RYA Course - Competent Crew

RYA Competent Crew Courses in Falmouth, Cornwall

The RYA Competent Crew Course introduces the compete beginner to cruising under sail and teaches personal safety, seamanship and helmsmanship to the level required to be a useful member of crew onboard a yacht.

This course is usually taken over 5 days and there is no minimum or maximum age requirement, although it is commonly accepted that the candidates should be fit enough to handle ropes, helm and contribute towards the daily routines.

At Trysail Sailing School we have had clients from the ages of 10-85 take our Competent Crew Courses, and we aim to tailor each course to suit the clients we have on board.
It is run from the historic Port of Falmouth, normally starting at 1600hrs Sunday and finishing around 1300hrs on the following Friday. It is also possible to complete the course over a two day and a 3 day weekend or over 3 two day weekends. We can also organise courses around your specific dates if you wish to book an exclusive course.

The RYA stipulates a maximum instructor ratio of 1:5 for Sail Training. At Trysail we work on 4 students to one instructor as we believe this gives the optimum ratio for student learning and makes life on board more comfortable.

Accommodation is provided on board the yacht during the week and all meals are included in the cost. All our instructors are experience cooks and enjoy entertaining at the end of a hard day. We cater for all tastes and we are also more than happy to cater for Vegetarians and Vegans with exciting, local, home-cooked meals. The course will commence with a full safety brief that our instructors will make fun and interesting. Depending on the time of year and weather conditions, you will then experience a gentle voyage to the first overnight anchorage, mooring buoy or pontoon. Your instructor will cook you a lovely meal, assess any previous experience you may have and make a rough plan for the week. We do not set a fixed itinerary for our 5 day courses as the weather plays such a large part and changes daily.

Our aim is to help and encourage each of our candidates to complete the syllabus, set by the RYA, during the course and to award a Certificate of Competency. Each candidate is kept informed of their progress as they learn about the boat, its handling and the routines onboard. We also make at least one 4 hour night passage during the week. It provides the unique sensation of sailing by night and the experience is generally regarded as one of the ‘highlights’ of the week.

In Falmouth, Cornwall, we are blessed with the sheltered waters of the Carrick Roads in which to provide sail training.
The Roseland and Pendennis peninsulas protect the area from the English channel and provide us with the 3rd deepest natural harbour in the world! Even during a week of inclement weather we are still able to operate and explore the upper reaches of the Fal estuary, Truro Rivers and make passage to the Helford River and even Fowey. Blessed with settled weather our instructors will always push to get away from it all and you may find yourself exploring the coastlines of South Devon, Mounts Bay or even the beautiful Isles of Scilly.

Whatever the weather throws at you, you’ll be guaranteed a rewarding and enjoyable 5 days on the water and will complete a minimum of 100 sea miles and 4 night hours to add to your logbook.