The sheltered waters of the Menai Strait provide ideal sailing waters for all levels of ability.
Whether you are taking your first steps afloat, want to develop your skills or become an instructor, we have a dedicated team of instructors and coaches to look after you and the most comprehensive range of small boat sailing courses available anywhere in Europe, there really is nowhere better to develop your dinghy sailing than at Plas Menai. All our courses are run to the guidelines and recommendations of the Royal Yachting Association, the National Governing Body for sailing in Britain.
We have a superb range of boats for you to sail including the Optimist, Topper, Pico, Laser, Laser Stratos, Laser Vago, RS Vareo, RS Feva, RS 800, RS 500, RS 400, RS 200, Laser 2000, Dart 16, Twincat and J80 Keelboats.
For guidance as to which is the right course for you, we have put together an overview of the courses we offer in relation to the RYA Sailing Scheme. Courses Overview
- Beginner
- Improver
- Advanced
- Coach Education
Learn to Sail Week
- Perfect introduction to dinghy sailing
- Level 1 & Level 2 sailing skills
- Learn to sail single and double handers
- No experience required
Learn to Sail (Crewed Dinghies) Weekend
- Fun weekend introductory course
- Instructor onboard with you
- Gain RYA Start Sailing certificate
- No experience required
Learn to Sail (Single Handed) Week
- Learn the fundamentals of single handed sailing
- Gain RYA Start Sailing and RYA Basic Skills
- Bring your own boat if you wish
- No experience required
Learn to Sail (Single Handed) Weekend
- Enjoyable introduction to sailing
- Learn to sail a boat in a weekend
- Gain RYA Start Sailing
- No experience required
Catamaran Sailing Weekend
- Exciting weekend introduction to Catamarans
- Learn to tack, gybe, helm and crew
- Sail Dart 16s and theTwincat
- No experience required
Keelboat Sailing Weekend
- Ideal introduction to keelboat sailing
- Sail one of our four J80 keelboats
- Learn practical sailing skills
- No experience required
RYA Basic Skills Weekend
- Develop your sailing
- RYA Basic Sailing (L2)
- Gain confidence
- Build on current skills
Improving Techniques Week
- Improve and develop your sailing skills
- Increase your confidence in stronger winds and tides
- Opportunity to sail higher performance boats
Improving Techniques Weekend
- RYA Better Sailing (L3)
- Improve your tacking and gybing
- Introduction to higher performance dinghies
Single Handed Improver Weekend
- Develop your practical boat handling skills
- Introduction to club racing skills
- Bring your own boat if you wish
Seamanship Skills Weekend
- Develop your seamanship skills
- Reef afloat, man overboard
- Picking up a mooring, coming alongside
- Sail Laser 2000s
Sailing with Spinnakers Weekend
- Rigging
- Hoisting & Dropping
- Laser 2000s, Laser Stratos
Performance Sailing Weekend
- Introduction to high performance sailing
- Single and Double-handed asymmetric boats
- RYA Performance Sailing
Pre-entry Weekend
- Complete Dinghy Instructor pre-requisties in one weekend
- Powerboat level 2 Assessment
- Dinghy Pre-entry Test
RYA Dinghy Instructor
- Become an RYA Dinghy Instructor
- Coastal Endorsement
- Practical five day training course
- Includes some evening work
RYA Dinghy Instructor Package
- Nine day package which includes:-
- Pre-entry test & Powerboat L2 Assessment
- RYA First Aid; VHF SRC
- RYA Dinghy Instructor
RYA Advanced Instructor Endorsement
- Gain the Advanced Endorsement in a weekend
- Practical sessions
- Learn the skills to teach Sailing with Spinnakers & Performance Sailing
RYA Catamaran Instructor Endorsement
- Gain the Multi-Hull Endorsement in a weekend
- Ideal for Dinghy Instructors who are competent catamaran sailors
- Learn how to deliver the Start Sailing and Basic Sailing syllabi in catamarans
RYA Keelboat Instructor Endorsement
- Gain the Keelboat Endorsement in a weekend
- Learn how to adapt your teaching skills to keelboats
- You must have experience of sailing keelboats with symmetric and asymmetric spinnakers.
RYA Senior Instructor
- The next step up for Dinghy Instructors
- Four day intensive course
- Practically orientated
- Some shore-based theory sessions
