board and deliver at a manageable pace. All course costs include tea and coffee, waterproofs are available on request.

The RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased course is for experienced sailors. The course builds on the theory learnt on the Day Skipper course, which is the knowledge level required at the outset of this course. It will give you the experience and confidence to plan and achieve your passage in offshore and coastal routes. Unlike the Day Skipper course, it includes precision tidal calculations. The course will increase your theory knowledge to the required standard for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore exams, concentrating on advanced navigation, IRPCS and meteorology subjects. This is an intense six day course, from 0900 hrs to 1700 hrs every day (1 hr for lunch plus 2 x 15 min breaks), that will teach you advanced navigation techniques. The syllabus contains: position fixing course shaping and plotting tidal knowledge use of almanacs and admiralty publications electronic position finding equipment taking and interpreting forecasts plotting weather systems weather predictions using a barometer and by observation collision regulations customs and excise regulations for cruising abroad

The Day Skipper shore based course sits in the RYA Syllabus as preamble to the Day Skipper practical course and will give the aspiring skipper the knowledge that is needed to navigate familiar water. The course also provides an introduction to lights to help you on your way with sailing in the dark. The course will give you the confidence to be able to plan your passage on inshore and coastal routes, and ensure that you and your crew are safe. The course includes: Basics of seamanship Essentials of inshore navigation and pilotage Chartwork (plotting tidal streams, estimated positions and courses to steer) Electronic charts Position fixing Passage planning Weather forecasting and meteorology Tidal height calculations Collision regulations Construction, parts and equipment of a cruising boat Emergency and safety procedures including distress calls, the use of flares, safety harnesses, lifejackets and liferafts

The RYA Start Yachting course is designed to give a taste of sailing over two days and nights and requires no previous experience. The course is for beginners who are interested in sailing. Our experienced instructors will guide you through health and safety and make sure that you are comfortable. We can advise on clothing for the trip too. You will live on board one of our yachts for the weekend, with up to four other crew members plus the instructor. There will be a mixture of experience which means that there will be other crew members who can give you a helping hand. Cooking will be shared between the crew to add to the experience. By the end of the weekend you will have learnt how to steer a course, handle the lines, tie knots - and, most importantly, find out if you have a natural talent or just love sailing!

Arguably one of the most important skills for any skipper is berthing the vessel and leaving the berth in any conditions and lowered visibility. Join us on unique course focused on pontoon and mooring practices led by one of our most experienced senior instructors. All your questions will be answered during the course and you will get the opportunity of extremely extensive training and practise of handling the vessel in any conditions. Take stress away from those approaches in harsh conditions or night time. During the weekend we will focus on: Weather conditions and forecast; Correct use of lines and fenders; Coming alongside; Crew management; Setting the appropriate lines; Turning in tight spaces. This course starts on Friday evening at 6.30 and finishes around 3pm on Sunday afternoon.

This one day course is an introduction to powerboating includes boating techniques for launching and recovering a boat from a road trailer, everyday boat handling and the use of safety equipment. By the end of the course you will be able to drive a powerboat under supervision. Power Courses Our powerboat training is currently delivered on an MCA coded 7.8m Ribcraft with a 200hp Suzuki four stroke outboard engine and an E-series Raymarine chart plotter. We maintain a 3:1 student to instructor ratio which allows our experienced RYA instructors to tailor courses to the various levels and needs on board and deliver at a manageable pace. All course costs include tea and coffee, waterproofs are available on request.

This is an essential course for all new or inexperienced skippers and crew, and perfect for anyone who wants to be involved in activities on the water from sailing, powerboating, sea angling or diving. The course works well as a refresher, or sits alongside Introduction to Yachting or Powerboat Level 2. The course will give you the essential knowledge when you are on board, from passage planning to safety and navigation. The syllabus will take 16 hours and we run it over a weekend or over short sessions: Charts, publications and terms. Buoyage Navigation Pilotage Tides Electronic Navigation Anchoring Rules of the road Weather Forecasts Safety Passage Planning

Whether you are a novice or a seasoned professional – the RYA Powerboat Level 2 Training could be the right Course for you. Our Courses will provide you with the key skills you need to be safely confident and competent on the water with a powerboat.

The RYA Powerboat Instructor Skills Assessment is a mandatory requirement ahead of all Powerboat Instructor courses. Course Duration 1/2 day for each group of 3 attendees. If we have 6 attending then one group will go afloat in the morning and another in the afternoon with an overlap at lunchtime to address the theory element of the assessment. Instructor – student ratio 3 students to 1 Powerboat Trainer per boat. Minimum Age Those over the age of 16 can attend the assessment. Course price For those attending the RYA Powerboat Instructor course with us the cost of the assessment is £150. Course dates You can attend a pre-assessment at any time up to 6 months before your course. Assessments are always scheduled the day before a instructors course for those that can’t get to the centre ahead of the course. We are usually happy to schedule dates for assessments to suit your diary. Candidates for the pre-assessment will be expected to demonstrate competence in Hold off a mark Pick up and secure to a buoy Moor alongside up/downtide Turn using warps Turn in a confined space Recover a man overboard (dummy) Stop and start the engine Planing speed runs including figure 8 and ‘U’ turns Theory including charts, tides, buoyage, colregs and pilotage RYA Instructor Training At Torbay Sea School we have trained many RYA Instructors who have gone on to instruct with us, other RYA training centres or as freelance instructors. During the course of your general RYA training you will have gained all the skills necessary to sail, motor or power boat with confidence to a high standard. The following courses consolidate all those skills and give you the tools required to instruct others to gain their RYA qualifications. You will be able to utilise our Instructors experience and our boats/equipment to feel at ease with instructing others.