RYA Dinghy Level 2 Basic Skills is the course where you stop needing an instructor in the boat with you. You build on Level 1 Start Sailing until you can rig, launch and sail a dinghy on all points of sail in light winds, tacking and gybing with control. It is still recreational sailing, not racing, but your hands start to know what to do without constant prompting.
Most centres run roughly two days or sixteen hours on the water. You will practise capsize recovery and man overboard recovery, learn essential rules of the road, and develop weather awareness so you know when to stay ashore. Stronger wind days are useful training; your instructor may reef early rather than scare you. That is the point.
When you pass, the RYA standard says you are able to sail a dinghy in light winds without an instructor on board. That is a meaningful step: club open sailing, hire boats at some venues, and progression toward Level 3 Better Sailing all become realistic. Under-16s may prefer the Youth Sailing Scheme, but adults commonly take Level 2 straight after Level 1.
Guides and stories related to this certification.
Level 2 is assessed continuously on the water by your RYA instructor. There is no written exam.
Quick answers about this qualification. For anything else, use live chat or browse bookable activities below.
Find activitiesIt is the RYA National Sailing Scheme course that takes you from supervised sailing to sailing a dinghy alone in light winds. You consolidate rigging, all points of sail, tacking, gybing, capsize recovery and man overboard recovery, plus essential safety knowledge.
Most students describe Level 2 as the moment dinghy sailing stops feeling like a lesson and starts feeling like something you can do yourself, within sensible limits.
You need sailing skills to the standard of RYA Level 1 Start Sailing. That means you can rig, launch, steer on basic points of sail and get afloat under supervision.
If you learned informally at a club, some centres will assess you on day one rather than insist on a Level 1 certificate. Leave a comment when you book explaining your background so they can advise.
The RYA specifies approximately two days or sixteen hours. Centres may spread that across a weekend, four evenings or school-holiday sessions for younger sailors on the National Scheme. Weather may reorder the timetable; flexible return travel avoids stress on the last day.
Strong wind can delay solo sailing until conditions are suitable. That reordering is normal and keeps the certificate meaningful when you receive it.
No formal written exam. Assessment is practical and continuous on the water. Your instructor signs off skills when you perform them reliably, especially sailing without them in the boat. RYA Recognised Training Centres teach to the same syllabus even when boats and scenery differ.
You will discuss rules of the road and weather ashore, but the certificate depends on what you can do afloat, not what you can recite in a classroom.
It is a step up because you sail alone, but the skills are extensions of Level 1 rather than something entirely new. Gybing and man overboard practice feel awkward at first; repetition is how instructors build confidence.
If your Level 1 was years ago, consider a refresher session before booking. Leave a comment when you book with your last sailing date and your centre can suggest the right entry point.
Wet-weather gear or a wetsuit depending on the venue, non-slip shoes, gloves if you blister easily, and a towel. Centres provide buoyancy aids and often boats, though regulars sometimes bring their own dinghy. If your experience is non-standard, a short comment on booking saves time on day one.
Pack food and water for long days on the water. Sun protection matters even on cloudy days when glare comes off the water.
Your centre teaches a recognised recovery method using a buoy or dummy in controlled conditions. You practise approaching, stopping alongside and helping the person back into the boat without fouling the rudder. Coastal and inland venues both work when the school teaches to RYA standards.
It is not as dramatic as it sounds on paper. Instructors build the sequence slowly so you understand each step before speed is added.
You can sail dinghies alone in light winds at many clubs and training centres, subject to local rules. The usual next certificate is RYA Level 3 Better Sailing, which consolidates skills and introduces tasters from advanced modules.
Level 2 also opens the door to Day Sailing, Seamanship Skills and Start Racing once you complete Level 3 or equivalent experience.
There is no RYA minimum age for Level 2 on the National Sailing Scheme, though centres set their own policies. Many require sailors to be at least twelve for solo boat work. Your centre sends a kit list after booking; read it before you buy new gear.
Under-16s may prefer Youth Stage 3 or 4 instead. Leave a comment when you book for a teenager so the centre can confirm boat size and supervision rules.
Not for training. RYA centres provide club boats for Level 2 in most cases. Owning a boat is optional afterward and many sailors hire or borrow for years. Many students book the next module at the same school to keep momentum on the pathway.
If you do own a dinghy, ask whether the centre can assess you in your own boat. Leave a comment when you book with the class so they can confirm suitability.
adventuro lists RYA Recognised Training Centres offering Level 2 at inland lakes, estuaries and coastal venues. Compare whether boat hire, wetsuits and logbook fees are included in the price.
Match the venue to where you plan to sail afterward. Inland Level 2 is fine if your club is on a reservoir; coastal centres add tide and chop earlier in your learning.
From £ 180
Lancashire, United Kingdom
From £ 205
Napier Road
From £ 220
East Anglia, United Kingdom
From £ 1499
Surrey, East and West Sussex, United Kingdom
From £ 699
Surrey, East and West Sussex, United Kingdom
From £ 240
Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire, United Kingdom
From £ 205
Poole, Dorset
