Course content

Safety, seamanship and helmsmanship.  An introduction to equipment on board the yacht, rules of the road and meteorology

Pre-course experience 

None

Assumed knowledge

None

Ability after course

Useful crew member

Suggested itinerary 

On the Friday evening you join your Sailing Yacht, before spending the rest of the week visiting ports such as San Sebastian de la Gomera - giving you a chance to see the unspoiled areas of the Canary Islands.

On Saturday morning the course proper starts at about 10:00 with a comprehensive safety briefing and familiarisation with the boat and its equipment.  After lunch you will prepare the boat for sea and set sail for a gentle introduction to the boat including man over board techniques, points of sail etc.  You will often return to the base marina on the Saturday night.  If you are on a more advanced course, or crewing on one, then you will often sail for another harbour.

On the Sunday morning you sail west around Tenerife, perhaps stopping for the night in the beautiful fishing harbour of San Juan - anchoring for a peaceful night amongst the fishing boats.  If you like fish we can suggest a wonderful Spanish fish restaurant that is hidden away in the back streets.  Other options for the night is anchoring in El Pris and also mooring on the pontoons in the harbour of Los Gigantes.  Further north can be found Masca bay – a perfect anchorage, ideal for a swim or lunch stop.

We then cross from Tenerife, on a beam reach through the Wind Acceleration Zone (WAZ - named by John Williams), to San Sebastian de La Gomera for a night in a marina.  This is the town that Christopher Columbus departed from on three of his four trips across to America.  In this picturesque Canarian town you can find a steak restaurant to rival the best, and a fish restaurant (known to those who have sailed with us before as Thomas’) where, if you are lucky, the locals join together for a sing song after the food has finished cooking.

After a morning maybe exploring the town, you travel around the south of the island to Valle Gran Rey – maybe stopping en-route in one of the little bays for some swimming.

You moor in the old fishing harbour - either anchor "stern to" in the harbour (Mediterranean style), or tie onto the harbour wall.  Puerto de Vueltas, the other name for Valle Gran Rey (the valley of the King), is a delightful town surrounded by red cliffs, with narrow back streets.  This wonderful setting is one of the best in the Canary Islands - a world apart from the resorts of Las Americas!  Once you have watched the sun go down over the ocean from a little bar you can enjoy a delightful Lebanese restaurant or if you fancy Spanish food you will not be disappointed.  The only problem with the town is it is so hard to leave its peaceful environment.

From Valle Gran Rey we either make our way back to San Sebastian – or for the more adventurous and experienced sail to Santa Cruz de La Palma.  The locals call La Palma “Isla Bonita” (beautiful island) - it is the greenest of the Canary Islands – as well as being the home to the world’s largest volcanic crater!
On the Wednesday afternoon we wend our way back to Puerto Colon, and on Thursday we have a relaxing day sailing locally with lunch and swimming in a scenic bay.

On the evening of Thursday we have our end of course drinks in the Marina Club, with the certificate presentation,   a great chance to chat over the highlights of the week.

On the Friday morning you an have breakfoast onboard or in one of the Marina Restaurants.

We ask our clients to arrive on a Friday between 10:00 and 18:30 if you are going to arrive later, no problem, your Instructor will be there to greet you.

.We need to get ready for the next so ask you to vacate your Cabin by 10:00

Bavaria 36

Notes: All our boats are commercially registered in Spain and are therefore fully insured according to Spanish law.  They also meet both Spanish, and the RYA’s safety standards.

As usual with Club Sail the following is included:

• A client instructor ratio of 5:1
• Transport to & from the Airport
• Your course takes you away from our base marina, giving you the chance to explore the beautiful and unspoilt areas of La Gomera and sometimes La Palma or Gran Canaria;
• Tuition from an experienced Instructor – we do not use instructors who have just qualified;
• 5 full days of tuition, and 7 nights accommodation – we understand that you are on holiday and give you time to relax as well as learn;
• Freshly laundered sheets, duvets and towels – no sleeping bags with liners or any need to bring your own;
• Half board plus one evening meal on board the yacht;
• All mooring fees, diesel and gas – no hidden extras.

Notes: We do not include: flights, travel insurance or evening meals ashore.

Must bring your own:

Sun protection – Sun glasses, sun hat and non oily sun cream (without carotene) are a definite must!

Mobile phone charging – There is a 12v “cigarette” style socket on board the yacht which is live even when sailing, and a 240v socket (Spanish type) for when connected to shore power.

Medication – If you are taking any medication please advise your Instructor on commencement of the course.

Health care – Health care in the Canary Islands is good, but it is a good idea to collect the EHIC form from your local post office or online at www.ehic.org.uk.

Seasickness - It is advisable to bring with you a seasickness remedy if you have suffered in the past.  There is a local chemist in the town of Las Galletas – ask your Instructor where it is at the Friday night drink.

Recommended clothes

The climate in the Canaries is temperate.  You are recommended to bring with you shorts and t-shirts, a jumper/cardigan, long jeans/trousers and jumper for the odd cooler evening in the winter months, shoes with non-marking bottoms for use on the boat, swimwear and something for dinners ashore.  As the boat has limited storage space a sailing bag / holdall is the most suitable luggage.