RYA Sailing Courses For Women - UK & Caribbean
RYA Sailing Courses For Women - UK & Caribbean
Girlsforsail is an affiliated RYA school operating from its 2 bases 1. Cowes, UK and 2. Rodney Bay, St.Lucia in the West Indies. We run all practical courses from Competent Crew up to Yachtmaster and have full details of dates and the course content on this site.
In this section we aim to cover the most frequently asked questions about RYA courses. What is one, who is the RYA, why do an RYA Course with just girls and what makes us special....so why do your training with Girlsforsail.
If your questions are not answered here then PLEASE call us! We can call you back anytime to answer questions and/or make you feel confident you are going with the right school. +44(0)1983 282867
What is the RYA ?
The RYA is a UK membership organisation for recreational boat owners and crew with over 103,000 personal members. It is the UK's national association for all forms of recreational and competitive boating, representing sailing, motor cruising, sports boats, windsurfing, inland boating, powerboat racing and personal watercraft
It monitors and encourages all types of marine qualifications from water-sport’s such as windsurfing through to career guidance on super yachts. If you are recognised RYA teaching establishments, then the RYA inspect the school each year and they ensure all schools that teach these qualifications undertake the instruction in a safe environment and that everything is up to their very high standards.
RYA Qualifications are known all over the world, and are one of the only associations that exist. Each course follows a structured syllabus by the RYA to make sure to get a qualification you must have the right level of knowledge at the end.
Girlsforsail/GFS RYA School
We are a recognised Royal Yachting Association (RYA) training centre and pride ourselves on our excellent standard of tuition and operating methods. 
* We use the most professional, experienced teams of instructors who are passionate about delivering excellent service. All of our Instructors are selected for the calm nature and patience. They have excellent communication skills having received a variety of coaching on learning techniques – some even undertaking NLP courses to aid their ability to teach.
* We are one of the few accredited training centre’s to offer the full range of practical and shore based RYA courses in the UK and Caribbean and whether you are a complete beginner, a competent dingy sailor or an experienced yachtsman/racer we offer a range of RYA yachting courses to suit everyone.
Why Sail With Girls Only?
Because it’s easier….! Most people learn how to sail on their own – so it’s easier if you don’t have to share a cabin with a strange man and your cabin mate understands why you have all those girlie things with you! Men are also very protective and stronger than us so when we are challenged, they often take over. Whilst this is lovely and gentlemanly….it means you do not learn as much. 
Oh, how we love boys!!!!! We just don't want to sail with them!! OK, maybe we do, but just sometimes, we want to learn in our own gentle way with nice cups of tea, yummy food, clean smelling heads, calmness and no shouting! We even have a tablecloth!
When we get on the boat we want to do everything, and learn every aspect of sailing. We found that when we started we couldn’t do certain things because the boys would try and protect us because we weren’t strong enough. Why can’t girls pull up an anchor!! Exactly!…we will show you how.
So GirlsforSail was set up to make sure us girls could get on the boat and be confident with everything on board!!
Why learn with Girlsforsail?
The main objective of all of our trips to have FUN whilst learning the most you possibly can in the time available. So, on all of our boats we have 3 main rules:
1. We are a calm boat and we do not shout
2. There is no such thing as a stupid question
3. We are a team (no I in team) and we take care of each other on and off the water
Our main objective for any course is for everyone to come and learn what they want in a safe environment and to make sure that everyone has FUN!!!
Just because you’re learning does not mean it can’t be fun....
What Our Customers Have Said..
Excellent tuition, in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Ellen - RYA Day Skipper June 2011
Thank you so much for providing me the opportunity to learn so much more about sailing in a fun way. I think you are absolutely amazing, not to mention what you are doing for women and sailing is priceless. Lawson - RYA 2010 
I really enjoyed the experience. I did a competent crew some years ago I was sidelined by the all male participants, so it was nice to be included in everything. Audrey - RYA June 2010
Just a quick line to say Girls For Sail rocks!!! I had a fantastic time last week, Rooby was amazing as our skipper, her calm and clear instruction taught me more in 5 days than I'd learnt in 12 months cruising in the West Indies. We all made good friends on board -the only downer was when we had to get off and say goodbye! Alison – RYA June 2011
And this is only a few....for more read http://www.girlsforsail.com/what_are_customers_say.aspx
What courses we offer
We are an affiliated RYA sailing school offering a comprehensive range of training from our base in Cowes on the Isle of Wight and from St Lucia in the sunny Caribbean. How amazing - to learn how to sail in the sunshine! We are a professional experienced team of yachtsmen and yachtswomen who excel in our ability to communicate - it's all very well being a good sailor but without good people skills, training course will not be as fantastic as it could be! So we cover the following:
RYA start sailing weekend - over a 2-day weekend
RYA Competent crew - over 5 days over 2 weekends or midweek
RYA Day Skipper Practical - over 5 days over 2 weekends or midweek
RYA Day Skipper Theory - Home study pack or over 5 days over 2 weekends or midweek
RYA Yachtmaster Theory - Home study pack or over 5 days over 2 weekends or midweek
RYA Yachtmaster Coastal practical - Over 5 consecutive days + 1-2 days exam if you want to
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Practical - Over 5 consecutive days + 1-2 days exam
GFS experience weekends - Over 2 or 3 days at the weekend
GFS sailing weeks - from 5 – 10 days to gain experience – any level
To book any of our RYA courses, please click here to check our online calendar for date that suits you, you can call us on 01983 28 28 67 or click here to send us an email