RYA Competent Crew Course at Mallorca Sailing Academy

Duration: 5 Days

About

Learn how to steer, handle sails, and generally form part of a sailboat crew in the Competent Crew course offered by Mallorca Sailing School. This course is perfect for beginners who want to get actively involved in all the technical aspects of sailing a yacht and experience life on board. Learn all about sail cruising, how to work in a team onboard and how to best aid the skipper – the perfect segue to later becoming one yourself.

Description

If you are looking for adventure on the high seas and the opportunity to enjoy spectacular landscapes on exciting sailing voyages, then you can gain the confidence and sailing skills you need when you take the hands-on, 5-day, RYA Competent Crew Course in magnificent Mallorca. Take the wheel, handle the sails, row a dinghy, serve your first watch, and experience what it’s like to be an active crew member onboard a modern yacht while making friends and having a fantastic time.

Expert instructors will be there to teach sailors how to participate in all of the day-to-day duties onboard a yacht. Learn nautical terms, all the parts of the yacht, how the yacht works, and how to navigate weather conditions. Students with only a novice level of sailing experience will step up their sailing skills on the first day. Get actively involved in all the aspects of sailing a yacht while learning how to work as a team with other crew members.

You will immediately understand what it’s like to be an active crew member rather than just being a passenger on board. Learning how to best assist the captain as a contributing crew member is the first step toward becoming a day skipper. You’ll learn how to fit right in on a real-world sailing crew while getting a feel for what it’s like to take direction from the captain so you’ll know exactly what to do if heavy weather hits or if there is an emergency onboard.

While no experience is required, if you have some experience sailing dinghies or if you’ve taken the RYA Start Yachting Course, you’ll be ready to step it up with this exciting hands-on course. As you enhance your practical skills and learn the nuances of sailing a bigger yacht you’ll learn exactly what it takes to sail a yacht and fit in on a crew.

What's included?

• Marina fees
• Life jackets and safety equipment
• Insurance while aboard
• All mooring and fuel costs
• All onboard costs
• Please note, the course price does not include accommodation on shore, travel insurance, and any other trip expenses.

Experience Required

A general interest in sailing and a chunk of enthusiasm is all that is required. However, if you have some general sailing experience on a dinghy or other sailboat, or the skills learned from the RYA Start Yachting Course, it will certainly help you. It is a general requirement that the participant is in good physical shape.

What to Bring

Sun screen Regardless of the forecast the sun in Mallorca can be unforgiving and you can be burnt on cloudy days or through light clothes. A good high factor waterproof sunscreen will help you to enjoy your days afloat.

Aboard shoes Deck shoes or sailing boots or any white soled shoe are required for when you are on board, the white soles ensure you do not leave marks on the deck.

Hat As with the sunscreen a good hat is necessary both for shade and to help you see when sailing , getting one with a drawstring will stop you losing it over the side in the first breeze.

Shirts Lightweight technical polyester based wicking t-shirts and long sleeve tops are best as a base layer, cotton t-shirts tend to stay damp if they get wet.

Lightweight jacket A lightweight wind and weatherproof jacket is essential, it can be cool in the day especially in a decent breeze and at night the temperature drops away fast at sea.

Hoody or lightweight smock for the cooler evenings and early mornings.

Short or lightweight trousers Shorts for the daytime and lightweight trousers for the evenings, surf type shorts dry quickly and can double up as swimming costume.

Towel microfiber A quick drying travel towel is ideal

Sunglasses with retainer The sun is very bright at sea since as well as direct sunlight light is also reflected off the ocean, a good set of sunglasses are essential, make sure you have a retainer chord, you will be moving around and working on board and many a pair of expensive designer glasses have gone for a one way swim to the ocean floor.

Bottled water At least two litres of water each.

Sea sickness tablets If you suffer from sea sickness the tablets may well help, follow the instructions on the packaging regarding dosage and when to take your first tablet.

Any prescription medicines or dietary needs On the longer courses you could be away from land for several days so please make sure you have an adequate supply of any essential medicines or special dietary requirements.

Soft bag A soft bag to keep your stuff together that can be stowed easily.

Passport Your passport is required and you may well need your bank card or cash for if we go ashore.

Gloves In theory you might say gloves are not essential but seriously do your hands a favour and get some, fingerless for warm weather or full gloves for cooler weather, you won’t regret it.

Torch For those doing overnight courses then a decent head torch or similar is essential, if you can get a red light torch for evening navigation, it helps you to keep your night vision when reading charts or similar in the dark.

Swimsuit Self-explanatory.

Sailing log if you already have one.

Camera Pack it well to prevent damage in rougher seas.

Classroom reference books For those on the day skipper or above courses your classroom reference books will be useful.

Cooler weather For those taking advantage of the quieter seasons to attend courses in Spring or Autumn there are just a few more items to bring.

Layers Plan to be able to layer your clothing for night or early morning watches, genrally a lightweight jacket is fine if you have several layers beneath.

Set of full oilers Are rarely required in Mallorca in the times that our courses are conducted but if you have a good sailing jacket then bring it along.

Waterproof trousers Again rarely needed in Mallorca and usually a lightweight set are ample for any conditions likely to be encountered.

Warm hat and scarf For early mornings.