We are proud to have introduced thousands of people to sailing over the last 43 years. A large number of our sailors repeatedly book a week or two in the Greek Islands each summer, some of our flotilla sailors have even gone on to owning their own yacht! You will be amazed at how much you will learn about boating generally during your week or fortnight.

Our RYA Programme has gone from strength to strength and has become increasingly popular over the years. Learning to sail in the sunny Greek Islands is tough to beat – the RYA learning process is hugely informative and if you pass, the certificates are recognised in 55 countries.

Where and when do the RYA courses run?

Our RYA team are based out of Gouvia Marina on Corfu Island and Plataria on the Greek Mainland. We have three training yachts, two Dufour 36’s and one Bavaria 38 to choose from. The training season starts at the beginning of April and goes through to the end of the summer (October Half Term).

What places are you most likely to visit on an RYA Course?

You’ll set sail from either Gouvia Marina on Corfu Island or Plataria, this gives you access to the highlights of the Corfu archipelago of Islands. From your starting point you can head North up the eastern coast to visit places like Kassiopi or St Stephanos harbours.

You may also get the chance to visit one or two of the Faraway Islands where you can expect some exciting sailing along the way.

If you don’t head north, a southern route has plenty to offer as well. You can spend time on the mainland and call into Sayiadha or Sivota Mourtos. Sayiadha in particular is a popular stop on our RYA Courses as the harbour is perfect for practising stern-to mooring.

Your penultimate night stop is most likely to be Corfu Town Yacht Club. If you haven’t visited the town already, you’ll be able to walk through the old fort to explore the town by night, a very special place indeed!

Your instructor will also find time for some lovely bay stops along the way. After all, you’ll need to practice anchoring!

How long are the training courses?

That depends, if you are working towards an RYA Competent Crew or an RYA Day Skipper Certificate it is five days, although you’ll be sailing for one week.

For a more in-depth introduction to sailing, you could try our RYA Combined Course (which is both RYA Competent Crew and RYA Day Skipper Practical), this takes two weeks to achieve. Another popular option is adding on a flotilla holiday after an RYA course so you can put your newfound skills into action.

You can also add on an RYA VHF course to your RYA Competent Crew or Day Skipper course to boost your qualifications. This is useful if you want to charter a yacht, especially in Croatia as you need this certificate as a requirement by law to charter there.

We have an online learning portal for all of our RYA Competent Crew and Day Skipper students. This enables you to complete the theory part of the course in the comfort of your own home before heading out to Greece for the practical element.

The online courses are tailored to provide the skills particular to the Competent Crew and Day Skipper syllabus. We also provide supplementary RYA course materials to further aid each student.

This area of the course will help build knowledge and your instructor will be able to check on your progress before you arrive. We recommend allowing 30+ hours for the Day Skipper online theory and around 4 hours for Competent Crew online theory. Give yourself plenty of time so you’re not rushing to finish just before your week on the water!

RYA April Special Offer!

We're running a special offer on all April 2020 RYA bookings, if you book an RYA Course that sails in April you and your crew will receive £50pp off on any flotilla holiday booking in 2020. Click here for more details.

Conclusion

Becoming a confident sailor in the sunshine is an experience unlike any other. Learning to sail a yacht accompanied by fabulous weather helps to make the course all the more enjoyable. With the bonus of being able to visit some beautiful places along the way, the course combines the best parts of a holiday with a learning experience making it a trip of a lifetime.