Let us introduce you to a completely different way of approaching your sail and power boat training.
Whatever your boating ambitions, we believe that the way to become competent and confident is to develop those skills through a combination of courses, of guided practice and personal tuition.
Traditionally, people believe that they should gain their RYA Competent Crew and Day Skipper qualifications before considering the next step. However, a Day Skipper Course (5 days for Sail and 4 days for Power), unless you are already a very proficient skipper, does not make you competent. It is simply the first step en route to mastering a rewarding sport and desirable lifestyle. This traditional approach is like taking your first few driving lessons and having no car in which to practice! Progress is going to be very slow and the hassle (and cost) of hiring a car each time you want to drive is very off-putting. It is very much better experience when you have access to a car and someone at your shoulder to guide you on. This latter approach is the principle that we apply so that you no longer worry about handling a boat in close quarters with a cross wind and current, and no longer worry about taking your boat into an unfamiliar harbour. The stress falls away and enjoyment of the challenge soars with a deserved feeling of accomplishment following a well-executed manoeuvre. Equally important you gain the confidence of those sailing with you and they in turn sail as a competent crew.
Typically, when you book an RYA course through a ‘Sailing School’, you join a party of others to make up a compliment of 5 students and an Instructor on what is often a well-worn and basic small yacht. The course moves at the pace of the slowest student and there is only so far that you can progress over the period of the course. By contrast, as a Member of FlexiSail, you learn on your own luxury, highly-specified yacht and will receive personal tuition for you and your family/friends. Normally this will be for 2 to 3 people and our aim is not to just pass you through ‘Day Skipper’, but to use the extra personal tuition time to give you more knowledge and more practice. This is real added value.
Boating is perceived as a very expensive pastime and becomes even more so once you own a boat. Also you have to meet the berthing fees, insurance, haul outs, servicing, maintenance and renewals. The saying that, “the two happiest days in your life are the day you buy your boat and the day that you sell it!” has a ring of truth to it. However, it doesn’t have to be like that, and our totally different approach allows you to have your ‘cake and eat it’!
Solent Nautical College offers a unique solution. We provide, through FlexiSail, guaranteed monthly access to a luxury and highly-specified Beneteau Yacht or Nimbus 340 Commander flybridge with all costs paid, all the hassle taken care of, and all for less than the cost of the marina berthing fees! We then provide personal tuition for you and your family/friends on your boat, using our own highly qualified Instructors to take you from novice to Yachtmaster and beyond, all at substantially less cost than the traditional ‘Sea School’ route. With an overall commitment of just 12 months we will provide the best training; comfortable boats to sail more often than you are likely to want; and operate out of Hamble and Lymington, the best locations for access to the Solent. Quite simply, we provide the finest value training/sailing package available. With your capital still in the bank you are enjoying a lifestyle that you can afford!
Meanwhile, you and your family can also enjoy participating in our active social programme. Activities include; Beat the Buoys (our big summer social, including a party in the evening); channel cruises; skills workshops; Cowes week racing; Cowes Fireworks; Flotillas; Christmas party and winter skiing. All are an excellent way for meeting like minded people!
