Enjoy sailing at an Olympic venue.
Your course consists of 15 full hours of English (including the level test and initial induction) plus 12 hours of sailing tuition each week. On Monday afternoons, evenings and Saturdays, the normal activity programme will be followed together with the rest of the school. English lessons are from 09.00 to 12.30 Monday to Friday and windsurfing is for 3 hours on 4 afternoons from Tuesday to Friday each week. You will learn saiing in English from professional instructors and if the weather is too windy, you will join the activity programme with the other students.
Read more about your English classes here and see a sample English & Sailing programme here.
Whether you are a complete beginner or have had a little or a lot of previous experience, there is a suitable class for you.
If you are a complete beginner, you will start with basic theory and then go on to learn all the basic aspects of sailing including ropes, rigging, launching, landing and wind awareness. By the end of the course you will have a basic understanding of how a boat sails and some experience of steering and handling the boat.
For students with previous experience, the lessons will be more advanced. At the end of the course you will receive a Royal Yachting Association Certificate of at least stage one in the Young Sailor’s Scheme.
Our sailing lessons take place at the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre in Portland Harbour which was the venue for the sailing events in the 2012 Olympics. Portland Harbour is one of the best places in Britain to sail and top class sailors come from all over the world to train here. The boats you will sail on include RS Zest, RS Tera, Laser, RS Feva, Dart 16, ILCA, 29er, Waszp, and Laser Bahia.
Students must be able to swim at least 25 metres to participate on the sailing course, and they must wear buoyancy aids at all times when on the water. You will need to bring swimming things, a beach towel and beach shoes with you, but all other equipment is provided by the sailing school, including wetsuits and buoyancy aids.
When not on water or in class, you will enjoy activities and trips and, in many cases, you can choose between them. Activities can include football, beach volleyball, basketball, mini-golf, pizza and games, arts and crafts, beach games, a talent show, or a disco . On Saturdays, you go on full-day trips to iconic places such as Stonehenge & Salisbury, London, or Oxford. Or if you want a mix of history and excellent shopping, Exeter is the place for you. In the fashionable city of Bath you can see glorious Georgian architecture. For a day full of adventure combining dramatic coastlines, with a lovely seaside town, a ride on a steam train across the countryside in true Harry Potter style, visiting a traditional village with a castle ruin, go on our Purbeck day-trip. Be aware, this involves walking!
The minimum stay on WEC courses is 2 weeks, and the maximum stay is 4 weeks.
Any combination of the 4 courses can be booked in your 2 to 4-week stay, for example, a 4-week stay can include all our courses.
English & Activities can be booked for any number of weeks.
English & Sailing and English & Windsurfing can be booked for any number of weeks and you can progress up the skill levels on successful completion of a level in a week.
English & Outdoor Adventure is a one-week programme and can be combined with any of the other programmes.
Pick and mix the course that you think you will enjoy!
