Meet the instructor, collect food and move onto the yacht to settle in
Stowe away all provisioning and personal kit
Instructor’s safety briefing and yacht familiarisation talk
If the weather is good and everybody is on time you will set sail for a short trip to a nearby harbour otherwise go ashore for evening meal and drink. A good chance to break the ice and have a relaxing evening before setting sail the next day. It’s a good idea to have a late afternoon snack before coming down as you may not be eating until later on the first evening
SATURDAY
0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
Recap safety procedures on deck. Introduction to deck gear, ropes and rigging and various parts of the yacht
Engine start controls and rigging/slipping of mooring lines and fenders
Slip mooring and motor down the river giving everyone a chance to steer the yacht under power
Practice coming alongside and leaving various pontoons with everyone rotating jobs
Short sail to an anchorage or mooring buoy giving everyone the chance to raise sails and control them using the sheets
1300 Lunch. Discuss the use of liferafts
Practice the basic points of sail with each person having the opportunity to helm or control sheets
Practice putting in and shaking out reefs
Practice headsail changes or furling
Sail to overnight destination practising what a crew member should do in the event of a Man Overboard situation
1830 Enter a new harbour and moor up. Stow sails and tidy up on and below deck
1900 Debrief on day’s events whilst dinner is cooking in oven
2000 Supper followed by a trip ashore to a local pub
SUNDAY
0800 Showers at marina facilities, breakfast, clean up and get weather forecast
0900 Prepare the yacht for sea and undertake a passage to an anchorage for lunch. On route each crew member will experience helming the yacht on different points of sail
Learn how to tie the basic knots used by sailors and when they are used
Prepare to enter anchorage. Learn how to prepare the anchor and foredeck in anticipation of arrival
1200 Lunch at anchor
Set sail for Amsterdam learning the basic collision regulations on route
Clean up yacht followed by debrief and issue of certificates
