It would be easy to write pages and pages at this point but unlikely that you would want to read them. We have tried to split up the main elements into easily readable chunks and be as succinct as possible. The tabs below should enable you to focus on the area that particularly interest you. We have also included a FAQs section which has been put together by speaking to our existing Nomad family - students who have already sailed with us on various courses. Hopefully this will cover what you want to know but if you have any unanswered questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Also further information and the latest dates can be found on our Day Skipper course page and the full syllabus here.
Read more detail about how we run our courses
We will send you out joining details before the course starts which will give details and directions to Gosport Premier Marina where the boat is based. We chose Gosport Marina because it is one of the easiest marinas to get to in the Solent both by road and public transport. If you drive we have a deal with the marina limiting your car parking fee to £15 for the duration of your course. By rail, trains from London are quick, regular and reliable and the station is almost on top of the Gosport ferry crossing which will take you across the harbour to the Gosport side - 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 !!
The joining details will also give you suggested items to bring with you but note wet weather gear will be provided by us as part of the course and for your comfort we also provide pillows.
We would encourage you to join the boat the evening before the course starts, as this is great way to meet and get to know the rest of the crew and get settled on the boat. Your instructor will meet you at the marina on your arrival. On the first evening we eat ashore either at the Castle Tavern which is just outside the marina or at the Boathouse which is the bistro based in the marina itself.
When we get to the boat we can sort out the domestic arrangements, let you know where everything is and complete a short safety brief so that everyone feels comfortable and safe on board.
There will be a maximum of 5 students plus your instructor on board. We like to mix levels on board where possible to ensure that everyone gets the chance to fulfil all the skills for their speific course. There will doubtless be students undertaking their Competent Crew whilst you are doing your Day Skipper, this not only gives you crew for your course but also the opportunity to help others with those things you already know - knots ?
Our boats have three double cabins plus additional sleeping space in the main saloon, you will never be required to share a space with a member of the opposite sex whom you do not know.
Having met all your crew mates and your instructor and slept on board we try and start the course between 0830 - 0900 on the first morning. All the marinas we stay in have shower facilities which are free to use and generally open 24/7. Breakfast is provided on board and will be a selection of cereals, toast, yoghurts, fruit, fruit juice, teas and coffee, fresh and instant.
Following breakfast there will be a comprehensive safety brief both down below and above deck. At that point if you are comfortable with all the lines and set up on the boat you will start you navigation. The first task will be to get us out of Portsmouth harbour, this will involve reading the almanac as there are very specific rules for small boats, setting up the tidal curve for the day and the tidal stream atlas. If there are more than one of you doing Day Skipper these tasks will be shared on the first day so that everyone can familiarise themselves with the navigational aids available.
During this time, if there are any Competent Crew on board the instructor will be going over the boat, it's lines, rigging and how to take a line ashore and slip. Once this is done off we go, the first active task of the day will usually be for all the Day Skippers to take us from a berth and park us onto a berth or do some pontooning bashing as it is affectionately called !! As we know this is a favourite spectator sport so we like to get it smooth and by the numbers before we leave our home marina.
Depending on time and tide following this task we may go up harbour and practise picking up mooring buoys then stop for lunch howeer if tide dictates we may need to leave the harbour to head west and anchor somewhere for lunch. We like to try and stop for lunch between 1230 - 1330 - lunch will be a simple but fresh meal so that we can maximise our sailing time. During our lunch stop we will look at where we are going to head for the evening and again the skippers will look at planning our route and looking at the pilotage.
The afternoon is spent sailing, getting everyone familiar with the boat, hoisting and unfurling the sails, using the lines, winches, tacking and gybing toward our destination. If time and tide are favourable we may get a man overboard drill or two in.
Once we have arrived at our evening destination we will "put the boat to bed" have a cup of tea and a well earned rest. Evening meals are provided as part of the course and we all muck in to prepare them, again these are simple bt fresh meals. We can cater for dietary requirements if necessary. During the evening you will get the opportunity to explore the local environs at your leisure.
After leaving Gosport Marina on the first morning we will not return until the final day. The Solent gives us so many options of places to go taking advantage of the tide to help us along our way. Many of the harbours and rivers offer interesting navigational challenges and pilotage. The Solent itself is full of all the buoyage you have learned, just exiting Portsmouth harbour and heading toward Cowes you will see three possible all four cardinal marks. You will see large and small commercial vessels, military vessels, various sizes of passenger vessel and numerous other leisure craft.
Portsmouth Harbour
Our starting point, 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 is fantastic for practising mooring buoy pick ups, manoverboard drills and just general sailing however the key for us is ensuring we follow the rules on the way out and when we return. The entrance is well buoyed and the explanation of the small boat channel very clear in the almanac and with QHM (Queens Harbour Master) watching every move we make through their full coverage CCTV system, we need to get it right.
Chichester Harbour
To the east of Portsmouth Harbour we have Chichester which is one of the most picturesque harbours on the south coast. The passage to Chichester provides interesting challenges in the form of an underwater barrier which runs from a Horsesand Fort to the beach, you will be please to know there is a gap. Having successfully navigated the barrier the passage to the entrance takes us over some very shallow waters, we definitely need a tidal curve set up ready to go. The approach into Chichester Harbour itself is well marked but do we have enough water to get in ? There is a sand bar partway down the channel between the two drying banks either side, as you can imagine, interesting navigation. Once in Chichester has a wide choice of mooring buoys and anchorages available in various channels which run up the harbour.Cowes
Leaving Portsmouth and heading west opens up many great options both on the Isle of Wight and the mainland. When thinking about the Isle of Wight Cowes would probably spring to mind first as the home of yachting in the UK. Approaching from the east offers a great little small boat channel which is well buoyed and cuts off a large corner but check your depths as this is very shallow at datum. Once in the river Medina we have a number of choices, the first and most popular being Cowes Yacht Haven, then we have two further marinas up river. All three of these marinas make for interesting parking as they can often have a strong cross tide running. The Day Skippers will take it in turn to moor and unmoor the boat.Hamble
The Hamble river is also a very popular yachty destination housing 5 marinas in it's navigable sections. The entrance is just at the bottom of Southampton Water and is well buoyed all the way to the top. I particularly like to do the Hamble at night as there are some great sectored lights at the entrance and the pilotage up the river can be challenging but always fun !! This river, as well as the 5 marinas is wall to wall boats from top to bottom. The Jolly Sailor still sits proudly at the top of the river overlooking Swanwick marina. Those of you who are old enough (me being one such) may remember the dreadful soap that helped make this area famous – Howards Way.
Southampton
There are a number of marinas up at the top of Southampton Water but our favourite is without doubt Town Quay. The trip up Southampton Water is great pilotage practise, navigating the precautionary area and then up the main channel to the top. We are guaranteed large boats, passenger vessels of numerous types and speeds as well as other leisure craft. There is plenty of room outside the main channel but no reason not to be in the main channel unless of course there is a large vessel using it. The final bit of navigation when we reach the top is interesting either negociating a blind corner or crossing the main channel twice, the choice will be yours.
Bucklers Hard / Beaulieu
Heading further west in the main Solent on the mainland side we would reach the entrance to the Beaulieu River. Another interesting pilotage as again we have to negotiate a sand bar at the entrance limiting the depth at the entrance. Not only do we need enough tide to get in but need to ensure we have enough tide when we want to leave. Whilst the Beaulieu River is a beautiful river it would not do to get trapped inside for hours on end. The journey up river through the New Forest is a delight and after the second bend can offer some challenging navigation as the buoys disappear and the withies take their place.
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. The channel into Lymington is well marked but pretty shallow either side if you go outside the marks, as the large car ferries that travel between Lymington and Yarmouth also use this channel it can get a bit tight.
Yarmouth Harbour
Yarmouth harbour is one of my favourites, the navigation into the harbour is fairly straight forward although made at times very difficult by a strong cross tide as you approach the entrance. There is a transit of two diamonds to keep you on track but I have found these quite difficult to spot. Opportunities here to moor up against the harbour wall and lose the luxury of a floating pontoon. The harbour has berthing masters who will show us to our berth and also are willing to help if help is required.Newtown River
A very popular anchorage heading back east from Yarmouth that sits between Yarmouth and Cowes. There are mooring buoys available as well as anchoring opportunities. The navigation into Newtown is made easy by the presence of a fantastic man made transit to keep us in deeper water. As we make our way into the creek itself the deepest part is between the the two headlands, once in the whole are is pretty shallow and not necessarily true to the charts due to movement of the sea bed over the years.Where is the course held?
The boat is based at Gosport Marina in Portsmouth Harbour and this is where the course starts. This is one of the easiest marinas to get to in the Solent. From Portsmouth Harbour Station jump on the Gosport ferry just down the ramp (a return ticket is £3.50), this ferry takes about 3 minutes to get you to the other side and then a 3 minute walk will get you to the marina. During the course we will visit a number of different marinas throughout the Solent.Why do my course in the Solent when I can do it in warmer climes ?
We firmly believe that the Solent is the best place to do your Day Skipper course, if you don't see it in the Solent you probably won't see it, so what better preparation to take on the rest of the world ? The Solent experiences pretty strong tidal streams and therefore tidal height changes, you have learned all about these in your theory course, seeing them in action and using them to your advantage is a great lesson. All those day shapes and night lights you have studied and learned, it is very likely you will see them in the Solent. We can absolutely promise you will see all the cardinal marks, numerous lateral marks and some sectored lights. You will have to put your collision regulations into practise as there will always be other craft out on the water. I guess my overall response would be, if you never sail in the UK again do your Day Skipper in 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 with clean pillow cases for your comfort.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 a range of snacks, some homemade if Lou has had the time !!!) 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 or Coastal Skipper Course. 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 might have to share a cabin but generally some people book as a couple or with friends so the sleeping arrangements normally work out quite well.
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. We provide a range of teas on board including a number of herbal teas, decaffinated coffee and real coffee for those who would like it.
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, 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. We have a herb, spice and sauce cupboard with a range of hot sauces for those who like to add a bit of heat to their meals. We try and always have a bottle of "Vampire Slayer" on board a local Isle of Wight product for the brave !!!
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 public houses 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
My boyfriend and I decided to (finally) get a licence to sail, so that we could have cool holidays on a boat cruising around the Caribbean. We picked the Solent area to learn to sail so that we would be confident dealing with more congested marinas, understanding tides as well as the usual stuff you need to know.
We picked Nomad based on previous trip advisor reviews and we are so glad we did, because they turned out to be spot on- a professional and friendly set up that made learning a totally enjoyable experience.
We would highly, highly recommend Nomad to anyone for a sailing course.
After our experience I can strongly recommend Nomad for sailing courses.
She took three people with varying degrees of competence (mine initially being at the lower end of the spectrum) through the raft of exercises and competences demanded by the RYA.
Lou possesses an encyclopaedic knowledge and has that rare gift of being able to simplify and distill complex ideas into bite sized chunks that are easily digested and assimilated.
The boat (Nomad 1) is an ideal teaching vessel, catering was first class, accommodation comfortable and the company excellent.
All in all a challenging, but immensely satisfying week.