Advice on sailing for beginners
Sailing for Beginners
Never sailed before? You’re in good company. Learn on an RYA course in the sun, try every watersport at a beach club, or let a professional skipper take the helm while you find your sea legs.
Your first step
Five ways to start sailing
None of them needs any experience. Choose how hands-on you want to be, and we will match you with the right yacht, crew and destination.
Learn on an RYA course
Live aboard a training yacht for a week while an RYA instructor teaches you the ropes, and come home with a recognised certificate.
Try everything at a beach club
Dinghies, windsurfers, kayaks and paddleboards, with friendly instructors on hand and a day or sunset sail on a yacht during the week.
Join a skippered flotilla
A professional skipper sails your yacht as part of a small, sociable fleet, with a lead crew looking after everyone and organising the fun ashore.
Book a cabin on a skippered yacht
Come alone, as a couple or with friends and book by the cabin, then island hop in the Ionian, the Cyclades or Thailand with a small crew.
Charter a yacht with a skipper
Have a whole yacht to yourselves, with a professional skipper, in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or further afield.
Sailing for beginners: RYA sail training
The surest way to sail with confidence is to learn properly. Our RYA training centres in Greece, Croatia and on the UK’s south coast teach the whole RYA scheme in small groups, and the first two courses need no sailing experience at all.
In Greece you live aboard a training yacht at Agia Eufimia on Kefalonia, in the sheltered heart of the Ionian. In Croatia, courses sail from ACI Marina Vodice through the Šibenik archipelago to the Kornati islands. Both run six training days, in English.
Prefer dinghies and boards? At Nikiana Beach Club on Lefkas, our watersports training centre runs RYA courses at all levels in dinghy sailing, multihulls, windsurfing and powerboating. And if you would like to make a career of it, the Seafarer Sailing & Windsurfing Academy can make you an RYA dinghy or windsurf instructor in as little as five intensive weeks.
From first-timer to skipper
- 1No experience neededRYA Start YachtingA relaxed taster of life aboard, from age 8.
- 2No experience neededRYA Competent CrewBecome a confident, useful member of the crew, from age 12.
- 3TheoryRYA Day Skipper ShorebasedNavigation, weather and the rules of the road, studied online at your own pace.
- 4PracticalRYA Day Skipper PracticalSkipper a yacht yourself on a flotilla, and qualify for the ICC. From age 16.
- 5Next levelRYA Coastal Skipper PracticalLonger passages, and the experience for bareboat charter.
Sailing courses for beginners
Three RYA training centres, one standard: small groups, RYA-qualified instructors and courses for every level, from your first day aboard to Coastal Skipper. Choose a centre for dates, prices and course details.
GreeceGreece Training Centre
Agia Eufimia, Kefalonia · 6-day courses
Warm, sheltered waters with relaxed island passages. Many summer dates run alongside our flotillas, with access to kids’ clubs.
Best for
- First-timers
- Competent Crew
- Day Skipper Practical
View the school
- Croatia
Croatia Training Centre
ACI Marina Vodice · 6-day courses
Varied conditions between historic harbours and anchorages, in sheltered seas that are great for building skills and confidence.
Best for
- Competent Crew
- Day Skipper Practical
- Coastal Skipper Practical
View the school
- UK
South Coast UK Training Centre
Southampton · 5-day courses and weekend refreshers
Structured tidal practice with expert RYA instructors, and ideal preparation for sailing abroad.
Best for
- Day Skipper Practical
- Refreshers
- Tidal experience
View the school
Sailing for beginners: beach club holidays
Not ready for a course yet? A beach club week lets you try dinghy sailing, windsurfing, sea kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding with friendly instructors on hand, plus a day or sunset sail on a yacht. By the end of the week you will probably have a favourite, and a reason to come back.
Nikiana Beach Club
Unlimited dinghy sailing, windsurfing and paddleboarding at a small, friendly club on Lefkas.
- Club
- 60 guests
- Watersports
- Included
- Kids clubs
- Free*
*Kids clubs free in the school holidays
From £595 ppFlights & transfers included- New for 2027
Poseidon Beach Club
Unlimited watersports on Kanali Beach, with a pool and a beach taverna.
- Hotel
- 54 rooms
- Watersports
- Included
- Kids clubs
- Free*
*Kids clubs free in the school holidays
From £765 ppFlights & transfers included Kefalos Windsurfing Centre
Windsurfing and wing foiling packages on Kos, with first-class kit in an uncrowded bay.
- Sports
- Windsurf, wing
- Wind
- Force 4–6
- Hotel
- On the beach
From £566 ppTransfers included
Skippered, cabin charter or flotilla
What is the best sailing holiday for beginners?
One where a professional skipper takes charge of the yacht. You get all the joys of sailing, from new harbours to swimming stops, with no qualifications needed, and you can join in as much or as little as you like. There are three ways to do it.
Skippered Flotilla Sailing
A professional skipper on your own yacht, plus all the support of the flotilla lead crew.
- Skipper
- On board
- Experience
- None needed
- Season
- Apr–Oct
Skipper from £1,295 a week, plus the yachtSkippered Yacht Charter
A private yacht with your own skipper: no sailing experience needed, just a sense of adventure.
- Skipper
- Included
- Experience
- None needed
- Trip
- 7 days
Tailor-made: get a quote
- Solo travellers, couples and friends
Cabin charter
Book a single cabin on a skippered yacht and island hop with a small crew. Your skipper sails and acts as your guide, and you can be ‘hands on’ or ‘feet up’: the choice is yours.
- You book
- One cabin, not the whole yacht
- Greece
- A week from Lefkas in the Ionian or from Mykonos in the Cyclades
- Thailand
- Ten nights through Phang Nga Bay, January to April
Two holidays in one: combine a flotilla week with a week ashore at a beach club on Lefkas or Kos. Nikiana Beach Club pairs naturally with our Lefkas flotilla, which sails from Nikiana too.
Where to sail
What is the best sailing destination for beginners?
The Ionian Sea in Greece. Calm mornings, a steady afternoon breeze, short hops between green islands and plenty of sheltered harbours make it the easiest and most rewarding place to start. It is why our Greece Training Centre is based here, at Agia Eufimia on Kefalonia, and why our Lefkas flotilla is one of our two easiest flotillas.
- Typical windForce 2 to 5
- Lefkas flotilla dayAround 10 nm
- Flotilla seasonMay to October
Skippering for the first time?
Choose a flotilla. You sail your own yacht, but never alone: the lead crew share their local knowledge, meet you at reserved quays to catch your lines, and are quickly on hand if you have a technical problem. The skipper should hold an ICC or equivalent; if nobody in your crew is qualified yet, book a skippered flotilla instead. Many experienced skippers choose flotillas for the same support, and for the company in the evenings.
Where to sail first, at a glance
Sailing levels from our flotilla finder, from 1 (easiest) to 5.
- Easiest start
Lefkas, Ionian
Level 1 of 5 · Force 2 to 5 · around 10 nm a day
Short hops via Meganisi, Kefalonia and Ithaca in sheltered water, with village harbours and cosmopolitan Fiskardo.
- Easiest start
Fethiye, Turkey
Level 1 of 5 · usually Force 2 to 4 · around 10 nm a day
Sheltered bays and hidden coves on the Turquoise Coast, with calm nights at anchor.
- Next step
Kefalonia and Split
Level 2 of 5 · Force 2 to 5 · 14 to 15 nm a day
Protected water, a little further each day: Fiskardo, Ithaca and Zakynthos from Kefalonia, or Hvar’s Pakleni islands and Vis from Split.
- Next step
Corinth Canal & Saronic Gulf
Level 3 of 5 · Force 3 to 5 · around 18 nm a day
Sail through the Corinth Canal every week, then on to Poros and Hydra, with moderate winds and child netting on the yachts.
- Further afield
Thailand and the Caribbean
Level 2 to 3 of 5 · Force 3 to 5
Easy sailing in warm, tidal water through Phang Nga Bay from January to April, or a step up in the British Virgin Islands, with steady trade winds.
- Best left for later
The Aegean in high summer
Level 4 to 5 of 5 · meltemi, Force 3 to 6 or more
From late July to late August the meltemi blows fresh in the Sporades and the Dodecanese. To see the Cyclades without skippering, let one of our skippers sail you there.
Choosing a yacht
Sailing for beginners: catamarans or monohulls?
It is a favourite debate among sailors. For a beginner, the right answer depends on what matters most to you.
| Catamaran | Monohull | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Sails almost level, so it feels steady from day one | Leans as it sails: part of the thrill, and you soon get used to it |
| Space | Much more room on deck and below | Cosier, with everything close to hand |
| Sailing | Can be significantly faster in the right conditions | Handles a greater range of sea conditions |
| Cost | Considerably more to charter, and marina fees can be higher | Better value, and the most widely available |
Our RYA courses and flotillas sail mainly monohulls, and we also run catamaran training in Greece.
For the catamaran experience without the skippering, our catamaran cabin charters let you book a cabin on a crewed catamaran in Thailand, French Polynesia, the Seychelles or the Caribbean: seven-night cruises with air-conditioned double cabins, private bathrooms and full board from your onboard cook.
Beginner sailing questions
Straight answers to the questions we are asked most about sailing for beginners.
Still have a question?
Speak to our sailing team, or tell us your dates and ask for a quote.
020 8324 3118 Get a quoteDo I need any sailing experience?
No. RYA Start Yachting and Competent Crew courses, beach clubs, skippered flotillas, cabin charters and skippered charters are all open to complete beginners.
What do I need to skipper my own yacht on a flotilla?
The skipper should hold an ICC or equivalent. The RYA Day Skipper Practical course makes you eligible for the ICC, and we can arrange the ICC assessment too. If nobody in your crew is qualified yet, book a skippered flotilla instead.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. RYA courses are booked per person and cabin charters by the cabin, so many guests come on their own and leave with new friends. See our advice for single travellers.
When is the best time to learn to sail in Greece?
Our Greece Training Centre runs from April to October. Spring and autumn are warm, in the low 20s °C, and quieter; July and August are the hottest months, in the mid-30s °C. Ionian breezes stay friendly all summer, while the Aegean’s meltemi, from late July to late August, is best saved for later.
Are children welcome?
Very. Children can join RYA Start Yachting from age 8 and Competent Crew from age 12, our flotillas run plenty of family activities, and Nikiana and Poseidon Beach Clubs both have kids clubs. See sailing for families.
Our promise
The Seafarer Price Guarantee
We will not be beaten on price.
Because we are an independent company, we keep our prices highly competitive: if you see a like-for-like product cheaper elsewhere, let us know and we will beat it.
Specifically, the guarantee applies to yacht and accommodation rates on our Beach Club, Flotilla, Learn to Sail and Cabin Charter programmes operated by Seafarer, and is subject to availability at the time of booking.
Book your first sailing holiday
Get in touch with our experienced team, and they will help you choose the right holiday and dates for you.
Call or email us
- 020 8324 3118Monday to Friday 09:00 to 19:00, Saturday 09:30 to 17:00
- info@seafarerholidays.com
Request a quote
Tell us your dates and party size, and we’ll then come back to you with availability and prices.
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Book with confidence
Every payment you make to us is financially protected, from deposit to balance. Holidays with flights are covered by our ATOL licence, and holidays without flights by our ABTOT membership. Trading since 1995.
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