ENGLISH AND SAILING COURSE

There are 15 full hours of English lessons (which includes the written and oral test, needs analysis and induction on the first day) plus 12 hours of sailing tuition each week.

The English lessons are from 09.00 to 12.30 with a total break time of 30 minutes.

The sailing tuition is for 3 hours on 4 afternoons from Tuesday to Friday each week. You will learn sailing in English.

If the weather is too windy, other activities will be arranged.

You can find information about the sailing syllabus at the bottom of this page.

Yes, there is 1 other afternoon activity and 4 evening activities each week on the English and sailing course plus a full day trip on Saturdays (not on your departure Saturday).

Open the English & Activities page to see what sort of activities we offer.

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.

Yes, 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.

The English and sailing course can be booked as an optional extra for any number of weeks during your language course.

There is an extra weekly charge for this course - please see the dates and prices page for more information.

Rigging

• Can assist with rigging a boat

Launching and Recovery

• Can launch a dinghy and get underway with instruction
• Can secure a boat to a trolley
• Can assist with recovery and stowage of dinghy and gear

Ropework

• Can tie a figure of eight and cleat a halyard

Sailing Techniques and Manoeuvres

• Can be a responsible crrew under instruction
• Can steer when sailing and being towed
• Can steer on a reach and go about (reach to reach)
• Understands the effect of basic boat controls
• Understands the basic principles of stopping, controlling speed and getting out of irons
• Can paddle or row
• Can call for assistance

Clothing and Equipment

• Can put on personal buoyancy correctly
• Is confident in the water wearing person buoyancy
• Understands personal safety and knows what to wear for sailing

Capsize Recovery

• Understands the importance of staying with the boat

Sailing Background

• Can name basic parts of the boat
• Understands what action to take to help those in distress
• Understands local hazards
• Understands how to prepare for a tow

Meteorology

• Has knowledge of wind direction
  

Rigging

• Can put a boat to head to wind for rigging
• Can rig a dinghy

Launching and Recovery

• Understands how to manoeuvre a trolley clear of other boats and cables
• Can launch and recover a small dinghy in an offshore wind

Ropework

• Can tie a round turn and two half hitches and a reef knot

Sailing Techniques and  Manoeuvres

• Can control speed and stop by lying-to
• Can get out of irons
• Can go about (close reach to close reach)
• Can crew a boat effectively
• Can sail a shallow triangle across the wind under supervision
• Can understand the principles of the five essentials and returning to a beach or pontoon (offshore wind)

Capsize Recovery

• Can be  scooped in during capsize recovery or an right one type of dinghy

Sailing Manoeuvers

• Understands the No Go Zone
• Understands what is meant by windward, leeward and gybe

General

Has knowledge of:

Spars and rigging

• Parts of the sail
• Sail controls and foils
• Offshore and onshore winds
• Telling someone ashore
• The dangers of man-made hazards

Rules of the Road

• Has knowledge of the port/starboard rule

Meteorology

• Understands several ways of finding the wind direction

Clothing and Equipment

• Can choose and correctly adjust personal buoyancy aid
• Understands what to wear for sailing
  

Rigging, Launching and Recovery

• Can rig, launch and recover in an offshore wind
• Can reef a dinghy ashore according to weather conditions
• Can store a dinghy ashore

Ropework

• Can tie a bowline, clove hitch and rolling hitch

Sailing Techniques and Manoeuvres

Can demonstrate the basic principles of the following:

• The five essentials
• Sailing on all points of sail on a triangular course
• Tacking upwind
• Gybing from a training run
• Righting a small capsized dinghy as a helm/crew
• Coming alongside a moored boat
• Prepare for / take up tow from a power craft
• Picking up a mooring

Racing

• Understands the course and starting procedure

Sailing Background

Manoeuvres

• Understands how to recover a man overboard
• Understands the points of sailing
• Understands how a sail works
• Knows basic terminology for use afloat
• Understands the importance of clear communication aboard
• Understands lee shore dangers and sailing in close company with other water users
• Understands advice to inland sailors for coastal sailing
• Knows the importance of personal safety and telling someone ashore
• Understands the dangers of hypothermia and the use of correct clothing for protection

Rules of the Road

• Knows the basic rules of the road - port / starboard, windward boat and overtaking boat

Meteorology

• Knows how to obtain a weather forecast
• Understands the Beaufort Wind Scale
• Knows when to reef

Clothing and Equipment

Understands the importance of:

• Personal safety equipment
• Boat buoyancy
• Basic safety equipment e.g. anchor, paddle, bailer
  

Rigging and Launching

• Can rig, launch and recover in any wind direction
• Can set up a boat according to weather conditions using sail and rig controls

Ropework

Knows the uses of and can tie:

• Figure of eight
• Round turn two half hitches
• Reef knot
• Bowline
• Clove Hitch
• Rolling Hitch
• Sheet Bend

Sailing Techniques and Manoeuvres

Can demonstrate:

• Sailing techniques and manoeuvres from Stage 3 in a crewed boat
• Communicate effectively as a helm and crew
• Effective use of the five essentials by helm and crew afloat including use of tell-tales
• Recovering man overboard
• Returning to shore safely in any wind direction

Sailing Background

Has knowledge of:

• IRPCS
• Beaufort Wind Scale
• Synoptic Charts
• Tidal ebb and flow
• Spring and neap tides
• Knows how to recover from a total inversion

Other

• Can apply the IRPCS afloat
• Has basic knowledge of IALA buoyage, how to use tide tables and how to find the direction of tidal streams
• Use of tide tables
• Tidal stream direction