RYA Courses

The RYA or Royal Yachting Association is the UK national governing body for dinghy sailing, sail racing, windsurfing and personal watercraft (amongst other things). As the governing body, they set the standards of teaching required by RYA Training Centres like Lixouri Bay Beach Club, ensuring that we are delivering the teaching syllabuses to a high standard with RYA-qualified instructors and that we maintain good safety standards and a fantastic range of kit suited to the abilities that we are teaching.

The RYA offer a huge range of courses available to all levels and abilities. Whether you’re dipping your toe in the water for the first time or you’re a seasoned pro looking to progress, there is a course for you with the RYA.

For 2024, we are delighted to be offering a number of beginner adult courses options at Lixouri Bay Beach Club. We are also super excited to offer Youth options so the kids can get involved.

These courses offer a great introduction to sailing and windsurfing for all ages (with adult and youth options available). For kids and young adults whilst also building water confidence and general sea skills, the RYA youth schemes offer a lead into water careers and lifelong watersports passions!

DINGHY SAILING (Adults)

Windsurfing (Adults)

RYA Youth Dinghy sailing

RYA Youth Windsurfing

Learning in a dinghy is a great way to start sailing. Single-handers (boats sailed by one person) are a popular choice and can be the quickest way to learn due to being lightweight and easy to rig and launch. If you don’t fancy being in a boat alone, double-handers are larger boats designed to be sailed by two people, making it an enjoyable way to learn with others aboard. The choice is yours!

Level 1 – Start Sailing:

You’ll learn: How to sail in all directions, including an awareness of launching and recovering.

By the end of the course, you will be able to sail in light winds under supervision.

Level 2 – Basic Skills

You’ll learn: Rigging, launching, sailing in all directions. Capsize recovery and essential safety knowledge.

By the end of the course, you will be able to sail and make decisions in good conditions.

Prerequisite: must have completed Level 1.

Level 3 – Better Sailing

You’ll learn: Enhance your skills and develop techniques with a range of tasters from the advanced modules.

By the end of the course, you will be more confident in sailing skills and techniques, and ready to progress onto the advanced modules.

Prerequisite: you must have completed levels 1 & 2.

Anyone can experience the thrill and exhilaration of windsurfing. Whether you want to crack the carve gybe, experience the thrill of foiling, sail with the family or simply want to learn the basics, the RYA have a course for you.

Start Windsurfing

You’ll Learn: The basics of windsurfing using the right equipment.

By the end of the course, you will be able to sail to a chosen point on the water and return to where you started in light winds.

Learning to sail in a dinghy is a great way to get started on the water. The Youth Sailing scheme courses will see children quickly progress from beginners to confident sailors in a safe and enjoyable environment.

Start Sailing Stage 1

You’ll Learn: Launching and recovery, steering, parts of the boat, basic sailing.

By the end of the course, you will be able to steer and understand basic principles.

Start Sailing Stage 2

You’ll Learn: Basic sailing skills, rope work, and collision avoidance.

By the end of the course, you will be able to tack and control boat speed and understand basic principles.

Prerequisite: you must have completed stage 1.

Start Sailing Stage 3

You’ll Learn: Rigging, launching and recovery, sailing techniques, capsize recovery, sailing theory.

By the end of the course, you will be able to launch & sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions.

Prerequisite: you must have completed stage 1 & 2.

Start Sailing Stage 4

You’ll Learn: Launching and returning to a beach, jetty or mooring, and sailing a crewed dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions.

By the end of the course, you will be able to launch & sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions.

Prerequisite: you must have completed all previous stages.

The RYA Youth Windsurfing scheme is an easy and accessible way for children and young people to get started and progress in windsurfing. They’ll be hooked from their first session and blasting across the water in no time.

Start Windsurfing Stage 1

All fun no theory. Get on the water and discover windsurfing. We’ll get you up and sailing around in no time.

By the end of the course, you will be able to sail to a chosen point on the water and return to where you started in light winds.

Start Windsurfing Stage 2

You’ll Learn: tacking and gybing, helping you make progress towards and away from the wind.

By the end of the course, you will be able to sail on all points of sailing in light winds, tacking and gybing.

Prerequisite: you must have completed stage 1.

Start Windsurfing Stage 3

You’ll Learn: A mixture of theory and practical, introducing beach-starts and harness technique, with time spent improving tacking and gybing in stronger winds.

By the end of the course, you will be able to sail on all points of sailing in a variety of conditions, knowing when to tack and gybe, use the harness and beach start.

Prerequisite: you must have completed stage 1 & 2.

Start Windsurfing Stage 4

Hook in and hang on! This stage builds on a confident ability to tack, gybe and sail in the harness with an introduction to basic footstrap technique.

By the end of the course, you will be able to sail around using the harness, knowing when to tack and gybe, showing a basic ability to use the footstraps.

Prerequisite: you must have completed all previous stages.