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Outside the UK:
+44 1732 867 445
Mon-Fri: 0900 - 1730
Sat: 1000 - 1500

Whether you are a beginner or a competent sailor, our new partner sailing school in Sibenik has a course for you to learn from scratch or simply to improve and fine tune your skills. The whole range of RYA courses are offered including Competent Crew, Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster qualifications.

In low season (April, May and the first half of June) you can book on to the 5 day shared group courses. On these courses you will join with other like-minded individuals with a minimum of two and maximum of five students. During high season (second half of June, July, August & September) only private courses are offered. Charter your own yacht for one week with an instructor and have exclusive use of the yacht for a party of up to 5 people. These private courses are great for families where not everyone onboard wants to complete the training. Private courses are also available on request during low season. Prices for private yacht courses below are based on a Dufour 382 with 3 cabins and 2 heads, however various sizes of yacht are available - please contact us with your requirements.

The school is based in Sibenik, just an hour's drive north of Split. Known as the gateway to the Kornati Islands, it is a fantastic place to sail and enjoy the beautiful Kornati National Park. Sibenik itself is a small coastal city with a rich cultural history. With many interesting attractions to visit, add a few days ashore before or after your training to enjoy the Croatian seaside charm.

All students sleep on board the boat during the practical courses which start either on a Saturday or Sunday. There will be ample opportunity for swimming and snorkelling. Evening meals are eaten ashore at restaurants in the beautiful bays or pretty towns where the yachts anchor or moor each evening.

We never teach more than 5 pupils to 1 instructor, under RYA recommendations. All courses follow the RYA syllabus but are not suitable for children under 12.

Learn to sail in Sibenik in Croatia

  • Overview
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    Overview

    • Learn from the experts to skipper your own yacht
    • Enjoy a holiday whilst gaining valuable new skills
    • Meals are eaten onboard & in local restaurants
    • Courses available April-September
    • Courses for all abilities
    • Children aged 12 and over can take part in the Competent Crew courses
    • Shared group courses and private courses available
  • Competent Crew Course

    RYA Competent Crew Course

    This course is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers. Experience living on board and really get to know the boat. Virtually all the course is hands on. You are the crew - without you the sails won't go up and the boat won't be steered.

    By the end of the course you should be able to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the day to day duties on board. You should also have visited some interesting places and had an enjoyable holiday.

    Suggested pre-course experience: None
    Assumed knowledge: None
    Minimum duration: 5 days
    Course content: Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging and sails, sail handling, ropework, fire precautions and fighting, personal safety equipment, man overboard, emergency equipment, meteorology, seasickness, helmsmanship, general duties, manners and customs, rules of the road, dinghies
    Ability after course: By the end of the course you should be able to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the day to day routines on board.

    5-Day Shared Group Liveaboard Practical Tuition - £1190/person</h3

    Dates: 16 Apr, 23 Apr, 30 Apr, 07 May, 14 May, 21 May, 28 May, 18 Jun, 03 Sep, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 24 Sep

    JULY & AUGUST 2023 - During the high summer season, we offer only private courses – on request

    Arrive Sunday PM, course runs from Monday AM - Friday PM, Disembarkation Friday.

    Shared course price includes: fuel, RYA Instructor, breakfast, lunch and drinks onboard, tourist tax, loan of wet weather clothes, free berth in Sibenik marina and two other marinas during the course.

    1-week Private Yacht Charter with Instructor

    April-September from £1630* + £1560 for RYA instructor

    Food, diesel, tourist tax and mooring fees are extra. *Price is based on April travel dates for the 3-cabin, 2-head, Dufour 382 training yacht. Larger yachts are available on request.

    Flights & airport transfers not included but can be arranged.

    RYA courses are offered through RYA Recognised Training centre NCP & mare Sea School.

  • Day Skipper Course

    RYA Day Skipper Course

    A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills. Learn to skipper a short passage with the instructor on hand to give advice and encouragement and ensure your safety. Experience being in charge, taking credit when it all goes well and being responsible when it doesn't! The Day Skipper qualification is the minimum qualification required to charter a sailboat.

    Suggested pre-course experience: 5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours on board a sailing yacht

    Assumed knowledge: Theory to the level of Day Skipper. It is recommended you attend the Day Skipper shorebased course beforehand.

    Minimum duration: 5 days

    Minimum age: 16

    Course content: Preparation for sea, deck work, navigation, pilotage, meteorology, rules of the road, maintenance and repair work, engines, victualling, emergency situations, yacht handling under power, yacht handling under sail, passage making, night cruising.

    Ability after course: Can skipper a small yacht in familiar waters by day.

    5-Day Shared Group Liveaboard Practical Tuition - £1190/person</h3

    Dates: 16 Apr, 23 Apr, 30 Apr, 07 May, 14 May, 21 May, 28 May, 18 Jun, 03 Sep, 10 Sep, 17 Sep, 24 Sep

    JULY & AUGUST 2023 - During the high summer season, we offer only private courses – on request

    Arrive Sunday PM, course runs from Monday AM - Friday PM, Disembarkation Friday.

    Shared course price includes: fuel, RYA Instructor, breakfast, lunch and drinks onboard, tourist tax, loan of wet weather clothes, free berth in Sibenik marina and two other marinas during the course.

    1-week Private Yacht Charter with Instructor

    April-September from £1630* + £1560 for RYA instructor

    Food, diesel, tourist tax and mooring fees are extra. *Price is based on April travel dates for the 3-cabin, 2-head, Dufour 382 training yacht. Larger yachts are available on request.

    Flights & airport transfers not included but can be arranged.

    RYA courses are offered through RYA Recognised Training centre NCP & mare Sea School.

  • Coastal Skipper Course

    RYA Coastal Skipper Course

    Advanced skippering techniques for yachtsmen and women with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation, wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night. Like the Day Skipper course, this course consists of skippered passages in a variety of situations. Each trainee will skipper more challenging passages and learn more about passage planning, pilotage by day and night, boat handling, safety and emergency situations.

    It is a satisfying but intensive week, with candidates often working towards a Certificate of Competence.

    We recommend you to complete the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ Offshore shorebased course beforehand as there is insufficient time to teach you theory during the week.

    Suggested pre-course experience: 15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours

    Assumed knowledge: Boat handling to the standard of Day Skipper and navigation to shorebased Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ Offshore

    Minimum duration: 5 days

    Minimum age: 17

    Course content: Passage making and ability as skipper, yacht handling under power, yacht handling under sail, adverse weather conditions, emergency situations.

    Ability after course: Able to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night. By the end of the course you should have the knowledge, if not the experience, to become a Yachtmaster™.

    5 Day Shared Group Liveaboard Practical Tuition

    April, May & first half of June £1050/person

    Price includes fuel, RYA Instructor, breakfast, lunch and drinks onboard, tourist tax, loan of wet weather clothes, free berth in Sibenik marina and two other marinas during the course.

    1 week Private Yacht Charter with Instructor

    April-September from £1630* + £1560 for RYA instructor

    Food, diesel, tourist tax and mooring fees are extra. *Price is based on the Dufour 382 training yacht. Larger yachts are available on request.

    Flights & airport transfers not included but can be arranged.

    RYA courses are offered through RYA Recognised Training centre NCP & mare Sea School.

  • Yachtmaster Offshore Course

    RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Course

    An RYA Yachtmaster™ Certificate of Competence is often the ultimate aim of aspiring yacht skippers. It is a well-known, most respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence as a skipper.

    Unlike other courses in the cruising programme, there is no formal training to complete in order to become a Yachtmaster™. Instead, provided that you have sufficient experience and seatime, you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge.

    Assumed knowledge: The candidate must arrive with full theory knowledge about navigation, tidal stream and height calculation, charts, Colregs, weather, safety, buoyage, passage planning, pilotage, radar, electronic navigation etc.

    Pre-course qualification: You must arrive fully prepared in your practical sailing ability , docking , Man over board , anchoring , docking under sail, blind navigation , execution of a passage plan day and night etc .. The pass rate for candidates who did the RYA coastal skipper practical course prior to the exam is 90% .

    Pre-exam experience: In order to be eligible for the "RYA Yachtmaster Offshore" exam the candidates must have minimum: 50 days seatime on a sailyacht, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. All qualifying sea time must be within 10 years prior to the exam.

    Cdertification required:A GMDSS Short Range Certificate (SRC) or higher grade of marine radio certificate. A valid first aid certificate.

    Minimum duration: 3 days exam preparation + 2 days exam

    Minimum age: 18

    Course content: During this course one of our senior instructors will test your knowledge and practical skills in order to expose your weak points and correct them before the final exam. The Yachtmaster exam preparation is in fact not a real course, but a general refresher.

    Certification: RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence after passing successfully the practical exam with an external RYA examiner.

    Number of students: Minumum 2, maximum 4. Private tuition also available on request.

    Ability after course: To skipper a sailboat on a professional level.

    5 Day Shared Group Liveaboard Practical Tuition

    April, May & first half of June £1050/person

    Price includes fuel, RYA Instructor, breakfast, lunch and drinks onboard, tourist tax, loan of wet weather clothes, free berth in Sibenik marina and two other marinas during the course.

    Flights & airport transfers not included but can be arranged. £215 exam fee to be paid directly to the RYA.

    RYA courses are offered through RYA Recognised Training centre NCP & mare Sea School.

"We picked up the 40' Bavaria from Gocek and sailed to Fethiye bay stopping off at numerous bays and coves on the way which were all incredibly beautiful with clear turquoise water. Fethiye marina has a lovely pool, bar and restaurant. We were lucky and had some good sailing breeze in the afternoons. Everyone was really helpful and friendly and the restaurants were all great with masses of delicious local food and fresh fish. The yacht had everything we needed and was perfect for the five of us. Thank you so much for a fabulous holiday that we will never forget."

Gocek 2018 - P.C.

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.