Seafarer Training

We offer a complete set of courses that take you from a novice to a professional skipper, to see our entire syllabus and training program for Yachts, click on the link below.

The RYA training scheme unlocks the sailor within. Imagine the thrill of navigating your own yacht, the sun on your face, and the spray at your bow. Through their expert instruction, you’ll master the essentials of seamanship, understand weather patterns, and chart a confident course. This proven path equips you with the knowledge and skills to skipper small yachts in familiar waters, ready to set sail on unforgettable adventures.

The training scheme below is made up of three core courses (Start Yachting is not required) that if completed in turn offer the best pathway to sailing your own yacht, allowing you to realise that dream of sailing through azure waters, powered by the wind. You can find more information on each course by clicking on the icons below.

The RYA Start Yachting course is an introduction to sailing for complete beginners. It covers essential skills like steering, sail handling, and basic safety procedures, providing a foundation for further sailing education or simply enjoying time on the water. This is not a prerequisite to Competent Crew, but is a great course for children and those who are looking for a laid back week.

A great course for those wanting to learn to sail, the RYA Competent Crew equips you with the skills to be a valuable asset on board. You’ll learn sail handling, essential ropework, and seamanship practices, making you a confident and competent crew member for coastal adventures. No prior sailing experience required.

This course, offered online, in class, or via distance learning, gives you the theoretical knowledge needed to undertake the Day Skipper Practical and thus skipper your own yacht. The course covers navigation, weather, seamanship and a number of other topics to prepare you or time at sea.

Advance your sailing knowledge with the RYA Day Skipper course. This course, designed for those with some basic experience, builds on existing skills and introduces coastal navigation, passage planning, and yacht handling in both tidal and non-tidal waters. By the course’s end, you’ll be qualified to skipper small yachts on short coastal passages during daylight hours.

Seafarer training courses stand out in their unrivaled pathway into pathway into the world of sailing with a clear pathway through the RYA scheme and onto flotilla sailing, all in some of the worlds finest sailing destinations. All that you need is included on our courses (see below) and our instructors are both experienced and qualified to the highest professional standards. These factors combined with our passion creates a high-quality learning environment for aspiring sailors.

6 days* tuition with an RYA Cruising or Yachtmaster Instructors

All mooring fees* at harbours throughout the week

Fuel and gas for whole time you are on the yacht

Linen and towels* provided in cabins and saloon

 Provisions for breakfast & a light lunch while onboard**

A chance to experience what flotilla sailing is all about

At Seafarer, we make sure that all our courses are both safe and enjoyable, offering a high standard of tuition and comfort. At all of our schools, we ensure:

• You are under the supervision of an RYA qualified instructor while at sea.
• All our RYA instructors hold the requisite first aid certificates. They are fluent in English (all courses delivered in English, as per RYA regulations).
• Safety equipment on our tuition yachts complies with both local and British regulations.
• All yachts have DSC VHF radios, handheld VHF radios and mobile phones.
• Slim-line inflatable life jackets, harnesses and crotch straps are provided for each person aboard, with extra spares carried.
• For your comfort, all yachts are equipped with Bimini sun tops (sun shade), hot water, 2 SH/WC, deck shower, electric fridge, fully equipped galley and onboard music player.
• Accommodation on board is in double, twin or single cabins, or you can book a saloon berth. Sheets, pillowcases, pillows, blankets, duvets and towels are all provided. (for our UK school we recommend you bring your own sleeping bags and towels)
• Instructor/student ratio is maintained at a maximum of 5 students per instructor, in line with the RYA codes of practice.

Sailing is a sport where you never stop learning and the RYA advanced courses take you on from Day Skipper to the professionally recognised RYA Yachtmaster. Below are the 3 courses we offer to take you up to the next level and you can click on the image for more information on each of these programmes.

The RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory ups your sailing knowledge for complex coastal or offshore passages, day or night, preparing you for advanced practical exams. It builds on Day Skipper skills and dives deeper into navigation, weather, and passage planning.

Level up your sailing! RYA Coastal Skipper takes experienced sailors beyond Day Skipper. You’ll master coastal navigation by day and night, skippering passages under instructor supervision. This hands-on course builds your confidence to handle challenging conditions and navigate independently along familiar coasts.

The RYA Yachtmaster® is the ultimate credential. Recognized globally, it assesses your skills and experience, making you a trusted captain on the world’s waters. We offer a preparation week to build the skills needed for this high level assessment plus the exam itself.

These short programs are designed for those with prior experience who want to brush up on their skills before a flotilla or charter. Our instructors can tailor the prograame to what you want to refresh including mooring, sail handling, power handling and any other areas of skippering a yacht.

These trips are designed for those who want to put some serious miles under their belts, with night sailing and watch systems in place, often including 12+ hour passages. These trips can range in length with tidal and non-tidal options available.

For those with reasonable sailing experience we can provide the ICC Exam which if passed allows you to charter a yacht in many places worldwide. The test takes around 4 hours and for those who want to brush up on a few skills beforehand we can offer this training, generally taking one and a half days for the training and half a day for the exam.

Nikiana Beach Club is a beach front hotel on the Greek Island of Lefkas has been running since 2011. The club boasts a huge range of kit in a incredibly sociable atmosphere and teaches the following courses:

• RYA National Dinghy Scheme – All Courses
• RYA National Windsurfing Scheme – Beginner Courses
• RYA National Powerboating Scheme – Powerboat 1/2 & Safety Boat

Located in the village of Nikiana this small and perfectly formed beach front complex has 32 rooms, a fresh water swimming pool and a very good family run taverna in a quiet location with stunning scenery along with kids clubs and many other activities available nearby.