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 2019
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 7th March & 12th 13th 14th March | £599 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 20th 21st March & 26th 27th 28th | £599 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 22nd to 26th March 5 day Mon to Friday course @ Ipswich ( | £599 | Book Now |
Mon 29th March - Friday 2nd April BH @ Ipswich | £599 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 10th 11th April & 16th 17th 18th April 2021 | £625 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 21st to 25th April 2021 Five days Incorps a weekend | £625 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 1st 2nd 3rd May & 8th 9th May 2021 two weekend and BH | £625 | Book Now |
Mon17th May to Fri 21st May 2021 @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 22nd 23dr may & 29th 30th 31st May two weekend and a BH | £625 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 5th 6th june & 11th 12th 13th June two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
16th - 20th June 2021 Incorps a weekend @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
21st to 25th June 2021 @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
26th 27th & 2nd 3rd 4th July 20201 Two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
7th - 11th July 2021 Incorps a weekend @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
12th to 16th July 2021 @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
17th 18th July & 23rd 24th 25th July two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
17th 18th July & 23rd 24th 25th July two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
31st July 1st Aug & 6th 7th 8th Aug two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
11th - 15th Aug Incorps a weekend @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
21st 22nd Aug & 28th 29th 30th Aug 2021 two weekends and a Bank Hol | £625 | Book Now |
3rd 4th 5th Sept & 11th 12th Sept Two weekend course @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
18th 18th Sept & 24th 25th 26th Sept two weekend course @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
29th to 3rd Oct incorps a weekend @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
9th 10th Oct & 15th 16th 17th Oct two weekends @Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
23rd 24th Oct & 29th 30th 31st Oct 2021 Two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
6th 7th Nov & 12th 13th 14th Nov 2021 Two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
17th to 21st Nov 2021 incorps a weekend @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
27th 28th Nov & 3rd 4th 5th Dec 2021 Two weekends course @ Ipswich | £625 | Book Now |
11th 12th Dec & 17th 18th 19th Dec two weekends @ Ipswich | £625 | 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.