Why Dinghy Sailors Should Try Yachting (and Vice Versa)
Learn to sail · Dinghy and yacht
Dinghy sailing and yachting can look like two different sports. One is fast, wet, and close to the water; the other is about long days, new harbours, and life on board. Underneath, they use the same skills, and each one makes you better at the other.
This guide explains what dinghy sailing teaches you, what yachting adds, and how to try the other side with Seafarer, whether that’s your first week on a yacht or your first go in a dinghy.
In short
Dinghy sailors should try yachting because their feel for the wind gives them a head start on an RYA yacht course, and a yacht opens up week-long cruising holidays. Yacht sailors should try dinghy sailing because a small boat reacts instantly, so you learn trim, balance, and wind awareness far faster. With Seafarer, dinghy sailors can start with RYA Start Yachting or Competent Crew in Greece, Croatia, or the UK, and yacht sailors can take an RYA Level 1 or Level 2 dinghy course at Nikiana Beach Club on Lefkas.
On this page
The same sport
Dinghy sailing and yachting: same skills, different boats
Whether you sail a Pico on a lake or a 45ft yacht across the Ionian, the wind works the same way. You still set the sails, balance the boat, and steer a course. What changes is the scale, the pace, and how quickly the boat tells you when you get it wrong.
Many great sailors started in dinghies such as Optimists and Toppers, and the skills they learned there carried them all the way to Olympic and America’s Cup racing. You don’t need to aim that high to benefit, though. A week on the other type of boat will make you a better sailor on your own.
Small boat, big lessons
What dinghy sailing teaches you
Instructors can often tell when a yacht student has a dinghy background. They already understand the RYA’s five essentials, and they have a sharp sense of where the wind is coming from. That head start shows from day one.
Wind awareness
In a dinghy, every gust and shift shows up straight away, so you learn to read the wind on the water before it reaches you.
Sail trim
Small changes to the sails make a big difference to speed, so you learn what good trim looks and feels like.
Balance and feel
You use your own weight to keep the boat flat, which builds a natural feel for heel and helm balance.
Quick reactions
Tacks, gybes, and capsizes happen fast, so you learn to think ahead and act calmly.
The RYA five essentials
Sail setting, balance, trim, centreboard, and course made good. They apply to every sailing boat, from a single-handed dinghy to a cruising yacht.
For dinghy sailors
From dinghy to yacht: your first week on board
If you already sail dinghies or windsurf, a yacht opens up a different kind of sailing: week-long holidays, new harbours every day, and evenings in a taverna instead of on the slipway. Your wind skills transfer straight across, so you can focus on what’s new, such as handling a bigger boat, working as a crew, and mooring up.
Start with an RYA yacht course
Take RYA Start Yachting for a taster, or RYA Competent Crew for a full week as active crew. You can train in Greece, Croatia, or the UK.
Or try a cabin charter
Prefer a holiday first? Book a cabin on one of our cabin charters, where a skipper runs the yacht and you can lend a hand as much as you like.
Then join a flotilla
Once you have the skills, a flotilla holiday lets you skipper your own yacht with a lead crew on hand.
For yacht sailors
From yacht to dinghy: sharpen your skills at Nikiana
If you already sail yachts, a week of dinghy sailing is one of the quickest ways to improve. A small boat reacts to every mistake, so you build the feel for trim and balance that a heavy yacht hides.
Nikiana Beach Club sits in a large bay on the north-east coast of Lefkas, with a fleet of dinghies that guests can use free of charge, weather permitting. To learn properly, book an RYA course with our instructors.
| Course | Who it’s for | Length and price |
|---|---|---|
| RYA Level 1 | Ages 14 and over, new to dinghies | Four half-days (12 hours), £99 |
| RYA Level 2 | Ages 14 and over, ready to sail independently | Four half-days (12 hours), £99 |
| RYA Stages 1 to 4 | Children aged seven to 13 | £99 |
Prices and details from the Nikiana Beach Club page. Courses cost extra on top of your holiday.
Sail and stay
Pair a week at Nikiana with a week on our Lefkas flotilla or a bareboat charter from Lefkas, and enjoy both kinds of sailing in one holiday.
Your next step
Which path suits you?
You sail dinghies
Try yachting
- RYA Start Yachting or Competent Crew
- Train in Greece, Croatia, or the UK
- Then skipper your own yacht on a flotilla
You sail yachts
Try dinghy sailing
- RYA Level 1 or Level 2 at Nikiana
- Free use of the dinghy fleet
- Add a week on the Lefkas flotilla
Whichever way you go, you’ll come back a more complete sailor. The techniques are the same on a small dinghy or a big yacht, and so is the simple pleasure of the wind in the sails.
Common questions
Dinghy sailing and yachting: your questions answered
Is dinghy sailing harder than yachting?
Dinghy sailing is more physical and less forgiving, because a small boat reacts instantly and can capsize. Yachting is steadier but adds new skills, such as crewing, navigation, and mooring a larger boat.
Do I need dinghy experience to learn on a yacht?
No. RYA Start Yachting and Competent Crew suit complete beginners. Dinghy experience simply gives you a head start with wind awareness and sail trim.
Can experienced yacht sailors take a beginner dinghy course?
Yes. Many yacht sailors start with RYA Level 1 at Nikiana and move quickly on to Level 2, as their sailing knowledge transfers well.
Can I combine dinghy sailing and a yacht holiday?
Yes. You can pair a week at Nikiana Beach Club with a week on our Lefkas flotilla or a bareboat charter from Lefkas.
Ready to try the other side?
Talk to us about your sailing holiday
Tell us how you sail now and what you’d like to try, and we’ll suggest the right course or holiday.
Call or email us
Monday to Friday 09:00 to 19:00 · Saturday 09:30 to 17:00
Book with confidence. Seafarer has run RYA training and sailing holidays since 1995, and every payment you make to us is financially protected: ATOL licence 9511 for holidays with flights, ABTOT member 5660 for holidays without.