
This is a quick update for RMYS boat owners and crew. If you’re wanting trained crew for your Spring and Summer campaigns, send to them to us for training now. We’re out there now alongside RMYS Winter races, training learn to sail students over the Winter period.
We don’t advertise to RMYS members very often however here a few reasons why you should support your Sail Training Academy:
We train many students per year! Royal Melbourne Sail Training Academy is Victoria’s leading Yachting Australia Keelboat Training School in 2013/14, according to Yachting Victoria figures. Last year we trained in excess of 500 students, across all learn to sail courses and age groups. Over 100 of these students learned to sail in keelboats.
Safety first: Students who have attended at Keelboat course will be safer crew on your boat. They will have practiced how to use winches, use PFDs, how to reef a mainsail, tie knots, fold sails and undertake a Man Overboard drill.
We are a Nationally Accredited training school: As a Discover Sailing Centre, Royal Melbourne Sail Training Academy’s curriculum, instructors, boats and training systems are both provided and audited by Yachting Australia. This ensures your family, friends and visitors will be have an enjoyable, safe and high quality training experience at RMYS.
Teaching across the boat: All Keelboat students are taught to helm, mainsheet & trim the jib on easy-to-use day sailing yachts like the J80 and J24. You don’t have to risk your boat or lose your cool in the basic training process - we do the hard work and students love it.
Too expensive! Our 12 hour Keelboat training course leading to a first level national qualification costs $398, which includes a textbook, logbook and certificate. This equates to $34 an hour. RMYS also throws in 3 months of temporary sailing membership to encourage new students to come back. Compare these costs against other adventure activities close to the CBD and you’ll find it is incredible value!
Training plus practice: We advocate a training plus practice model. As an instructor I now believe that the minimum level of training for a novice is at least 2 x 12 hour courses (24 hours of nationally accredited training) plus participation in RMYS races. We see great results from Dinghy Start Sailing courses plus Keelboat Start Crewing or Start Helming courses in combination. Both dinghy and keelboat courses are 12 hours in duration and involve helming, however I believe that dinghy training accentuates wind finding, balance and basic sail trimming skills.
Other courses - these are too basic! We offer Keelboat Start Helming, Skipper, Spinnaker and Racing courses. For example our 12 hour Spinnaker course trains keelboat students with both Symmetrical & Asymmetrical spinnakers (6 hours each), which very few boats are able to replicate. In the Spinnaker course, students are trained across the boat in all roles - including helming under spinnaker.
More courses - Here’s a quick reminder of other courses coming up at RMYS in the next 2 months:
- Marine Radio: Next evening course Thursday August 7. At least two more courses planned before Christmas 2014.
- Powerboat Handling (includes a boat licence) course: September 12 to 14 2014
- Safety Boat Operator: For volunteers, club personnel and instructors: August 26
- Coastal Navigation: Next evening course Tuesday September 16
- Dinghy for youth & adults: commencing September Holidays
- Tackers for Kids: Next course commencing September School Holidays and Term 4 weekends
- Keelboats: All year round. Watch out for our Skipper & Spinnaker courses starting September 2014
- Training on your boat: this can be arranged to suit your needs and schedule. Contact Leigh on 0412 196301
More information: Refer to the RMYS website here or contact Leigh Brennan-Smith on 9534.0059, mobile 0412 196301 or email: training@rmys.com.au