Level 2 - Basic Skills

Cost per person - £300 (2 or more students) £400 (solo course)

INTRODUCTION
On completion of this course, the successful sailor will be safety conscious, have a basic knowledge of sailing and be capable of sailing without an instructor on board in light winds. It will be assumed that every student starting this course has already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for Level 1, Start Sailing. Both courses can be combined. Tuition will be given by trained instructors, using appropriate supervision ratios. The students' knowledge and ability will be assessed on a continuous basis, though an oral interview may be used as the basis for theory assessment if required. We aim to keep clients informed of their individual progress throughout the course. The two-day course will usually be split into 4 distinctive parts.

DAY 1 SESSION 1

➢ Initial conversation to establish sailing experience and knowledge.
➢ Safety brief, clothing, life jacket use.
➢ Introduction to the boat, general controls tiller, sheets, halyards, lifting keel, engine and engine checks Generally kept to a minimum as most are best introduced as being used.
➢ Introduction afloat of the 5 essentials Course made good, Trim, Balance, Sail setting. Practical session discussing each in turn.
➢ Introduction to engine including checks, starting, stopping and running procedures. Demo and client practice of picking up a mooring.
➢ Theory.

DAY 1 SESSION 2

➢ Aim, to build upon confidence, knowledge and skills learnt from session 1.
➢ Points of sailing and the No Go Zone.
➢ Continuation of practice of 5 essentials.
➢ Introduction of reefing system and why it maybe needed.
➢ Coming alongside a moored boat.
➢ Debrief and discuss areas of success and identify areas to be improved upon. Finish session on a positive.
➢ Theory.

DAY 2 SESSION 3

➢ Aim build upon confidence, knowledge and skills learnt from sessions 1 & 2.
➢ Continue with the practical improvement of the application of the 5 essentials.
➢ Jetty landings and picking up mooring practice.
➢ Man overboard recovery demo and practice.
➢ Theory.

DAY 2 SESSION 4

➢ Aim to build upon confidence, knowledge and skills learnt from sessions 1, 2 & 3.
➢ Triangular course set and clients take turns to take helm and sail around the course minimal instruction should be required if any.
➢ Theory is introduced as it becomes relevant to each particular part of the course being delivered. Any sections of theory that have not been covered should be discussed here.
➢ Final debrief, ensure log books are filled in correctly and appropriate certificates issued plan of action on where to go next.

THEORY

➢ Potential recap of theory from level 1.
➢ Ropework: Knots from level 1 & Bowline, Clove Hitch, Reef Knot & Rolling Hitch.
➢ Points of sail and the No Go Zone.
➢ How a sail works – Basic Aerodynamic Theory.
➢ Sea sailing – basic advice to inland sailors, taking local advice. Tide tables, tidal sequence of springs and neaps, ebb and flow.
➢ The effect of wind direction and tidal flow on sailing conditions. ➢ Speed over ground with/against tidal flow.
➢ Estuaries and harbour mouths – conditions and hazards.
➢ Informing someone ashore.
➢ Inland sailing – basic advice including local bylaws, permits, overhead power lines, locks and weirs.
➢ The dangers of hypothermia and the importance of first aid training particularly cardio pulmonary resuscitation.
➢ The importance of first aid kit. Visual methods of attracting attention, action to help those in distress.
➢ Sources of weather and shipping forecasts, when to reef. Understand the Beaufort Wind Scale.
➢ Rules of the road power v sail, port v starboard, windward boat and overtaking boat.
➢ Aware of lee shore dangers, sailing in close company with others and man overboard recovery.
➢ Knows importance of personal safety, clothing and buoyancy, boat buoyancy and basic equipment, i.e. bilge pump.

Book RYA Level 2 course

Level 2