To try and give you some more information without writing pages and pages we have tried to split it up and be as succinct as possible so that you can focus on the bits that interest you. There is also a section on FAQs but should you have any question that is not included in here please do not hesitate to contact us.
Also further information and the latest dates can be found on our Competent Crew course page and the full syllabus here.
- Joining
- Crew Mates
- Day One
- Ports of Call
- FAQs
Joining details will be sent out to you a couple of weeks before the course starts, this will give you details and directions to where we are based. Getting to Gosport Marina is very easy by public transport and by car. If you travel by car there are parking spaces at the marina and the parking fees are capped at £15 for the duration of the course. Ensure you get a code from your skipper before you use the machines to pay for the car park. Trains from London to Portsmouth harbour are quick, regular and reliable, and a five minute foot ferry will take you from the station to Gosport, the marina is a 5 minute walk from the ferry terminal. You will need to purchase a ticket for the ferry which is £4.80 return - keep hold of the ticket !!
Your joining details also contain suggested items to bring with you, we provide wet weather gear at no extra cost and also pillows for your comfort.
We like to encourage people to join the boat the evening before the course starts, that way you will get to know the others on the course and get settled in on the boat. On arrival you will be met at the marina by your instructor and on that first evening we eat ashore either at the Boathouse Bistro in the marina itself or the Castle Tavern which is just outside the marina.
On the first evening there will be a very short safety brief so that everyone feels safe and comfortable on board.
We usually mix students doing their Competent Crew with students doing their Day Skipper qualification on the boat. This is a great opportunity for you to see what is covered in the next level of your sailing journey. All of our boats have three double cabins plus the main saloon which is also used as a sleeping space. We gurantee you will never be asked to share a cabin with an unknown person of the opposite gender.
After meeting and eating together the evening before, and spending the night on board, the first morning of the course we generally start between 0830 – 0900. Breakfast is provided on board and will be a selection of cereals, fruit, toast, yoghurts, fruit juice and a selection of teas and coffee. Usually on one morning of the week, we'll make a cooked breakfast too. All of the marinas we stay in have shower facilities which are free to use.
Following breakfast there will be a thorough safety brief and we will go over the boat down below and above deck so you feel comfortable that you know where everything is and what it is used for. Then away we go - straight away starting to work our way through the RYA Competent Crew syllabus. We will practise setting up and slipping lines when we leave a berth and taking lines ashore when we come to a berth. We will then leave the marina and go up harbour to practise picking up mooring buoys or we will leave the harbour and head either east or west depending on the tides. We will stop for lunch between 1230 and 1330 either anchoring or picking up a mooring buoy. Lunch will be a simple but fresh meal so that we can maximise our sailing time.
After lunch we will continue with our sailing and practising skills using the tide to help us get to our destination for the evening. Generally speaking we always stay in marinas in the evenings, we provide evening meals as part of your course and everyone mucks in during the week to help prepare the meals. We can cater for dietary requirements if necessary. After we have moored up there will be time for you to explore the local area a little if you would like.
We will be away from Gosport Marina for the full duration of the course. The great thing about the Solent is that we have so many options for places to go, many beautiful, many popular but all interesting. The ones listed below are by no means the only options but will give you some idea of what is available to us in this famous sailing area. We will be sailing amongst other leisure boats and commercial vessels, will see many different types of buoys and other navigational aids.
Portsmouth Harbour
Our starting point as Gosport Marina is within the confines of Portsmouth Harbour. The Historic Naval Dockyard at Portsmouth boasts the new Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier (if she is in dock), the Victory, The Mary Rose and Warrior. The harbour itself has numerous marinas and plenty of water space for us to practise sailing and having a go at picking up the many mooring buoys that are available.
Chichester Harbour
One of the most picturesque harbours on the south coast, Chichester is to the east of Portsmouth. Heading towards Chichester gives us the opportunity to navigate through the submerged barrier that runs from Horse Sand Fort to the beach at South Sea. As we reach the entrance to Chichester we need to ensure we follow the main channel which will take us between the lovely beaches of the Witterings. Chichester itself has many different channels available with some visitors mooring buoys and some delightful anchorages.
Cowes
Heading west out of Portsmouth opens up a world of different rivers, harbours and marinas to visit. Probably the most famous being Cowes on the River Medina. West Cowes would probably be considered to be the home of yachting in the UK however there are other options available to us further up the river if there is a regatta on and we find ourselves unable to get a space in Cowes Yacht Haven Marina.
Hamble
The entrance to the Hamble River is just at the bottom of Southampton Water and is a winding river which is bursting with boats all the way up to the top. The beautiful village of Hamble Le Rice is fairly close to the bottom of the river and with 5 marinas and other visitors pontoons there is plenty of choice where to stay. Those of you who are old enough (me being one such) may remember the dreadful soap that made it famous – Howards Way, The Jolly Sailor still sits proudly at the top of the river overlooking Swanwick marina.
Southampton
To get to Southampton we need to negotiate Southampton Water which is always fun and pretty much always busy. We have plenty of room for manoeuvre and keep out of the way of the big container and cruise ships which are either heading in or out of this area. A wide choice of different marinas to stay but our favourite is Southampton Town Quay right next to the ferry port. Every crew member needs to keep their eyes open whilst we navigate this stretch of water, you may be lucky enough to be on the helm !!!
Bucklers Hard
Situated up the Beaulieu River the journey up through the New Forest is amazing. There are opportunities to anchor or pick up mooring buoys on the way up. The village at Bucklers Hard is unspoilt and famous for building the ships of Nelson’s navy.
Lymington
Another delightful little harbour that sits in the heart of the New Forest. A choice of a couple of marinas is available but our favourite is to stay on the Town Quay which is as far as we can navigate up the river and sits in the town itself.
Yarmouth Harbour
Yarmouth harbour is as far West as we can go and still find a marina on the Isle of Wight, it is a lovely little village dating back as a settlement to circa 991. The staff who run and manage this marina are exceptionally friendly and will always do their best to find us a berth even in the busy peak season when it can sometimes be difficult to get in. One of the few remaining places where we can still moor up to a non-floating pontoon so we need to get our lines right or be hanging from the harbour wall.
Do I need any prior knowledge ?
No, although if you have never been on a boat before we do recommend that you purchase the RYA Competent Crew Skills book and have a look through it before you arrive. You get the option to purchase this from us when you book the course and we will post it out to you.Where is the course held?
The boat is based at Gosport Marina in Portsmouth Harbour and this is where the course starts. During the course we will visit a number of different marinas throughout the Solent.Is the weather in the Solent rough?
The weather in the Solent is much like anywhere on the south coast of England. The beauty of the Solent is that the sea is protected by the Isle of Wight so whist it may get a bit lumpy it never gets really big rolling waves. We always check the weather forecast before we go anywhere and please be assurred we will not be heading out in gale force winds.What time does the course start?
The course will start at 0830/0900 on the morning of the course although we like to encourage and welcome people to arrive the evening before, accommodation on board is provided and you get the chance to meet your crew mates and instructor. We normally have a meal ashore that evening.
What do I need to bring?
Depending on the time of year layers are the key, lots of thin layers rather than one or two big woolly jumpers. We provide proper sailing wet weather gear for everyone who needs it. Non slip shoes preferably not black soled, sailing wellies are ideal but not essential, we get 10% off at the local chandlery if you want to buy some. Sunglasses and sun cream are a must no matter what time of year. You will need a sleeping bag, we provide pillows.What is included in the price?
Our courses include accommodation on board from the evening before the course starts, all food on board (3 meals a day plus snacks) all mooring fees, all diesel, wet weather gear should it be required. Basically you should not need to spend any further money to participate in the course. Of course, should you wish to go out in the evening this will be at your expense.How many people will be on board?
There will be a maximum of 5 students on board plus the instructor.
Will everyone else be doing the same course?
Not always, we prefer to have a mix so that everyone is not trying to achieve the same things during the course. It is likely you will be on board with students doing their Day Skipper. This gives the opportunity to see what comes next and get involved as well if you would like.
Will I have to share a cabin?
You may have to share a cabin but only with someone of the same sex.
What time does the course finish on the final day?
On the final day we aim to be back at Gosport by 1500, everyone will get a final feedback session and the certificates will be given out then we need to get the boat cleaned inside and out ready for the next course. Generally speaking departure from the boat happens between 1600 – 1630. We can be flexible with this if people have planes to catch etc.
Will I have to buy food?
No. Although we eat out on the first night, other than that all food onboard is provided - three meals a day plus snacks. We can cater for dietary requirements if necessary. We cook our evening meals from fresh and have plenty of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables on board.
What will I be eating?
Breakfast typically consists of a choice of cereals, toast, yoghurt, fresh fruit, fruit juice and a range of teas and coffee.
Lunch, as we have this at anchor or on a mooring buoy we like to try and keep it simple and relatively quick so that we can maximise our sailing day. Typically we will have soup and rolls, smoked mackerel with salad and coleslaw, pasties with salad and coleslaw, pizza with salad and slaw,tortellini, rolls with meats and cheeses etc.
Dinner, this is a more leisurely meal but is cooked fresh on board the boat. As we have only two hobs and an oven it needs to be kept relatively simple, I have tried cooking a roast before, it simply does not work !! So typical evening meals may be Spaghetti Bolognese, chilli, chicken curry or chicken thai curry, chicken fajitas, sausage beans and mash.
Will I be able to shower everyday?
Yes, facilities are available at all the marinas we stay offering showers.
Will I be able to have a drink in the evenings?
Yes, in all the places we go there are pubs and in some places there are some great old coaching inns. We would encourage all of our students to be sensible and moderate in their drinking whilst on the course. Needless to say we never drink and sail.
Testimonials
Starting with our Comptenet Crew course the instructor (Lou Barden) had us doing many things from the Day Skipper course in the end - which really impressed us! Lou is capable, assertive, definitely the captain on her boat but above all her teaching methods are bold and brave - she is very good at sailing, and teaching sailing.
After the Competent Crew course it was obvious Nomad were the company to provide our Day Skipper courses.
Jim Barden hosted us in his classroom just outside Waterloo in London for the Day Skipper theory. An excellent teacher with much the same focus as his sister, Lou.
The Day Skipper practical was back on the Nomad boat again (Nomad 1) with Lou again as the instructor. A superb course!! - even in February!
For me, the over-riding importance is the TRAINING. And I can 100% promote Nomad Sailing for sailing tutoring and I feel lucky I chose the right provider.
From the second I got to the marina I was warmly welcomed by Jim and swiftly ushered on board Nomad 1 where I met the other guys doing their day skippers/ yachtmasters and we all instantly hit it off! All the people on board were really well matched and I will be keeping in contact with everyone.
I found Nomad Sailing to be extremely well run and organised in every detail. I was only doing my Competent Crew, however Jim soon discovered that I was looking to get stuck in with everything and from the offset encouraged me and included me in all the exercises that the other guys were doing which was fab!
It was the best experience that I've ever had and with Jim's awesome laid back teaching approach and vast knowledge, I felt at ease and incredibly comfortable from start to finish. I learnt so much in that week.
I would recommend anyone thinking of booking such a course with Nomad to do so without hesitation, DO IT NOW you will not be disappointed in any way shape or form.
My can of sailing worms has well and truly been opened haha
Thanks again guys!