Adult Courses

Here is a brief outline of the courses we offer. Start sailing and Basic Skills are both 2 day courses and lessons beyond Basic Skills are taken as private lessons.

Start Sailing Level 1

The aim of the ‘Start Sailing’ course is to get you sailing!! After a brief introduction to the boat and how to rig it up, the class will take to the water where you will learn all the key skills to handling a sailing boat. By the end of the course you should be able to confidently sail your boat upwind, downwind, perform both methods of turning your boat around (tacking and gybing), control your speed and have a basic theoretical understanding.

Basic Skills Level 2

Following on from the skills learnt in ‘Start Sailing’, during the ‘Basic Skills’ course, the objective is to expand your sailing knowledge and reach an independent level of competence. The Basic Skills course will take you through on water skills such as man overboard recovery, picking up a mooring, mastering the ‘5 Essentials’ (5 key principles to making your boat sail as fast as possible) and developing your theoretical sailing knowledge.

Beyond ‘Basic Skills’

After completing a Level 2, the next step is to practice and perfect the skills learnt in the two initial courses. Look at the Hire section for more information on hire policies and prices at DOSC. Depending on which direction you want your sailing to go, weare able to offer a variety of courses.

Listed below are a few options of courses we offer through private lessons.

Seamanship Skills

Expand your knowledge and boat handling skills with more advanced techniques and in depth theory sessions.

Sailing with Spinnakers

Acquire the skills and understanding to flying spinnaker sails and discover a whole other side to sailing!

Day Sailing

Learn the essentials to making short day passage trips

Start Racing

An introduction to the format of sailing races.

Multi-hull Sailing

Experience the thrill of high speed Catamaran sailing on our Hobie 16 and learn the essential differences to sailing these types of craft.

Keelboat Sailing

Power boat Level 2

We also offer the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course. During this course students learn the basics to small powerboat handling in different hull and drive types. Modules covered include, coming alongside, turning in a confined space, anchoring, man overboard recovery, theory and more! The course results in a certificate of competence in small power boat handling