About this course...

Competent Crew Course.
Practical courses are run from Beacon Marina St Peters Dock Rd, New cut East IP3 0EA, 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 (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 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.
We will send you a link to Joining instructions and booking conditions please read them.
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 Beacon marina Ipswich St Peters Dock Rd, New cut East IP3 0EA
Maximum student:instructor ratio 5:1
Available dates for this course...
COURSE FULL 9th to 13th Oct 2023 | £735 | Book Now |
14th 15th Oct & 20th 21st 22nd Oct 2023 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £735 | Book Now |
COURSE FULL 28th 29th Oct & 3rd 4th 5th Nov 2023 | £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 + 15th 16th 17th March 2024 Two weekends @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
18th to 22nd March 2024 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
29th March to 2nd April 2 x BH and weekend included | £750 | Book Now |
6th 7th & 12th 13th 14th April 2 x weekend course @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
15th - 19th April 2024 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
27th 28th & 4th 5th 6th May .. 1 x Bh and two weekends | £750 | Book Now |
18th 19th & 25th 26th 27th May 1 x Bh and two weekends | £750 | Book Now |
20th to 25th May 2024 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
1st 2nd June + 7th 8th 9th June 2024 @ Ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | Book Now |
17th To 21st June 2034 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
22nd 23rd + 28th 29th 30th June @ Ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | Book Now |
1st to 5th July 2024 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
6th 7th July + 12th 13th 14th July 2024 2 x weekend @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
20th 21st July + 26th 27th 28th July @ ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | Book Now |
5th to 9th Aug 2024 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
17th 18th Aug + 24th 25th 26th Aug @ Ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | Book Now |
31st Aug 1st Sept + 6th 7th 8th Sept @ Ipswich 2 weekends | £750 | Book Now |
9th to 13th Sept 2024 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
21st 22nd Sept + 27th 28th 29th Sept @ Ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | Book Now |
5th 6th Oct + 11th 12th 13th Oct @ Ipswich 2 x weekend | £750 | Book Now |
5th 6th Oct + 11th 12th 13th Oct @ Ipswich 2 x weekend | £750 | Book Now |
14th to 18th October 2024 @ Ipswich | £750 | Book Now |
2nd 3rd Nov + 8th 9th 10th Nov @ Ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | Book Now |
16th 17th Nov + 22nd 23rd 24th Nov @ Ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | Book Now |
30th Nov 1st Dec + 6th 7th 8th Dec @ Ipswich 2 x weekends | £750 | 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.