Sian
Fantastic experience led by friendly, efficient and interesting people.
Boost your foundational sailing skills with an introduction to navigation, tides, charts, and safety awareness. This one-day course can be taken in the classroom or online, allowing flexible learning while providing practical experience with essential navigation tools.
The course begins with classroom instruction on charts, publications, safety, and essential navigation tools such as plotters and dividers. Participants learn how to interpret tidal data, understand buoyage, and carry out engine checks to ensure preparedness for all voyages.
Next, practical exercises focus on pilotage, visual navigation, and anchoring techniques. Students will also explore rules of the road, safety considerations, and how to plan a short passage effectively, integrating all elements into a cohesive understanding of seamanship.
Online learners will benefit from interactive exercises and guided scenarios, enabling them to apply skills virtually while still receiving structured support. Classroom learners will gain hands-on practice with charts and plotting, ensuring confidence in real-world navigation.
The course is hosted at our RYA-accredited training centre in Menai Bridge, providing access to local waters for practical illustration of navigational principles. The centre’s location allows instructors to demonstrate tidal streams, coastal hazards, and pilotage in a controlled environment.
Menai Bridge and the surrounding North Wales coast provide a variety of tidal conditions and navigational features, making it an ideal setting for learning practical seamanship skills. Instructors leverage their local knowledge to contextualise exercises and reinforce real-world applications.
No prior sailing or navigation experience is required to take the course.
Participants should be prepared to focus for 6–8 hours in a classroom or online environment, follow instructions, and engage with practical exercises or interactive online content.
Our RYA-accredited centre in Menai Bridge provides experienced instructors who combine local knowledge with RYA-approved teaching methods. Small group sizes allow personalised instruction and hands-on guidance.
We emphasise practical learning and real-world application, ensuring participants gain confidence in navigation, seamanship, and safety procedures. Our instructors provide support and feedback throughout, making the learning experience both effective and engaging.
This course is designed for beginners or those wanting to refresh their navigation and seamanship skills. It’s ideal for anyone preparing to sail independently or improve confidence on the water.
It is also beneficial for online learners seeking structured, interactive exercises to build foundational knowledge before practical experience.
No previous sailing or navigation experience is necessary. The course introduces all core concepts from the ground up, covering navigation, tidal awareness, buoyage, safety, and passage planning.
The structured approach ensures that beginners can grasp essential skills while more experienced learners can reinforce and update their knowledge.
The classroom version typically runs for 6–8 hours in a single day. The online course takes approximately 8–10 hours, which can be completed at the participant’s own pace.
Sessions combine theory, practical exercises, and interactive learning, providing a balanced approach to develop both knowledge and practical application skills.
Participants will learn about charts and publications, safety, engine checks, buoyage, tidal awareness, visual and electronic navigation, pilotage, rules of the road, anchoring, weather forecasts, and passage planning.
These topics provide a comprehensive introduction to essential navigation and seamanship skills, forming a solid foundation for future RYA courses or independent sailing.
The course can be completed in a classroom setting or online. Classroom learners receive hands-on practice with charts, plotting tools, and exercises, while online learners engage with interactive digital content and guided scenarios.
Both formats provide structured instruction and opportunities to apply knowledge through practical examples, exercises, and real-world scenarios.
Yes, participants receive an RYA-recognised certificate upon completion of the course. This certificate demonstrates proficiency in basic navigation and seamanship and can be used as evidence for further RYA training.
It is suitable for anyone seeking foundational skills in preparation for further courses, independent sailing, or club participation.
Participants receive a comprehensive course pack, including a chart, plotter, dividers, course handbook, and exercises.
These materials support both classroom and online learning, allowing participants to practice navigation and plotting skills during and after the course.
The course is suitable for participants aged 17 and above, ensuring sufficient maturity to engage with navigation and safety content effectively.
Participants must also be able to follow instructions in classroom or online settings and engage with practical or interactive exercises.
About the centre
40 High Street, Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey, LL59 5EF
Fantastic experience led by friendly, efficient and interesting people.
The instructor/guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable, and we had great fun on the boat
We loved our boat trip, water doughnuts and speeding along 50mph + was great fun. Our skipper was lovely, very knowledgeable and enthusiasm shone through. Want to come back and see the puffins next year... although this was my soul reason to book this trip it really did not disappoint…
The Rib Tour was amazing! Exhilarating ride on the rib combined with fascinating facts about the coastline and the birds on puffin island. Highly recommended, will be booking the bridges tour next.
Exhilarating but also really informative. A great experience all round and highly recommended
Brilliant! Loved when Jason put the RIB into ‘sports mode’. Perfect mix of adventure and information. Beautiful scenery, great morning in the water. Cheers guys.
What a great experience. Our skipper, Jason, was great. Good chat, very knowledgable and really pushed the boat. The boat is an impressive thing which really moves. Great experience! Will be back to do the other tour.
Excellent!
Splendid trip!.....Captain was very knowledgeable.
We really enjoyed the boat trip to Puffin Island (2 August) - the people before us saw 2 puffins but even though we didn't it was still an exhilarating, (fast at times) and informative trip.
We partner with Rewilding Britain to help protect our natural spaces for future adventures.
All centres are vetted for safety and quality. Your adventure is in good hands with adventuro.
Operated by Seawake, a partner of adventuro.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
From £189
