About this course...

Competent Crew Course.
Practical courses are run from Neptune Marina Ipswich Suffolk, just 1 hour from Liverpool Street. (Comp crew courses are run with all day skipper practical dates) Over 5 consec days (incorps a weekend) or 2 x weekend (one being a long weekend ) or 3 weekends in summer (see below for dates) A small deposit secures your place, so book asap to get the place and date you want
This course teaches you the basics of sailing and all the skills you need to be an effective member of a yacht crew. It is suitable for complete beginners or those with limited experience who want to ensure a sound foundation before the next level.
You will learn how to steer the boat on a compass heading, how to set and trim sails, operate winches, how to prepare a boat to enter and leave harbour and lock, how to pick up moorings and anchor, and ropework and knots.
You will live aboard the boat with the instructor & other Comp crew and Day skipper students (you will be allocated a cabin/bunk on the first day) Each day will involve a mixture of short passages from port to port and intensive exercises. We will be in harbour or anchorage every night but on one evening you will get a few hours experience of night sailing.
The courses are always great fun. All meals are provided aboard but there will be opportunities to go ashore during some evenings.
Achievement: RYA Competent Crew. You will be welcome as crew aboard any yacht. Many owners and skippers are looking for crew and this certificate could be your passport to lots more sailing.
Some recent feedback
Fantastic experience and a fantastic instructor. Mark (Hamilton) takes you through each syllabus clearly, channeling his vast sailing knowledge into easy to follow language & direction. I have trained with Mark and have seen his care and attention to detail first hand. He instills a level of confidence in his students that allows them to push on to the next level of training or sailing capabilities with real belief and a sense of accomplishment. I just completed my first course with Hamilton Sailing, and was impressed enough to book a further two straight after ! You’ll be hard pushed to find a better or more experienced instructor as far as i’m concerned. Very friendly, approachable; he brings a calm sociable to the table. I was really REALLY surprised at how much we had covered when our group recapped our 5 days onboard. It didn’t feel like a rigid stuffy course, but areas of the coursework just soaked in. The boat too is beautiful and so easy to handle. I'm gonna have a hard time sailing with an ordinary tiller after being spoilt rotten onboard Sirius. Again, fantastic course and fantastic instructor ! .... Steve
Really enjoyed the course -
Chris was a great instructor - always relaxed and knowledgeable as well as being good company so I think we all learnt a lot from him
The boat was perfect - comfortable and with everything we needed.
Can’t fault the food on board either . . Dickon
Oil skin waterproofs are supplied free of charge
All courses held at Neptune Quay Ipswich IP4 1QJ
Maximum student:instructor ratio 5:1
Available dates for this course...
COURSE FULL 6th to 10th April 2023 Easter | £735 | Book Now |
15th 16th April & 21st 22nd 23rd April A two weekend course | £735 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 24th to 28th April 2023 | £735 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 29th 30th April 1st May & 6th 7th May 2023 | £735 | Book Now |
20th 21st May & 27th 28th 29th May 2023 Two weekends and Bank Hoilday | £735 | Book Now |
22nd to 26th May @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
3rd 4th June & 9th 10th 11th June 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
12th to 16th June 2023 @ ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
17th 18th June & 23rd 24th 25th June 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
26th to 30th June 2023 @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
1st 2nd july & 7th 8th 9th July 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
10th to 14th July 2023 @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
24th to 28th July 2023 @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
29th 30th July & 4th 5th 6th Aug 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipwsich | £735 | Book Now |
7th to 11th Aug 2023 | £735 | Book Now |
19th 20th Aug & 26th 27th 28th Aug inc Bank hol & 2 x weekend @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
11th to 15th Sept @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
16th 17th Sept & 22nd 23rd 24th Sept 2 x weekend course at Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
30th Sept 1st Oct & 6th 7th 8th Oct 2023 2 x weekend @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
9th to 13th Oct @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
14th 15th Oct & 20th 21st 22nd Oct 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
28th 29th Oct & 3rd 4th 5th Nov 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
11th 12th Nov & 17th 18th 19th Nov 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
25th 26th Nov & 1st 2nd 3rd Dec 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
9th 10th Dec & 15th 16th 17th Dec 2023 2 x Weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
How to book...
- If you're ready to book now, just select one of the dates above to go to the booking form.
- If you just want more information, click here to contact us,
or phone us for a no obligation chat on 07990 777 129. - Request a call-back, and we'll contact you to arrange the booking.