Irish National Sailing School
Dinghy Level 1: Start Sailing C20
Overview
This Start Sailing Course introduces you to the basics of sailing. If you’re a fan of getting wet, then dinghies are for you! Want to stay dry – try our beginner keelboat course for adults.
This course runs on the syllabus of Royal Yachting Association Level 1 and comprises of 12 hours tuition, over two days. Running from 9.30am until 5.30pm with a break for lunch.
Put simply we start at the beginning – it is assumed that all participants have no previous dinghy sailing experience but are water confident and have a can-do attitude with regard to getting to grips with life aboard a small dinghy!
The course syllabus includes:
- Learning how to rig (Assembling your boat)
- Pre-launch safety checks.
- What clothing is the right clothing to wear?
- Weather – what conditions are safe for me?
- Turning the boat around – Tacking and Gybing.
- Setting the sails according to what angle you’re sailing at to the wind.
- Capsize recovery – Getting the boat back upright!
- Learning how to determine the direction the wind is coming from.
- Ropework!
The course leads to RYA Start Sailing Certification – Dinghy Level 1.
The Boat
Your training boat is the RS Zest – a versatile dinghy designed with sailing training in mind, complete with reefable sail and plenty of cockpit space for you to get comfortable in.
What to Bring
- Swimwear
- Shower gear
- Towel
- Spare pair of clothes
- Packed lunch
We provide:
- Wetsuit
- Lifejacket / buoyancy Aid to
- Waterproof jackets
Our cancellation policy for this course can be viewed here.
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Competent Crew Course - Excellent Instructor - Having done a few courses with the INSS over the summer of 2023, and some sailing on the Mediterranean, doing the Competent Crew course with others who were doing the Day Skipper course at the same time was the highlight of my time learning how to sail. The reason it was the highlight was largely due to the course instructor Shona O'Dowd (I made certain to get her full name before leaving to give her the credit she deserved). Huge knowledge and experience mixed with a great attitude, with friendliness, patience and approachability making Shona stand out and make each day of the course something to look forward to regardless of weather or experience level. Shona guided practical use of all facets of sailing knowledge excellently and never micromanaged or tried to exert too much control, thereby never limiting the learning that can take place for students.
This teaching style is difficult to find, having seen a variety of instructors and their styles, in different countries and even within the INSS, and so you will be very lucky if you get Shona on your boat when it comes your turn to learn the ropes (literally). All in all, the Competent Crew course was very enjoyable, and I just wanted to give credit where it was due.
Maps57686967283
20/08/2023
