Sidmouth Sailing Club welcomes junior and adult members of any ability from complete novice and so, if you fancy learning to sail this year, the following information may be of interest to you.

The club is a Royal Yachting Association recognised training centre certified to teach dinghy sailing to adults to Dinghy Levels 1, 2 and 3 and children to Youth Sailing Scheme Stages 1 to 4 and in addition, it is authorised to train power boat drivers in planing craft to both RYA Level 1 and 2 and also safety boat.

The dinghy courses are held over two full weekends and, depending on the individual student’s ability, should enable the trainee to sail safely and provide enough knowledge and experience to allow them to join a sailing club and develop their sailing skills. Having a certificate showing the level or stage that the holder has reached also may allow them to hire sailing dinghies, for example when on holiday. We are presently taking bookings for the course that will be held on May 12/13 and 19/20.

The cost of the courses that Sidmouth Sailing Club offer are competitively priced and, in most cases, considerably less than other training centres. Details of the costs can be found on the website at www.sidmouthsailing.org.uk on the training page.

Each year Sidmouth Sailing Club endeavours to provide basic sail training to youngsters aged 10 or over which are in the nature of taster sessions to see if the child enjoys the sport.

The sessions are held for six weeks on Friday nights commencing this year on June 8. Each session lasts for about two hours with about an hour on the water.

The training is in club-owned boats and provided by trained instructors, and buoyancy aids can be provided if required. Details of the cost and how to book can also be found on the website.

Many people view powerboat driving or helming as a pleasurable activity but one that may be generally beyond their reach. Learning to safely drive a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) is in fact a skill that is achievable for the majority of people and is a lot of fun.

However, RIBs can be dangerous in the hands of the inexperienced and a power boat course is an excellent way of learning properly in controlled conditions and gaining valuable experience and confidence.

The RYA certificate awarded on successful completion of the course is a professional qualification that entitles the holder to apply for an International Certificate of Competence for power craft up to 10 metres in length.

If any reader is interested in taking part in a Power Boat Course they can contact Sidmouth Sailing Club by following the link above and details of course availability and cost will be provided.