Start Skippering Course

The Start Skippering course is the next progressive step in the Australian Sailing accredited pathway and will now advance your sailing skills & safety knowledge to enable you to skipper a boat, unsupervised, in sheltered waters.

This course is suitable for adults and teenagers (16yrs +) who wish to extend their overall sailing & seamanship knowledge and skills.   Recommended for those who have completed the Start Crewing and Start Helming courses and who have started to gain some valuable sailing experience by spending time on-water and sailing regularly.

Course Description
This course begins to develop your broader “seamanship” skills and covers navigation, interpreting weather & environmental conditions, basic boat maintenance, assessing risks on-board and actions to be taken in an emergency.  Important boat handling skills & techniques to enable you to berth alongside a pontoon, pick up & leave a mooring, come-to & weigh anchor, heave to and sailing backwards.  You are really starting to become an inshore mariner!

This course is highly recommended for those who have completed the Start Helming course or those who have established sailing skills.

Course Info:
Course Length: 4  x 3-hour practical sessions held over two days
Minimum Age: 16 years
Maximum number of crew on a boat: Five (4 students + 1 Instructor)
Course fee*: $445 for Wollongong Yacht Club members. 

Included in course fee:

  • 12 hours of instruction by qualified instructors
  • Use of personal safety equipment including life jacket
  • Waterproof course kit with National Keelboat Program logbook & Introductory Keelboat textbook
  • Upon successful completion, a nationally recognised Australian Sailing Start Skippering certificate.

Contact Us for more information.