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RYA dinghy sailing scheme

The RYA Dinghy sailing scheme is designed to take a Dinghy sailor through a structured learning process, building practical sailing skills, theory knowledge and understanding safe practices to make your experience on the water enjoyable. Joining Flying Fish for a Dinghy Instructors course you will do just that but you will take the next step in the RYA scheme, become a qualified RYA Dinghy Instructor.

The RYA Dinghy Sailing Scheme

The RYA have broken down the art of Dinghy sailing into seven different disciplines:

  1. Level 1 – Start sailing
  2. Level 2 – Basic skills
  3. Level 3 – Better sailing
  4. Seamanship skills
  5. Day skiling
  6. Sailing with Skinnakers
  7. Performance sailing

If you are a keen on racing, are part of a sailing club that does a lot of racing then you can complete 3 Dinghy racing modules, not covered on our Dinghy Instructor course.

  1. Start Racing – all you need to know about getting round a race course
  2. Intermediate racing –  homing your racing skills looking at boat speed, race tactics, rules and strategy
  3. Advanced racing – Developing skills in preparation for club or event racing

Dinghy Instructors course ( 6 weeks)

If you are joining Flying Fish to complete our 6-week Dinghy Instructor’s course then you will begin with the basics (Level 1), progressing through the RYA scheme finishing with high wind performance performance sailing skills. building skills, theory knowledge and Instructional techniques along the way. You will also complete RYA powerboat level 2 course and RYA First aid, required for RYA Dinghy Instructor. Training in Vasiliki, Greece we are blessed with fantastic sailing conditions, warm water and lots of different types of Dinghy’s for you to try.

Dinghy Instructor course (4 weeks)

If you are joining Flying Fish for our Dinghy Instructor Fast-Track then you would already be a competent Dinghy sailor, having completed RYA Level 3 – Better sailing or have equivalent knowledge. If you are not familiar with the RYA scheme then you should have a good understanding of the skills listed below. If you’re a bit rusty or would like to refresh some of the skills then please consider joining our 6 week Dinghy Instructors course or contact us to see if we can arrange a bespoke training package for you.

RYA Level 3 – better sailing skills

A level 3 sailor will be safety conscious and capable of sailing without an instructor in moderate sailing conditions. You will have a practical understanding in the following areas:

  • Able to rig a dinghy for various wind conditions and sea states
  • Can leave and return to the same jetty, pontoon or mooring
  • Can Tack upwind and Gybe downwind maintaining boat speed and balance
  • Recover a man overboard
  • Reef the sail when required
  • Demonstrate a “dry capsize”

Level 3 Theory

You have theoretical understanding of:

  • I.R.P.C.S (rule of the sea) and can apply them to Sailing vessels coming from different directions, power boats and crossing narrow channels
  • Basic sail-control knowledge to change the sail shape depending on the point of sail
  • The points of sailing
  • The five essentials – Balance, Trim, Sail Setting, Centreboard and Course made good
  • Meteorology, including the Beaufort scale, interpreting a basic synoptic chart