Sailors need to know how to use a VHF radio. Not only is it essential for safety, it’s also the law – if your yacht is fitted with a VHF radio, someone on board needs to hold a licence. That’s where the RYA VHF Radio Course comes in. Whether you’re skippering your...

The following is a short account from the skipper of the Challenger Yacht we sailed to the Channel Islands and back in June. Ship’s Captain’s Log of the good ship Challenger 4 on a 5 day trip from Portsmouth to the Channel Islands in June. 3 June 2025 Deck all...

    If you already have some experience of sailing under your belt and you’re ready to take things to the next level, the RYA Day Skipper Practical Course should be your next move. On the Day Skipper Course you will go from crewing to skippering so you can eventually...

    First Class Sailing tutors will often sail on the Beaulieu River, and you could too when you sign up to one of our RYA sailing courses. But did you know about the river’s wartime history?   The Beaulieu River is not just known for its natural beauty and fantastic...

    Following on from our blog about mile building trips after Day Skipper (which can be read here) we thought we’d follow up with one for aspiring Yachtmasters.   For the Yachtmaster Coastal you need 800nm.  If you have done the Coastal Skipper course this is reduced...

    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...