RYA Sailing Level 2 Course in Brighton

We are located at Brighton Marina. You will be sent the full address and postcode upon booking, but here is a guide to finding us:

• By Car: Approaching the marina from the A27 take the B2123. Turn right at first set of traffic lights, signposted Brighton Town Centre, Racecourse and Marina Village. Turn left at second set of traffic lights, pass the Racecourse and follow the signs for the Marina Village where there is free parking for 1500 cars in the multi-storey car park. From the car park you can either go across a linking bridge on level 6 or from the ground floor of the car park towards all the waterfront cafes and bars. Walk to the end of the boarded walk way where there will be a large ramp heading down towards the pontoons. We are the first set of pontoons on the right. Pontoon 6.
• By Bike: Brighton Marina has a bike share station which is either pay per minute or a yearly membership. For your own bike, racks are available on the main concourses of the pontoons. You must use the racks and not leave bikes on the pontoons otherwise Premier Marina will take them away.
• By Bus: Brighton and Hove bus service operates a number 7 bus approximately every 15 minutes 24 hours a day, from Brighton Town Centre (North Street or Queens Road), to the Marina Village.
• On Foot: Brighton Marina is a pleasant walk along the seafront from the centre of Brighton, it is 20 minutes walk from the main West Pier. During the summer you will also find the Volks electric railway operates along the front.
• By Train: The nearest main line station is Brighton with regular connections to Chichester, Portsmouth and London is under an hour away.
• By Air: Brighton is within easy reach of Heathrow and Gatwick international airports. Follow the A23 from Gatwick to Brighton. Shoreham airport is also available for private light aircraft.

• Be prepared for changeable weather, bring plenty of layers
• Quick drying clothes can be very practical, avoid jeans
• Sunglasses, sunhat and suncream for summer months and woolly hats, thermals and layers for winter months
• Non-slip deck shoes, wetsuit shoes or trainers that don’t mark
• If you have your own waterproofs, please bring them, or you can hire ours
• If you are worried or unsure whether you suffer from seasickness then pills and wrist-bands work well. Don’t arrive on an empty stomach and take tablets with breakfast if you have never been sailing on the sea before, sometimes the motion takes a while to get used to
• Packed lunch to have onboard

Completing RYA Level 1 or having equivalent sailing experience is a prerequisite for the Level 2 course. You’ll need to have basic knowledge of crewing, steering, and safety procedures to benefit from the more advanced skills taught in this course.

The RYA Level 2 course focuses on enhancing your existing skills and introducing more advanced yacht handling techniques. You’ll learn:

• Rigging and sail handling (hoisting, lowering, flaking)
• Sail trimming for performance
• Sailing in all wind directions (on all points of the wind)
• Boat handling under power (maneuvering in the marina)
• Advanced tacking and gybing
• Emergency procedures and safety drills (including man overboard recovery)

By the end of the course, you’ll be able to helm or crew a yacht with a skipper onboard, feeling confident in your abilities to handle various sailing conditions.

The RYA Level 2 course runs over two days. Each day typically starts at 9:00 am and finishes at 5:00 pm. You’ll spend the majority of the time on the water practicing sailing, with some time onshore for briefings and debriefings.

The course is held at Brighton Marina, a popular and well-equipped marina on the south coast of England. Brighton Marina provides easy access to sheltered and open waters, offering the perfect environment for developing your sailing skills.

You’ll be sailing on our Beneteau 36.7 or Beneteau First 35 yachts. These are cruiser/racer yachts known for their excellent performance and handling, making them ideal for both learning and practicing advanced sailing techniques. We also offer training on smaller Delphia 24 keelboats for additional practice, depending on conditions.

We aim to sail in most conditions, but safety is our priority. In the event of unsafe weather, such as high winds or storms, we may need to reschedule the course or adjust the day's activities. If the weather is moderate, we’ll continue as planned, so it’s important to bring waterproof clothing.

No, the RYA Level 2 course is non-residential, meaning you won’t need to stay onboard overnight. The course runs from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm each day, and you can return home or to your accommodation in the evenings. Brighton offers a range of nearby accommodation options if you need a place to stay.

We keep our class sizes small to ensure plenty of individual attention and hands-on practice. Typically, there will be 4-5 participants per instructor, which allows for a more personalised learning experience.

After successfully completing RYA Level 2, many participants progress to the RYA Competent Crew course, where they continue to build their skills as part of a yacht crew. You can also take part in our Sailing Clinics to further practice what you've learned or join one of our racing events for additional experience. Eventually, you might aim to complete the RYA Day Skipper course, which allows you to skipper your own yacht on coastal passages.

Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll receive the RYA Level 2 certificate, which recognises your competence in basic yacht handling and sailing skills. This certification is a great foundation for continuing your sailing journey.