Is Day Skipper your next move?
Course dates: Saturday to Saturday 12th – 19th September.
A full week of sailing from Largs Yacht Haven, based within the Clyde.
Prices start from...
Single Cabins £2200
Double/Twin Cabin £3400
Whether you’re joining us on your own or sailing with someone you know, your time on board is set up to feel comfortable, unhurried and considered. Solo bookings include a guaranteed single cabin, giving you your own space to rest and recharge, while friends or couples booking together can choose a well-appointed twin or double cabin and enjoy the experience together.
Get the paperwork done
— we’ll handle the rest
Spaces are limited to keep groups small
Planning a group booking?
Private group booking prices start from £6,850
Our private group RYA courses are ideal for families, groups of friends or organisations who want to train together, building skills and confidence in a relaxed, supportive setting. Each course is tailored to suit a shared goal — whether that’s preparing for a specific trip or charter, or simply enjoying the experience of learning and sailing together up to a maximum of 4 students.
RYA Day Skipper Practical
Learning to Skipper with Confidence - in familiar waters by day.
Based out of Largs Yacht Haven, the course unfolds over six and a half days of sailing within the Clyde, where sheltered waters and beautiful surroundings create an excellent environment for learning and enjoyment.
The Day Skipper qualification marks an exciting step in any sailor’s journey — the point where you begin to take responsibility for a yacht, a crew, and the decisions that shape a great day at sea.
Our Day Skipper Practical course is designed to support that transition in a calm, encouraging and thoroughly practical way — turning sound theory into confident, capable skippering.
This is a hands-on, confidence-building week where learning happens through real sailing, guided practice and supportive instruction — all in a relaxed, professional environment.
Who this course is for...
This course is ideal for sailors who:
• Have completed Day Skipper shorebased (or have equivalent knowledge)
• Are ready to step up to leadership
• Want to build confidence in all aspects of sailing
• Enjoy learning by doing, with time to practise and reflect
• Are looking forward to skippering friends’, family or charter yachts
"As a fellow teacher I can say that your methods are just brilliant: you are constantly evaluating every action your crew is doing, but in a manner, that doesn´t feel like we were actually observed. Which for a teacher is quite rare skill I wish I could have." - Michal
What it’s like to sail with Sea Fever
Collected from sailors who’ve joined us for training and time at sea. Their reflections speak to the approach, environment and experience on board.
“I completed RYA Coastal Skipper with Dónal and had a great experience. As a non-native English speaker, it wasn’t always easy for me, but he explained everything clearly, stayed positive, and evaluated us fairly, even when I was nervous. Getting me to grasp how to use the engine without excessive force was not an easy task:) And as a bonus, he’s an excellent musician who made the evenings just as memorable as the sailing.”
- Michal Maruška, October 2025
The Sea Fever approach
Before the course begins, you’ll have a one-to-one conversation with Sea Fever founder Dónal Boyle, giving us the chance to understand your experience, goals and learning style.
This helps shape the week around you — while fully meeting the practical requirements set out by the RYA.
Small groups and personal instruction mean plenty of time at the helm, clear explanations, and a relaxed pace that supports confident learning.
Prerequisites
• RYA Day Skipper shorebased certificate or equivalent knowledge
• Basic sailing ability
• a minimum of 5 days at sea
• 100 miles
• 4 night hours
All onboard a sailing yacht
If you’re unsure whether this course is right for you, we’re always happy to talk it through.
Our Commitment to Sailing Excellence
What’s included...
✔ All meals onboard
✔ Fuel
✔ Marina fees
✔ Cleaning
Not included:
The occasional well-earned pint in a cosy harbour pub— after a satisfying day on the water
Got questions about
Day Skipper?
If you’re considering the course and want to sense-check your experience, talk through dates, or understand how it would work for you, we’re always happy to hear from you. Day Skipper is a meaningful step, and a short conversation can often help bring things into focus.
Send us a message
Drop us a message and tell us a little about where you’re at with your sailing. Whether you’re ready to book or simply want to ask a few practical questions, we’ll come back to you with clear, honest guidance and help you decide what makes sense next.
Sea Fever Sailing — beyond certification, into confidence.
A confident step forward
By the end of the week, you’ll have a stronger practical grounding in skippering a yacht, supported by experience, feedback and a clearer sense of how to continue developing your skills.
Where all required elements are met and the standard for Day Skipper practical is achieved, you’ll be issued with the RYA Day Skipper Practical certificate at the end of the course.
Small groups. Supportive instruction. Strong foundations.
What the week focuses on
Throughout the week, you’ll gradually step into the skipper’s role, supported by clear guidance and plenty of practical experience.
• Confident boat handling under power and sail
• Navigation and pilotage in real conditions
• Passage planning and situational awareness
• Berthing, mooring and close-quarters handling
• Clear communication and effective leadership on board
• Managing crew, safety and workload with confidence
• Calm, constructive instruction that builds skills and self-belief
You’ll be encouraged to make decisions, try things out, and grow in confidence — all within a supportive learning environment.
Life on board
You’ll train aboard our clean, dry, warm and well-equipped 4-cabin Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44i.
To keep the experience comfortable and focused, we sail with small groups, creating a friendly, supportive atmosphere on board.
A guaranteed single cabin, no sharing with strangers
Book as a pair and share a comfortable twin/double cabin
When people book a sailing course, it’s often the unknowns that cause hesitation — and accommodation is high on that list. Sharing close quarters with strangers for a week can feel like a leap, especially when you’re already stepping into something new and challenging.
That’s why we’ve designed our cabin arrangements to remove that concern entirely. If you’re joining us on your own, you’ll have a cabin to yourself — a place to close the door, get proper rest, and arrive each day feeling clear-headed and ready to learn. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference to confidence, energy and enjoyment over the course of the week.
If you’re booking with a partner, friend or family member, you can choose to share a twin or double cabin — ideal for those who already sail, travel or learn well together. Either way, the focus remains the same: creating an onboard environment that feels settled, supportive and conducive to good sailing.
Full bedding and towels
Everything on board is designed to help you relax, focus and enjoy the learning process.
When you’re learning at sea, the small practical details matter more than people expect. Good rest, staying warm and being able to step out of wet gear into something dry all contribute to how clearly you think and how much you enjoy the day ahead.
That’s why we provide full bedding and towels on board. It removes the need to travel with bulky kit, simplifies packing, and ensures that everyone starts the week with the same level of comfort and practicality. It’s not about luxury — it’s about creating conditions that support learning, focus and good decision-making.
Everything on board is set up with that same intention. From how the boat is organised to how the days unfold, the aim is to create an environment that feels calm, efficient and easy to live in. When you’re comfortable and well looked after, your attention naturally shifts to what really matters: learning, practising and enjoying time on the water.
Quality, home-cooked meals, prepared in advance using fresh, local produce
All dietary requirements catered for
Food on a sailing course often sits quietly in the background, yet it plays a surprisingly important role in how people feel, learn and perform on board. Long days on the water call for meals that are nourishing, satisfying and easy to enjoy, without adding unnecessary fuss or distraction.
Our meals are prepared in advance, using fresh, locally sourced produce wherever possible. This allows time on board to be spent sailing and learning, rather than shopping or cooking under pressure, while ensuring food is consistent, well balanced and properly thought through. It’s a practical approach that supports steady energy, good concentration and an enjoyable rhythm to the day.
We also recognise that everyone’s needs are different. Dietary requirements are catered for as a matter of course, not as an afterthought. Whether for medical, ethical or personal reasons, we plan meals carefully so that everyone on board is equally well provided for, allowing the focus to remain on sailing, learning and enjoying the experience.
Ethical, sustainably sourced domestic and cleaning products
No microplastics!
Life on board inevitably involves shared spaces, regular cleaning and everyday domestic routines. The products used for that matter — both for the people living on the boat and for the waters we sail in.
We choose domestic and cleaning products that are ethically and sustainably sourced because they are effective, dependable and well suited to use in a compact onboard environment. They do the job they’re meant to do, without unnecessary additives or harsh residues, and are selected with long-term use in mind rather than short-term convenience.
In the same vein, we avoid products containing microplastics. This is a practical choice, rooted in an understanding of how enclosed marine environments behave and how easily residues can accumulate. It’s a small, deliberate decision that aligns with operating responsibly on the water, without adding complexity or distraction to daily life on board.
Like many aspects of how we run our courses, this is simply part of creating an environment that feels considered, well managed and appropriate for learning at sea.
From sailors,
in their own words...
What matters most to us is how sailors feel when they leave the boat — more confident, more capable, and clearer about their next steps. The feedback we receive reflects the experience on board: considered instruction, a supportive atmosphere, and time well spent learning at sea.
"I found Donal to be a very friendly, thoughtful and professional Skipper in his knowledge and expertise in his field. I felt completely safe and sound in his management and his training"
"Throughout the week he was very communicative, calm and caring Skipper in his responsibilities to his crew. He was a great guy, exceptional in his overal operation of the boat and in the safety of his crew at all times"
"Professional, patient, endless knowledge, caring, commendable, easy going, thorough, encouraging, supportive, friendly and fun."
These reflections give a good sense of what sailing with Sea Fever is like — thoughtful, practical, and focused on helping people build skills and confidence in a way that feels both professional and enjoyable.
