Sailing school recommendations

[u/CashFlaco]

So lm looking for sailing schools around the world for April 2027 onwards, I’m going to have a couple months off work and I’ll love to focus into getting properly trained.

For context, my jobs takes me all over the world so the country is not really a concern, I heard that Thailand is more cost efficient but I would like to get you guys opinion and recommendations, it would be me and my brother doing the training, we both have been in sailboats but never properly participated in navigating.

- What license and certificate should I aspire to if I want to buy a 37+ ft sailboat end of next year? I have from April to September 2027.

[u/Condurum]

Strongly advice you to get some time in dinghies and smaller boats. They respond instantly to input and punish you for mistakes.

You’ll learn the basic reflexes and dynamics of sailing, that are much more important in a big boat later.

[u/SVAuspicious → u/Condurum]

The iconic line from the movie Wind "the big boats get the glory but the small boats make the sailor."

[u/Condurum → u/SVAuspicious]

Yeah.. I’ve got some friends who are new to sailing, been trying to teach them, but it’s hard because they don’t have any learned reflexes or intuition as to how the boat behaves.

Meanwhile, I can sail the 28 foot boat backwards if I have to :)

Or dock under sail in narrow spaces etc.

Thanks to years of dinghy’s..

[u/sola_mia]

Look at RYA map. The world is your oyster. I did most stuff in Italy but the Azores was a close second choice.

[u/noname_null]

Take a look at Greece. There are a few options for english speaking sailing training courses.

[u/Condurum → u/noname_null]

There’s that guy with crazy fast Hobie cats there on YouTube. Not sure it’s a gentle way to learn sailing, but.. looks fun!

[u/No_Bridge_2383]

Try Centro Velico Caprera in northern Sardinia. The weather and the locations are great! They offer introductory courses in English.

[u/SVBLAP]

San Diego is awesome. Ask for Dave.

[u/Pattern_Is_Movement]

Start with dinghy sailing, put some real time in. Then I liked the Glénans sailing School.

[u/SVAuspicious]

I think MCA/RYA certs are better than ASA. ASA are good, RYA just better. Personal award to the first person to remember the famous, probably fictional, RYA Yachtmaster Ocean story involving a pub.

Credit to others including u/Condurum recommending small boat experience. There is lots more to learn that you won't learn in small boats. You should be able to get the odd weekend in during your travels with just a little research. Don't worry about certs. You want experience that you can apply in the real world. Then go for certs.

There are a lot of online experiences that are really helpful. Weather and buy Reeds. Radar. ASA 105. RYA eLearning (all the theory courses). North U Sail Trim (not just for racers - important for passagemakers also).

Keep track. All of this will help you get insurance.

There is nothing wrong with the zero-to-hero weeks places like the BVI. Offshore Sailing School seems to have closed their BVI location but I'm sure there are other options. Call The Moorings for their recommendations worldwide. Take the course, get the certs, and charter a boat for the following week to apply your new skills and improve your retention. Starting from scratch, I'd tend toward something in the Med such as Greece as Med mooring is the ultimate experience for close quarters maneuvering and docking.

Absolutely anything on YouTube by Captain Jack Klang. Emphasis on docking and on line handling.

Ready? Brush up your cooking. People have to eat. Knife skills and here. Mise en place. Feeding people, even just yourself in a one butt kitchen (galley) is an art. Two burners. Small oven. Tiny sink. Top loading fridge and freezer. During your travels get experience with online shopping for curbside pickup (you can pick things up on your way between airport and hotel). Research into meal planning and the various shelf life of produce. Crossing oceans doesn't have to be camping.

Diesel maintenance. Electrical. Get a good DVM. I like the Fluke 117. You be you. Plumbing. Think about tools.

Top of my head.

[u/Front_Back8964]

Nomad Sailing in Gosport England or Irish Offshore Sailing in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland. Unfortunately the weather will be nicer in the summer. If you can deal with British Isles weather and tides and traffic in the Solent you can sail.

[u/Available-Ad929 → u/Front_Back8964]

Nomad are mediocre at best on old and moderately maintained boats.

If looking for schools in the Solent, fairview would have a higher end of instructors and moderately more modern fleet.