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Sailing on the open sea

BEGINNER SAILING COURSE

Introduction to Sailing

Introduction to Sailing is Wayfarer's full beginner course — five evenings on the water for anyone who wants to learn to sail properly, with no prior experience assumed or required. It's suited to solo sailors, couples, families, or small groups of friends who want to build real, practical sailing ability at a relaxed pace, rather than a single taster session.

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It sits between Try Sailing and the IYT-accredited pathway: a natural next step if you enjoyed your taster, or a starting point in its own right if you already know you want to learn properly. Graduates are well placed to move on to International Crew and, from there, the IYT certification track toward Bareboat Skipper.

Check Dates

Start your sailing journey

What You'll Cover

Across the five evenings you'll build your skills progressively — from getting comfortable on the boat through to handling it confidently yourself under sail. Each evening runs roughly two hours.


Getting Started  

  • Welcome and safety briefing, personal safety equipment  

  • Meeting the boat — vessel layout and basic terminology 

  • Points of sail, explained on the water  

  • First time at the helm, getting a feel for how the boat moves 
     

 Boat Handling Basics  

  • Recap and warm-up  

  • Mainsail and headsail controls  

  • Tacking and gybing  

  • Basic knots and cleating technique  

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Sail Trim & Manoeuvring  

  • Recap and warm-up  

  • Trimming sails for different points of sail  

  • Man overboard basics

  • Leaving and returning to a berth or mooring, reading wind on the water 
     

Building Confidence 

  • Recap and warm-up 

  • Sailing a full course — combining tacks, gybes and trim 

  • Anchoring and picking up a mooring buoy 

  • Basic weather awareness and crew roles aboard 
     

Sailing Independently  

  • A full sail with minimal instructor input (60 min)

  • Basic navigation and buoyage, introduced (20 min)

  • Final docking and boat-handling review (20 min)

  • Wrap-up and next steps toward International Crew (15 min)

Course Prerequisites

  • Prerequisites

  • Age 10 and over.

  • No sailing experience necessary — this course is designed for complete beginners.

  • Must be able and willing to take part. No particular fitness level is required, just reasonable mobility and comfort being on the water.

Recommended Gear

Space on board is limited; please bring a soft holdall instead of a hard suitcase.
Essential Packing List:
• Non-slip deck shoes and waterproof sea boots
• Wet weather jacket and trousers
• Warm hat, gloves, and a sun hat
• Polarized sunglasses with a retaining strap
• Sunscreen and lip balm
• Reusable water bottle
• Personal medications and seasickness remedies
• Small, soft overnight bag
• Waterproof dry bag for phone, wallet, and documents
Pro tip: Use layers so you can adjust to changing temperatures throughout the day. It is always better to have an extra layer you don't need than to be caught out by the cold.
If you're unsure what the weather will be doing on the day, layer up — you can always take clothing off, but you can't put on what you didn't bring.

Book a Class

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