Rye Watersports provides Royal Yachting Association dinghy sailing courses to children from seven years, on a safe coastal lake situated between Rye and Camber Sands.
Our dinghy sailing school is on the Kent and Sussex border, and only a forty-five minute drive from Tunbridge Wells. For people living in Sevenoaks it is just under an hour to get to us and, just over an hour from South London. Having the benefit of winds straight off the sea it is a perfect lake for children to learn to dinghy sail on as they don’t have to contend with the gusty conditions found on most inland waters.
Start Dinghy Sailing Stage 1
This sailing course is for children who have never sailed before but are keen to get into a boat and learn the basics. It is a brilliant introduction to the Royal Yachting Youth programme that teaches children all the basiscs to get them on board and sailing. Part of the course content covers launching and recovery, steering, sailing across the wind and upwind sailing. At the end of the the two day lesson all pupils should be proficient enough in their sailing skills to be awarded their Royal Yachting dinghy sailing Youth Level 1 certificate.
Dinghy Sailing Stage 2
The aim of this course is to become confident and self sufficient in a small boat in light to moderate winds. Ropework and collision avoidance are covered. Basic sailing skills are improved on aiming towards sailing round a triangular course unassisted. This is the benchmark certificate for all budding sailors as it allows you to hire a boat in RYA centres throughout the world!
Dinghy Sailing Stage 3
Introduction to the ‘five essentials’ tacking and gybing in stronger winds, and helming a boat on your own are covered in this next stage. Course content also includes: rigging, launching, and capsize recovery plus more advanced sailing techniques and manoeuvres. You should now be able to use your own judgement when dealing with any conditions and have the confidence to take charge if out with a more inexperienced sailor.
Dinghy Sailing Stage 4
The course content of stage 4 covers improving on all techniques in the previous stages + setting up a boat according to weather conditions and using sail and rig controls e.g. mast rake, reefing. You will become competent at ropework, knowing how to do reef knots, a bowline, clove hitch, rolling hitch, sheet bend. Effective use of the 5 essentials by helm and crew afloat must now be perfected. Returning to a beach jetty or mooring safely in any wind direction, and you will be shown how to recover a man overboard.
RYA Youth Sailing Seamanship Skills
It is essential to practice the skills you have learnt on the previous courses before progressing to advanced sailing. We will now introduce you to different types of sailing and by the end of the course expect you to be able to – heave to – reef afloat – recover MOB – be towed – anchor – sail backwards – sail in adverse circumstances. All aspects of ropework should now be perfected. We will teach you how to use an asymmetric spinnaker and race. This course will give you the confidence and skills to progress to any field of sailing you choose.
4 hr group coaching session
This four hour coaching session gives children the chance to get out on the water with an instructor between their RYA levels. It is also ideal for children who have progressed through the RYA stages but still want sessions with an instructor on hand to give guidance. Children must have stage 1 or above to participate.
For the Sailing Lesson
All equipment and wetsuit for the course is provided but not footwear. Please bring wetsuit boots or old trainers, or you can buy a pair of wetsuit boots in our shop, we keep all sizes in stock.
> Kids > Kids Windsurfing Lessons > Kids Camps
Powered by WordPress - Designed & Built by: