Learn to sail | Croydon Sailing Club

Croydon Sailing Club is an official RYA Training Centre offering a number of opportunities for adult (18+) non-sailors to learn to sail on our official RYA Level 1 courses. Existing sailors can improve their skills on our official RYA Level 2 course and those out of practice sailors can get back on the water via informal refresher days.

We welcome the confirmation that outdoor sport and recreation will be the first activity after education to be released from lockdown in England. This prioritisation by the Government clearly acknowledges the many positive mental and physical benefits of outdoor sport, as well as its safety and low rates of transmission. In the coming days, the RYA will be issuing guidance on how clubs can return to boating and how training can be undertaken within the detailed Government regulations . Once the guidance is published, the training centre can give details of its plans for 2021 Season courses.

In the meantime, CSC plans to update this page to include a link to an online booking system, a section on frequently asked questions and links to RYA training videos.

Please note that initially the club plans to focus on our Get Afloat Croydon Project offering sailing opportunities to young persons living in Croydon who have not been able to get outdoors and get active again. This project offers Taster sailing sessions for young persons referred to the Centre by community groups who are working with families affected by the pandemic.

We are aware that there is a latent demand from adults who want to learn to sail and we will endeavour to offer as many courses as possible; however given the reduced numbers permitted on courses (6) and some volunteer instructors not being able to working safely with small groups; we may not be able meet the demand.

If permitted we aim to run Start sailing courses over weekends from at end of April; including May Bank Holidays and a link to booking dates will be shown on this page. All teaching will be outdoors supplemented by zoom sessions to cover introduction and theory teaching to reduce the amount of time ashore in group talks.

Below is a summary of what the club has arranged in previous years .

The cost of a 2 day Level 1 course is £200 per person which includes: £30 temporary 6 months membership of the club; course hand book and certificates logbook and buoyancy aids . Day courses run from 9.30 am to 5.30pm and the course is undertaken in our training boats comprising of Laser Picos, ( single-hander) and Hartley 12.2s ( double-hander ) dinghies suitable for our lake size. Temporary membership enables anyone completing the Start Sailing Course to attend “Go Sailing” on Wednesday and Friday Night’s; (April to August after which time the nights shorten with dusk around 7:30pm) . Saturday afternoons 2-5pm are reserved for families but adults can join in early evening. Members who do not have their own boat pay £25 per year to use club boats at these sessions which contributes to the maintenance and insurance of the fleet of club boats our offer is inclusive of this fee.

The Level 2 course costs £150 to club members and priority for the 12 places is given to adults who have completed a level 1 course with the club and will probably be arranged for late summer .

Ladies Nights

Follow up sessions for those who have completed Level 1 course can be booked for Wednesday and Friday nights when instructors attend to offer support until confidence is sufficient for new members to join in main Go Sailing sessions. During 2019 a Ladies group was co-ordinated within Wednesday Night Adult sailing. When there are not coaching sessions members run Go Sailing sessions by volunteering to take a turn as beachmaster and powerboat helm. The club aims to help new sailors progress and get out on the water with other members and to take up regular sailing.

On Board Youth Training

During Spring, the club is planning to run Youth Improvers training alongside taster half day sessions on Saturdays during May , June and July- parents will join a rota to support the activities by remaining on site to help with launching and recovery of boats .