Get Ready for Summer Sailing with our Spring Specials …

Join us in March and April for spring sailing and special offers:

Competent Crew | Day Skipper | Coastal Skipper Practical Courses:

18:30 Sunday 28 March – 17:30 Friday 2 April
18:30 Sunday 25 April – 17:30 Friday 30 April
Special offer 650 EUR / 545 UKP per person – 25% off our normal price!

Come and get your training in the Spring before the crowds arrive and you’ll be ready to put your new skills into practice in the summer. Choose a course at a level that is right for you. We’ll be happy to advise you if you are in any doubt about which would be most suitable for your level of experience.

If you are travelling with a friend or partner it is possible for them to do different courses on the same yacht. But you don’t need to come with anyone – we typically have lots of individual students at this time of year.

Day Skipper Combined Theory & Practical Course:

09:00 Thursday 25 March – 17:30 Friday 2 April
09:00 Thursday 22 April – 17:30 Friday 30 April
Special offer 1050 EUR / 880 UKP per person – 25% off our normal price!

Spend three days staying in a hotel on shore studying your RYA Day Skipper Shorebased course. Then move on board your yacht to complete your Day Skipper Practical while everything is fresh in your mind.

We can help you to arrange rooms for the night before the course either on Aegina or in Athens.

All Offers include:

• 5 days tuition
• 6 nights on board (you can stay on the yacht on the final night)
• RYA course books, log books, and certificates
• All yacht expenses – fuel, water, mooring dues etc
• Linen and towels
• Food for breakfasts and lunches
• Use of waterproofs if required

The combined courses also include:

• hotel accommodation for 3 nights (we can arrange accommodation the previous night if required)
• 4 days theory tuition with RYA course materials and certificate

Not included:

• Flights
• Transfers
• Personal travel insurance
• Evening meals

To book your place please contact us now …

What’s Stopping You From Joining Us?

Many people dream of sailing a yacht but never do it. They are held back by anxieties.

If you are reading this, but have not yet gone sailing, you too may have concerns that are inhibiting you from taking that first step. Let’s look at some of the things that we’ve found first-time sailors are apprehensive about. They are:

• Being seasick
• The yacht heeling over / capsizing
• Spending five days with strangers
• The level of comfort on board
• Being are too old or unfit
• Having young children
• The cost

Seasickness is rare on a sailing yacht. The deep keel and sails act as big stabilisers. Out of the hundreds of people who sail with us each year only a handful suffer from any form of sickness. Normally they have been unlucky with weather conditions or have over-indulged in food or drink the previous evening!

Yachts sailing normally (as opposed to racing in extreme conditions) do not capsize. They are designed so that this is impossible. They will ‘heel over’, although only when sailing towards the wind. This is something most people quickly get used to. I suggest that you experiment with different places to sit in the cockpit until you find somewhere you feel well-supported and comfortable. If you don’t feel as if you are going to slip you will be less anxious.

Most sailing school courses are group courses and students attend either alone or with a partner or friend. Living in a relatively confined space with complete strangers for five days is a daunting prospect. Yet it is extremely uncommon for everyone not to get along famously! The crew of a sailing yacht must act as a team and the instructor will work to engender this team spirit. When faced with a common purpose, differences of age, gender, nationality, and language become remarkably insignificant.

Let’s face it – unless you are in the super yacht class, yachts are built for sailing, not comfort. I think of living on a sailboat as a cross between camping and caravanning. You have the ‘mod cons’ of a caravan but the space of a tent! Nonetheless most people find the level of comfort acceptable for a week or so and, strangely enough, coping with living on board is one of the things that can draw people together and give them something in common.

Age is no barrier to learning to sail. Our oldest students have been well over 60 and yachting is a sport that some pursue into their 90s! You may not have the mobility or strength of your youth but modern yacht equipment can help to compensate for physical disadvantages. Many people find sailing more physical than they imagined but we have successfully taught students with a number of physical disabilities and so it can be done. Discuss your worries with us and we can often suggest a solution.

Learning to sail with children is possible but should be talked over with us beforehand. At one time we would not take children but then we tried and it worked fine! The instructors enjoy teaching children and we have now had several courses for families, including one with toddlers and a pregnant mum! Young children need shorter passages with plenty of swim stops. Depending on the number and age of your children you may need to bring someone to help look after them or take a crew member in addition to the instructor. Some families prefer to sail on catamarans. Mark Cooper, our Chief Instructor normally teaches on catamarans a couple of times each season.

So finally we come to the cost ... Sailing is not a cheap sport it’s true. There is a British saying that if you want to know what it feels like to be a yacht owner you should try standing in a cold shower tearing up 20 pound notes. (Here in the Med it would be a warm shower and 20 euro but the idea is the same!) Nonetheless, if you really want to go sailing, it is possible to find a way to do so despite being on a low budget. Subscribe to sailing school newsletters and keep your eye out for special offers, be prepared to sail off-season or at short notice. Once you’ve passed your Competent Crew course visit yacht clubs or check out websites for crewing opportunities.

I’m always happy to discuss any worries you may have prior to booking, either by email, Skype, or just on a normal telephone. If you want to learn to sail don’t let your fears put you off – give it a try!

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Clark

I was delighted to attend the wedding of our instructor, John Clark, and Cathy Foster. Many of our clients may remember Cathy as the friendly face in the Avli Bar in Aegina.

John and Cathy met last summer and got to know each other better as Cathy offered to ‘dog-sit’ John’s dog, Jasper, while he was instructing on our yachts.

Romance blossomed and the couple were married recently by the Mayor of Aegina at an informal ceremony attended by about 50 people. They drove to the UK for a honeymoon and we expect them back in a few days time.

They plan to live on Aegina and hopefully to raise a family here.

John will be working with the school again this summer. He is a popular instructor with a very calm manner so we are pleased that he intends to make Aegina his home.

Please leave a comment below if you want to add your good wishes to ours.

The Seasons of Sailing – Weather in the Greek Islands

For the man sound of body and serene of mind there is no such thing as bad weather; every day has its beauty, and storms which whip the blood do but make it pulse more vigorously. – George Robert Gissing 

The Aegean has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters. Here’s a seasonal guide to what to expect.

Spring Sailing

Spring is a delightful time of year in Greece. March usually heralds the start of fine, dry weather and brings a breathtaking array of cultivated and wild spring flowers. In recent years the weather has been unpredictable in early spring but by May temperatures are pleasantly warm.

Ports and harbours are quiet and pleasant with no mad jostle for berths at the end of the day. The winds are less fierce than later in the year and it’s a good time to visit the Cyclades before the meltemi begins to blow.

The warm Greek hospitality is even warmer than normal as taverna and shop owners welcome the new season’s tourists into their freshly painted premises. Yachts are in prime condition too after their winter maintenance and before the many people on board have taken their toll.

Prices are often at their best during the early months so it is an ideal time for those seeking a bargain.

The sea will still be a little cool and only those who are fairly hardy choose to swim before late spring.

Summer Sailing

This is the perfect time for sun-lovers! Between June and August temperatures steadily increase and you are virtually guaranteed sunshine every day.

There will be little or no rain, the sea is warm and the skies are blue. Those who enjoy lively places will find more on offer during the peak summer months.

For many northern Europeans escaping from a cold climate, summer sunshine is what sailing in Greece is all about. There is certainly nothing to match the pleasure of anchoring for lunch and swimming in a bay from your yacht.

The heat brings its own problems. Temperatures can get as high as 40°C (104°F) and at night it can feel extremely hot and sticky in a yacht cabin. Few yachts have air-conditioning (our new yacht, Phoebe is one that does) and a/c will only work when the yacht is attached to shore-power.

July and August bring the crowds. Getting a berth in the more popular harbours can be difficult unless you cut short your sailing and head in early. Finding a place to moor in a congested harbour is one of the more stressful aspects of sailing in the generally laid-back atmosphere of Greece.

During the summer the famous meltemi wind blows down through the Aegean. This strong northerly wind makes for challenging sailing and uncomfortable seas in the Cyclades and it’s not uncommon for yachts to be stormbound for several days in that area. The meltemi brings exhilarating sailing for experienced sailors but not to be recommended for novices!

The other areas of Greece are less affected by the meltemi. It’s unusual for storms to prevent sailing in the Saronic, Ionian, Sporades, or Dodecanese.

Autumn Sailing

Autumn is my personal favourite time of year. The sea is pleasantly warm and often remains so until late October. Those who dislike extreme heat will find autumn temperatures comfortable during both day and night.

The summer crowds of tourists and sailors have disappeared and there are bargains to be had both in yacht charter and the shops. It is no longer as busy in port, allowing for a leisurely and late entry at the end of the day – more time for sailing! This is one of the most popular times of the year for our clients to sail and the school is normally busy.

Although September can sometimes be as warm as August, it is usually balmy with a little light rain. The main rainy season begins around mid-October bringing cool, wet weather alternating with days of sunshine. The Ionian has more rainfall than the more eastern and southerly areas.

The meltemi begins to subside but autumnal gales are a possibility. They do not normally last for more than a day.

With no meltemi it’s possible to plan a trip to the Cyclades. Some people find these islands too barren after the summer, although others love the brown rock and brilliant white houses. The more northerly sailing areas are greener throughout the year.

Winter Sailing

You can sail in Greece all year round. We run several courses over the winter months for groups or couples. Frequently they are surprised and delighted by the weather they find.

We don’t promise continuous sunshine and take care to provide both wet weather clothing and warm bedding on board. Most rain falls between November and February but there are many sunny days in winter. A heavy overnight rain is often followed by brilliant sunshine next day.

Many of the islands are very seasonal and you will find the majority of shops, tavernas, and hotels closed in some ports. Facilities such as electricity and water can be hard to locate.

Our instructors know where to find tavernas that open year-round and you’ll be sure of special treatment as winter visitors.

Onr thing you can be assured of is that you will have an enjoyable time and learn a lot, no matter what the weather does. Choosing the best season for you can turn a good experience into a great one!
 

Snowed in this winter? It’s a perfect time to study your theory.

Have you been affected by the unusually cold weather in the UK? Or do you live in a part of the world where temperatures of less than zero are the norm in winter?

Take advantage of the fact that it’s too cold to enjoy being out of doors or too icy to venture onto the roads by preparing for your RYA sailing course.

Now is the perfect time to get to grips with the theory you will need to do an RYA Day Skipper or RYA Coastal Skipper course.

It really makes a difference if you are competent and confident with navigation, rule of the road, lights etc. when you step on board. You’ll have enough challenges with the practical exercises without having to also worry about learning or revising theory.

We’ve mentioned the materials from Ocean Training before. Available in either British or American versions they are simply the best we have seen in terms of clarity of explanation and the accent and script of the presenter.

The courses cover the full RYA shorebased syllabus for each level in the RYA sailing scheme.

Ocean Training supplies their courses to customers throughout the world, and they come recommended by both the Royal Yachting Association and Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). They are training providers to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Royal Marines (Special Boat Squadron).

Each course is supplied on CDs and they are fully interactive. You’ll find animations, simulations, and presentations using the latest technology.

In addition to the CDs you’ll be supplied with a training manual and, as you work your way through each module in the manual, you will complete a learning exercise.

Upon completing the course you can take an examination which must be invigilated. We are happy to do this for you when you come to take your practical with us and we can also arrange a one-day refresher with an RYA instructor if required.

Details of the Ocean Training materials can be found on www.oceantraining.com

If you don’t have the time or patience to work through the complete RYA Day Skipper shorebased syllabus, and don’t intend to sail in tidal waters, a shorter option that covers enough material for RYA sailing courses in Greece is the online RYA Basic Navigation and Safety course available through www.elearnmarine.com

This course takes just 2 days or around 5 evenings to complete and is available at a special price of 160 EUR /140 UKP if ordered from us at the same time as an RYA practical course. Contact Melody for more information.

Sea Trial of yacht ‘Phoebe’

As you know we’ve been looking for replacements for Valentine and Zotelot for next season. We can now announce that one of our new yachts will be Phoebe, a 2003 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2. She will be joining the school in the New Year and will be available for courses from February 2010.

The yacht is currently in the Cleopatra Boatyard in Preveza. George, Mark, and Nektarios went there early in November to carry out a pre-purchase sea trial. Here’s a video of the sea trial – Phoebe’s first venture into the water for over a year.

You will notice that they picked a rather grey, rainy day. If you’ve read my post on the October milebuilder you’ll see that we had a fair amount of rainy weather before it changed to the lovely sunshine we are enjoying at the moment.

About the Sun Odyssey 45.2

I’ve seen this model of yacht described as “the best charter yacht ever built” and “absolutely ideal for all levels of experience”

We wouldn’t argue with that. The yacht is a classic Jeanneau design, providing safe, comfortable performance-oriented cruising. She has many features that appeal to us and we are sure you’ll agree.

Like Valentine she sports twin wheels to help you. She has an in-mast furling mainsail slightly flat-cut to aid the less experienced when bringing the sail in or out, a padded foresail to help retain shape when reefed. Her spacious cockpit features double doors at the transom that open out onto the swimming platform and she’s equipped with a bimini to keep the sun’s rays off when required.

There are a number of things that we particularly like about Phoebe’s interior. Firstly, the bulkhead between her two forward cabins can be removed to convert it into a large en-suite master cabin, which will be ideal for our private courses for couples or families.

Secondly, she comes equipped with both air-conditioning and heating making her a good “all year round” boat.

She also has excellent ventilation from numerous hatches, essential in our climate, and every hatch comes with both fly screen and sunblind. There are plenty of lockers both in the cabins and the roomy saloon.

Her navigation area is particularly nice and will be appreciated by all our skipper candidates. Angled at 30° it features a large desk and plenty of room for electronics.

Those more interested in the galley won’t be disappointed either. She is as well equipped in that area as you would expect from a French yacht.

We’re delighted to be able to offer RYA courses on Phoebe next year and think she will bring a new level of comfort to clients who sail with us. We are planning some special packages, in addition to normal group and private RYA courses, to make the most of our new yacht. For spring 2010 we’ll be offering ‘Spring Gold’ packages – a master class for three students, who will each have a large cabin to themselves and lots of individual attention from the instructor.

More details to come in our newsletter and on this blog.

Weather – The Glorious and The Diabolical

Glorious Weather

The past ten days have seen Greece at its winter best with daytime temperatures in the 20s and warm, balmy weather.

Here’s a photograph sent to me by Simon Grace, who lives in Athens. Simon obtained his RYA Day Skipper certificate with us earlier this year and now sails his own small boat with his family.

The photograph shows Simon with an octopus he caught yesterday using a rod and line. Luckily for the octopus, he was rather small and so was returned to the sea. Just look at the weather – wonderful for mid November.

Diabolical Weather

Unfortunately, Greece is suffering the effects of climate change like most places in the world. The crew who booked onto our autumn milebuilder during the last week of October were unlucky with weather. Torrential rain and strong winds plagued them during their trip, leading to a change of route and some wet, if exciting sailing.

Compare Simon’s picture above with this which was sent to me by Rainer Alles, one of the crew on the milebuilder. It shows instructor, Mark Cooper, on the helm while they tackled the waves on the Eastern Peloponnese. Not a swimsuit in sight!

I hate it when we get bad weather as I know that most people come to Greece to escape the rain and cold. Although I cannot do anything about it I can’t help but feel responsible somehow.

Due to the adverse conditions they did not sail to the Cyclades as planned. This proved to be a good decision as the Cyclades were hammered by Force 9 – 10 winds most of the week and the yacht could have been stormbound and unable to sail on.

Instead the cruise took place in the Argolic Gulf and included the picturesque ancient town of Monemvasia on the south of the Peloponnese, and the attractive city of Navplion in the north.

The yacht was hit by a particularly bad gust just off Monemvasia as the crew were putting away the sails in preparation for entering the marina. Mark reported that the wind came up to over 40 knots while at the same time visibility was reduced to a few metres.

He turned the yacht back out to sea and ran before the wind until visibility improved enough for them to make another approach.

The crew had an uncomfortable night in Monemvasia as the storm continued to rage, and had to get up during the night as a shoreline parted, but they were quite safe. The gale caused chaos in the harbour, sinking two boats. Here is another photograph from Rainer showing the salvage operation the next day.

Although there was some improvement to the weather later in the week, overall it was a tiring, taxing experience. However we’re sure that it taught valuable lessons to all those involved and they went home with some amazing memories and stories.

We run the mile building trips in the spring and autumn as the weather conditions are often more challenging, which is good for experience building. We’ve never had anything quite like this milebuilder before

If any of the crew wants to add a comment or send me a photograph I can include it here.

Ah, Valentine, we don’t want to lose you, but …

.. it’s time to say goodbye.

Students having a great sail on Valentine.

Although she is a lovely boat, Valentine is getting a little long in the tooth for us to continue to use as a sailing school yacht. We’d love to keep her as our private yacht but, unfortunately, we need her berth.

George and I lived on board Valentine for two years when we first came to Greece. So, as you can imagine, it is with much sadness that we are putting her on the market.

She’s a favourite with a our instructors. For a big yacht she is surprisingly easy to manoevre and she’s exceptionally good when sailing to windward.

Valentine is an Atlantic 44 sloop, built in Greece in 1996. She is very stable and comfortable at sea, and handles beautifully. Her vital statistics are:

LOA 13.30m – Beam 4.05m – Draft 2.40m
650L water – 300L diesel
Volvo Penta 59HP engine
Teak decks and cockpit
In mast furling main and furling genoa
Galley with fridge/2 burner stove/oven/sink
Spacious saloon with chart table
Navtex, GPS chartplotter, GMDSS radio, EPIRB
Large master cabin forward with plenty of lockers, wardrobe, table, seat, and private toilet/shower
2 aft cabins each with private toilet/shower
220v shorepower
Big cockpit with cushions and removeable cockpit table
Swimming platform with shower
Sprayhood, bimini, and ‘dog-house’ for inclement weather
Dinghy with 5HP outboard

We will miss her badly and hope we can find her new owners who will appreciate her as much as we have.

If you are interested in buying Valentine we are looking for offers in the region of 65,000 euro.

We’d be happy to include some sailing tuition in the purchase price and can arrange for her to be delivered to your chosen port.

I’m going to take some up to date internal photographs this weekend and will add them to this post. Meanwhile here is another photo to whet your appetite.

Preparing to anchor in the blue Med

If you are looking for a big but reasonably priced yacht for some blue-water cruising Valentine may be just the ticket.

You’ll see more information about what is involved in buying a yacht in Greece in the previous post.

Thinking of buying an ex-charter yacht in Greece?

Thinking of buying a yacht in Greece? There are good bargains to be had here, especially in the autumn at the end of the charter season. But there are pitfalls to be aware of too.

The majority of boats listed with brokers here are ex-charter yachts, known as Greek professional yachts. Some people shy away from ex-charter yachts, believing it equivalent to buying a second-hand vehicle from a car hire firm. While a single private owner may keep a yacht in better condition, not all charter yachts are hammered or poorly maintained.

In fact, what most people don’t realise is that a lot of the professional yachts in Greece are owned by individuals not by charter companies. The owners must charter them out for a certain number of days each year in order to benefit from VAT and other advantages given to professional yachts.

Often the owner will charter for the minimum number of days to retain professional status and to cover the annual mooring and maintenance costs of the yacht.

If you are prepared to spend time looking around you’ll find a big difference in the appearance of yachts of the same age, with some  looking ‘tired’ from heavy use while others seem years younger.

FINDING A SUITABLE YACHT

A search on the Internet will bring up numerous websites with yachts for sale in Greece.

A company that we have recently dealt with and found good are:

Seahorse Yacht brokers – http://www.seahorse.gr/

If you have bought a yacht in Greece and would recommend the broker please let me know and I will add them here.

THE SURVEY

Having found a yacht you want to buy I strongly recommend that you have it surveyed by a professional surveyor. It is not unknown for a charter yacht to suffer major hull damage, be patched up by an unscrupulous owner, and then offered for resale with no mention of the damage.

“Buyer Beware” should certainly be your motto.

If you are not knowledgeable about boats a survey is essential.

A survey will not only protect you from buying a boat with technical problems but it is also required by most insurance companies.

You will find a list of surveyors here – http://www.ydyachts.com/survey.php

Surveys cost from 500 – 1500 Euro. There can be major difference in price between surveyors so check what they offer you and what comeback you have if they miss a major defect.

GREEK FLAG

99% of Greek professional yachts are Greek-flagged.

If the boat is flagged in another country then the rules of that country will apply and you need advice from a qualified broker.

If you are not a Greek citizen or an EU citizen resident in Greece you will need to change flag if the boat is intended for private use.

You can normally keep Greek flag if you intend to set up a charter business in this country.

SALES PRICE

We were once advised never to pay a Greek the price he asks for anything, as he will always expect you to bargain…

This is certainly true when it comes to boats. You should be able to negotiate down from the initial asking price. A good survey may give you ammunition for this, as few used boats will be without any defects.

The surveyor should be able to advise you what the ‘going rate’ is for the type of yacht you are interested in.

We have heard that some brokers in Greece do not work on a fixed commission basis. They will agree a price with the owner that he/she will accept. They then try to obtain as high a price as possible from the purchaser. Their commission is the difference. The extra they add to the ‘owner’s price’ can be quite considerable.

VAT

Greek professional yachts will have been purchased VAT exempt. If you are an EU national, you will be required to pay the VAT in addition to the purchase price.

The VAT rate in Greece is 19% but often you can negotiate with the Seller and it is not unknown for deals to be reached where you pay only an additional 5% and the Seller handles the payment of VAT.

You may be exempted from payment of VAT if you are involved in commercial activity that includes boat chartering.

If you are a non E.U. Citizen you won’t need to pay the outstanding VAT, but you will require the yacht to be custom cleared from the E.U. This takes several days and costs about 600 Euro.

TYPICAL PURCHASE PROCEDURE

Having found a yacht, you negotiate a price with the broker and reach an agreement. You should be supplied with an inventory for the yacht so you know exactly what is included in the sale.

You need a solicitor to act for you during the sale. Your solicitor will protect you by ensuring that there are no encumbrances or debts on the yacht, and that the ownership situation and titles are clear.

The solicitor will prepare an M.O.A. (Memorandum of Agreement) stating all the details of the transaction, including terms, dates and payments, and what comes with the boat. This Memorandum should be conditional on a survey.

The M.O.A. will be signed by both Buyer and Seller.

You arrange a survey of the yacht and, on the basis of this, either agree the price, re-negotiate, or in some cases the wisest action may be to walk away!

You normally pay a deposit of 10-20% of the purchase price to your solicitor as soon as possible in order to have a legally binding agreement. Your solicitor will pay this to the seller after all the necessary documents have been handed over to him.

You must send the balance of the purchase price to the solicitor in time to comply with the provisions negotiated when drafting the Memorandum of Agreement. The solicitor will pay the full purchase price to the seller only after he has made sure that all legal and tax requirements have been taken care of by the seller and after all required documents have been handed over to him by the seller.

As part of the sales process the yacht will be deleted from the Greek registry. Upon deletion an official ownership certificate will be issued from the Hellenic Registrar of Shipping. The certificate will confirm that the boat is free from encumbrances and liens.

In the meantime you can arrange registration for the boat in your country.

After completion of all the paperwork you can take over your boat here in Greece or you can arrange to have it delivered to wherever you intend to keep her.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

When we bought Valentine the process seemed to take forever! Brokers we have spoken to give around 5 weeks as the duration of the purchase process from signing of the M.O.A. to deletion from the Greek Registry. However, I think these may be Greek weeks and a little longer than elsewhere!

You can only sail your yacht after a Bill of Sale has been issued and officially signed by both Vendor and Buyer and the Deletion Certificate has been issued. Buying a yacht is a fairly lengthy and bureaucratic process here in Greece but many of the procedures are there to safeguard your interests and ensure the yacht is free of debts or any other financial burdens.

Do not be tempted to take any shortcuts or accept any bits of paper presented to you by an eager seller supposedly to speed up the process.

Our Young Sailor of the Year

Congratulations to Cameron Newton from Alton, Hampshire, aged 10, who passed his RYA Competent Crew course with us last week. Cameron is the youngest person to have passed this course with us to date.

We need a lot of persuading to allow someone as young as this to do an RYA course. The RYA recommends 13 as the minimum age. In order to pass you need a certain amount of strength for the ropes and winches, the ability to concentrate when steering or keeping look-out, and the patience to learn knots and nautical terms.

You certainly don’t get awarded the certificate for just putting out a few fenders!

Like the Gordon children, who passed their Comp Crew with us last year aged 11 to 13, Cameron had two things in his favour.

He impressed his instructor by already knowing his basic knots when he arrived. (He was well up on our average adult student in this respect!)

Cameron, like the Gordon children, had previously sailed dinghies. This helped him to understand things like points of sail.

We would recommend dinghy sailing to anyone who wants to become a good yachtsman or woman. Small boats give you a much better ‘feel’ for the way the wind and sails interact. They are also far less forgiving so you learn quickly or get wet!

This is Cameron with his parents, Paul and Fiona, and younger sister, Kerensa. They are posing on the cannon that sits at the harbour entrance of Aegina Town with George Burton, our Principal, who was their instructor for the six day course.

Although Kerensa was too young to complete a Competent Crew course we were able to award her the RYA Start Yachting certificate for her sailing knowledge and contribution as a member of the crew.

She enjoyed using the RYA Go Cruising book with the accompanying Go Cruising Activity Book for young sailors aged 7 – 12. These books may be of interest to you if you sail with children so I will put up an article on them soon.

Thinking of taking a Sailing Course with Your Family?
When we first started the school we were reluctant to include children on courses. Last year we decided to give it a try. We were pleasantly surprised to find that, with some changes to duration and time-tabling, it worked well.

Our instructors all started sailing as youngsters and really enjoyed the experience of introducing children to the sport.

Once our main season has finished I will write a post for those who are contemplating a family sailing holiday. Sign up to our newsletter if you want to be kept informed about when this article appears on the blog.

My main piece of advice is to allow more days to get through the course schedule. For instance, Cameron and his family spent six days on board instead of the usual five allowed for a Competent Crew course. This makes the pace just a bit more relaxed. You can make shorter trips each day so the younger crew members don’t get bored and have plenty of time for swimming & snorkelling but your total mileage will be sufficient to cover the syllabus.

Did you learn to sail with your children? Maybe you taught them yourself or sail regularly with them.

If you have any stories or tips on sailing with children please feel free to comment.