Training at Portchester Sailing Club

Training at Portchester Sailing Club is provided exclusively for our Members. Please visit the Membership section of this website for details on how to join the Club.

Training is delivered by the the Training Section of the Club which aims to provide training opportunities for all boating sections of the Club. The Club is a recognised RYA Training Centre and a Volvo Champion Club and we are therefore governed by the rules set out by the RYA. The Club is also a recognised OnBoard Centre with the aim of introducing sailing to the wider community and our local school children specifically. The RYA Principal is ably supported by a team of RYA instructors, assistants and helpers. The Section is run entirely by Club volunteers. All training courses provided by the Section are dependent on demand from the membership and as such courses may be cancelled at short notice if there is insufficient demand.

Shorebased courses are run from October to April and waterbased courses from April to October. In addition to providing a wide range of RYA courses (both on and off the water), the Training Section is committed to provide training to our members bespoke to their needs in making the most of the Club sailing facilities on offer. This includes a programme of winter evening ‘training’ events and talks as well as working closely with the Sailing Section of the Club to encourage participation in Club racing.

Course Details

Details of forthcoming courses can be found on the Training Notice Board in the Club foyer and in your Members Handbook. Please also check the Events section of this website for updated information on Training events.

For general details on our courses (syllabus, costs, FAQs and how to book), please read the following Training documents, which can be found under the download section of this website. If you still require further information on courses, please email us.

- Training - Information on Dinghy courses at PSC

- Training - Information on Powerboat courses at PSC, and

- Training – Information on Shorebased courses at PSC

We do not currently provide practical Cruiser training at PSC due to limited demand but if you feel this would be of value to you, please register your interest for those courses with the Training Secretary and we may be able to accommodate you.

Booking for the various courses will be advertised throughout the year via via the Club Googlegroup email as courses become available, so please make sure you are registered for this service so that you receive up to date training information. Also note that we no longer reserve places on a course until booking forms and full payment have been received.

Changes to Training in 2011

As the 2011 season approaches we have made changes to our dinghy training programme as follows:

*  Monday Sailing - Weekly Monday evening training sessions for Level 3 (Adult) and Stage 3 /4 (Junior)

*  Sunday Sailing - Weekly Sunday training sessions for Level 1 /2 (Adult) and Stage 1/ 2 (Junior)

These regular sessions will enable members to join a course at any time during the season and complete those as quickly (or as slowly) as their abilities require. The syllabus for these courses will follow that of the RYA but will also involve specific training to enable members to progress to Club racing. In particular, race coaching will take place in parallel to the Monday evening training sessions for the more experienced sailors. This is aimed at encouraging improvement on the race course for those with RYA Level 2 and above or to anyone who wishes to join in club racing. Similarly, the Sunday training sessions may incorporate short practice racing All dinghy training courses will be charged on a “pay as you go” basis and need to be booked as any other course each week.

In addition to the regular RYA dinghy courses, the Section will be running two Mystery Courses each season. These will be waterbased courses voted for by the membership from a pre-defined list at the beginning of the season. The two courses with the most interest will be organised and run on the dates shown in the handbook or on the Training Events page.

Requiring Further Information?

If you have any further queries relating to training e.g. if you would like to volunteer to join the Training Team, would like to join on our in-house instructor programme, propose a course or simply want to know more about training at PSC, please email us.