Training and Skill DevelopmentPYC is an RYA Training Centre and as a sea school we are able to provide the following practical courses to our all members: Competent Crew and Day Skipper. We also run Advanced Skipper Training and Development for our Club Skippers: Coastal Skipper and Preparatory courses for the RYA/MCA YachtmasterTM Exam (to book onto these skipper courses, you must be a PYC Club Skipper). In addition, we provide a number of our own courses covering areas such as: Boat Handling, Radar, Navigation and Pilotage Training. Also the Trainers, and experienced Club Skipper provide informal coaching to other members. Below we share some experiences from our courses. |
RYA Coastal Skipper Course
This is a taught course for people who have the miles, the first aid and radio certificates and a want to progress. It involves sailing through the night and using a watch system for the crew.
We all set off on Relax on with a good afternoon tide taking us down to Yarmouth, with a plan to exit the Needles on a full ebb tide and head across the bay to Portland through the night.
We all had a cracking night sail past old Harry and along to Portland and entered Portland approximately 0200hrs on Thursday; a very memorable sail.
Heads down and a slow start Thursday - and off back eastbound. Wind and tide were kind, so we belted through the Needles gap and up the Western Solent, tucking up finally in Yarmouth for Thursday night. Friday up to Ocean Village to try and avoid the force 7-8 on its way.
Sunday saw us whizzing along en route to Haslar. Belting along in Relax in a force 7, with the sun up and no one else to dodge – couldn’t be better. A great time was had by all. They well deserved their Coastal Skipper certificates and were easy recommendations for club skippers. (AM, instructor)
I had a lovely time, and the instructor made me feel comfortable making decisions on the boat. I particularly remember the beautiful night sail out to Portland, with just the right amount of wind and the moon lighting the cliffs. I was nervous about handing Relax in close quarters, but after some good tips and tricks this feels a lot more comfortable now. (AC, student).
RYA Competent Crew and Day Skipper training
A night sail
Over dinner we prepared for a night sail to Port Hamble Marina via Cowes. Navigating at night is truly a different experience from day sailing, particularly when there are so many shore lights. We learned the importance of identifying the sector lights that lead up the Hamble. At the marina, the crew received more valuable lessons:
- When requesting a berth, check is it port or starboard side on? Open or closed?
- Make sure ropes are ready to use. Coil warps with a long tail and store at the top of locker for easy access in the dark with a tired crew.
- Be aware of tide and be prepared for a small finger pontoon.
Recovering a person in the water
Doing this exercise under sail in Southampton Water taught me a valuable lesson to always keep aware of the wind direction and not rely on instruments. Later, in our berth we tested using the handy billy and spinnaker halyard to recover a casualty. We concluded the best option was to bring the casualty to the stern.
Top learning points
- Weather: Look at the Met Office synopsis and inshore forecast first.
- Safety: Make use of the great documentation on the boats (start-up, safety briefing and shutdown checklists)
- Departure: Take time to think about springing and pivot points. Consider a Dutch spring and test before slipping.
- Overall: don’t take things personally, treat everything as a chance to improve.
Our three day course included plenty of wind, a dash of high-stakes navigation and some radio drama. The goal wasn’t just to log miles, but to build confidence, sharpen navigation skills and have fun.
Day 1: Finding our sea legs
We kicked things off at Haslar Marina with a healthy dose of caffeine and a strategy session lead by our fabulous trainer. Since this was the first session of its kind, the energy was high. We spent the morning familiarizing ourselves with the boat and discussing our passage plan before casting off.
The Solent greeted us with a fantastic breeze. We hoisted the sails and set a course for Yarmouth, finding our rhythm quickly. Lunch was a rolling affair—sandwiches enjoyed on the hoof (or rather, on the heel) as we tacked our way west. By the time we tied up in Yarmouth, the crew was buzzing; the rust was well and truly shaken off and we celebrated with pink fizz!
Day 2: Radio drama and The Needles challenge
Day 2 brought lighter winds, which actually worked in our favour for some technical drills. We sailed the tide east toward Hamstead Point, just outside Newtown Creek where we dropped anchor to settle in for a deep-dive planning session. The afternoon’s big goal: The Needles.
While we pored over the charts, the VHF radio provided the soundtrack to our lunch. It was a busy day for the Coastguard! We listened in as:
- A yacht reported a suspected grounding inside the tricky entrance of Newtown Creek. They later managed to free themselves.
- A further broadcast warned of a new obstruction located near the infamous emergency wreck, just 300m north of us. A 6-inch wide brown pole or maybe a tree trunk?
It served as a timely reminder of why we were doing this training—situational awareness is everything.
With the plan finalised, we headed west past historic Hurst Castle, safely navigating the North Channel whilst avoiding The Trap and the Shingles bank, and using the tide to whisk us out. We kept a close watch on the depth as we approached SW Shingles, carefully threading our way past The Bridge in to the Needles Channel. We had the perfect photo opportunity as we sailed right past the Needles. Seeing those iconic chalk stacks from the water—with the sun hitting the Isle of Wight’s west coast—was a "pinch-me" moment for everyone on board as we sailed north admiring the rugged western coastline of the Isle of Wight. Turning back into the Solent, the wind and tide aligned. We flew back towards East Cowes at a cracking pace, with the helm making our weekend speed record, arriving just in time for a well-earned, late, but absolutely delicious home-cooked dinner on board.
Day 3: Mastering the flow
We didn’t let the final day go to waste, opting for an early start to catch the Medina river tide to practice ferry gliding. It’s a strange sensation, using the current to move sideways like a crab, but the crew nailed it.
Once we’d mastered the river, we pointed the bow east to catch the tide back toward Portsmouth using the handheld compass to line up the Round Tower on 035 degrees to navigate the Inner Swashway. The grand finale? A series of boat-handling exercises in the confined spaces of the harbour. After three days of fabulous teamwork, the crew handled the boat with the precision of seasoned pros. Our lassoing perfected, we moored Quartette on a hammerhead pontoon expertly against the wind!
There’s something special about the camaraderie that forms over three days of shared winches and shared charts. The energy was incredible. We learned that the Solent isn't just about fighting the elements; it's about understanding them. Whether it was decoding VHF chatter or timing the tide at Hurst, every member of the crew stepped up. This inaugural session proved that whether you're dodging wrecks or mastering the tides, the best way to do it is with a great crew and a bit of adventure.
A huge thank you to our instructor for her expert tuition and calm approach, explaining situations in a way that made understanding easy. Here’s to many more miles, many more laughs, and definitely more women on the water!
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