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Can we learn to sail as a family?

For families wanting to take part in a flotilla, you can add an instructor to your flotilla yacht on the Ionian flotilla in Greece. This is a great way for families to learn to sail together but remember the instructor will not look after young children and you will have to allocate a cabin for the instructor. This is not a formal RYA course so no qualification is gained but it is ideal for those with less experience who want to take part in the flotilla from the offset.

Beginners will need a 6-day flotilla course. This course is designed to take students with little or no experience to the level that they can skipper a yacht within our flotilla under the guidance of our lead crew. Plan a second week sailing with the flotilla, practising your new skills, or return later in the season.

If you have crewing or motoryacht experience or you are a keen dinghy sailor at club level, you could take your own yacht on flotilla in Greece and add an instructor for a 3-day flotilla course. This course will increase your confidence and cover basic navigation skills, sailing techniques, mooring and anchoring. This is also a good "refresher" course if you haven't skippered for a while.

More information on these courses can be found on our Learn to sail on flotilla page.

If you want to gain an RYA qualification, you can have exclusive use of the tuition yacht at the RYA Recognised centres in Göcek (Turkey), Aegina (Greece), Gibraltar or Sibenik (Croatia). For RYA courses a maximum of 5 students can be onboard, but some students can do Day Skipper course while others do Competent Crew course and some need not take part in any course. The course is not suitable for children under 12.

"We had a fantastic time - so thank you for helping us organise it. The scenery is absolutely stunning and the culture and history of Montenegro is very interesting. Kotor is a beautiful city too and the bays and waters are clean."

Montenegro 2019 - P.A.
Trustpilot

Sailing Qualifications

To skipper a bareboat charter or flotilla yacht, you need to hold a practical sailing certificate equivalent to RYA Day Skipper Practical qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC). For charters in Greece, you must now have the ICC certificate. You must also be assisted by at least one competent crew member over the age of 18.

The port authorities in Greece are now insisting on one of the following practical certificates: RYA ICC (International Certificate of Competence), RYA Coastal, RYA Yachtmaster, ASA IPC (International Proficiency Certificate) or the IYT (International Yacht Training) Passport. If you hold an RYA Day Skipper or ASA104 it will no longer be accepted and you need to obtain either an ICC or IPC from the corresponding issuing body (RYA or ASA). If your RYA Coastal/Yachtmaster or ASA105/106 certificate is more than 12 years old and does not have a photo ID, then we would also strongly advise applying for an ICC or IPC. If you are a member of the RYA or ASA, you may qualify for a discount or free certificate, otherwise, you will have to pay. The approximate cost is £50. Please use this link - RYA application for the ICC or ASA application for the IPC.

For charters in Croatia, Malta and the Canaries, at least one member of the crew or the skipper will also need a VHF licence.

RYA qualifications can be obtained by RYA sailing schools in the UK or alternatively choose from one of our overseas centres in Gibraltar, Greece or Turkey.

For Seychelles, the local authorities require an ICC for the skipper of a bareboat or flotilla yacht charter.

For Caribbean and Tropical charters, formal qualifications are not compulsory, however, you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew. A brief sailing resume should be provided to outline your experience.

If you don't hold the relevant qualifications then why not add a skipper?

Sailing Levels

Level 1

Winds force 2-3 (4-11 Knots)combined with generally shorter distances. Good for beginner or intermediate sailors. Line-of-sight navigation but basic knowledge of charts and ability to plot your position required.

Level 2

Winds force 3-5 (7-21 Knots) with approximately 15-20nm per day. Intermediate experience required. Predominately line of sight navigation but an understanding of how to sail in open water.

Level 3

Winds force 4-6 (11-27 Knots) with mileage of approximately 20nm+ per day. Ideal for experienced skippers looking to venture out to new destinations. Day skipper standard but with experienced crew would be recommended.