Once you have taken your practical Day Skipper course, you might wonder what you can do next that will help build your skills on the water. Chartering a boat in the Med with you as skipper is a good start.  You will have learnt a lot already.  As soon as you are...

    Understanding tides and how they affect your vessel is critical to making any passage short or long. Get it right and you can have a slick, quick, fun journey to your destination, an easy park in the marina of your choice, making that dinner reservation and...

    If you are at Yachtmaster level or heading in that direction then you will no doubt be familiar with the requirements under SOLAS for passage planning.   In my experience, a lot is made of the legal requirement for passage planning on courses. If you are taking...

    There are plenty of books about sailing out there, from which you can learn a tremendous amount and we would recommend you read as many as you can.  However, when it comes to casting off, on a real floating boat, on the sea, we would definitely say do not do this...

    Embarking on your sailing journey is going to be an exciting adventure, and we can help you with it, guiding you along the way. One of the first questions we are often asked is  what the best course for a beginner is.   Our two beginner-friendly courses are...

    Find a sailing club in Hampshire, the Solent, or on the Isle of Wight from the list below. Our recommended Solent and Hampshire sailing clubs organise all sorts of sailing events from Cruises in Company to weekend or evening racing.    Hampshire, the Solent, and...

    When you take an RYA sailing course with First Class Sailing, the time spent is not just about mastering your skills on the water. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to see some of the most picturesque and historically significant locations on the English...

    Finding the perfect gift for a sailor is challenging. The best sailing gifts for him should really be something that will add to the experience of the recipient, rather than a traditional present or accessory. At least, that’s what we think, which is why we’re...

    Before you read this short guide to getting fit for sailing, let us be clear… sailing is for everyone. You don’t need to be super fit to get started. In fact, sailing is a fun way to get into shape as a beginner, but that doesn’t mean it will be physically...