The club has for many years been a recognised RYA training establishment. (The Royal Yachting Association guides sailing throughout the UK)
The principle training activity centres around the RYA level 2 course. This course aims to equip students with basic theoretical and practical sailing skills sufficient to enable them to sail a dinghy without an instructor on board in light winds. A slightly different version is used for Juniors. This is still defined by the RYA, but to gain a similar level of competence there are THREE stages, 1,2 and 3. The content is very similar, but helps gain certification at intermediate levels more easily, giving a quicker recognition of achievement. It can also help the younger sailors to have extra time to gain confidence before completing the Stage 3 course.
Scheduled Training for 2003 has been completed
The sailing club only runs one full training course per year, and that has been completed and our trainees are now sailing. If you are interested in sailing in 2003, why not contact Gwent Adventures at the Reservoir? Once you can sail, you can join us and learn more by becoming involved.
Gwent Adventures, here on our very own reservoir. Has Chandlery, boat and wetsuit hire, Training courses. Just walk round the launching bay to their shop, on the way to the OD hut.
If you are interested in sailing in 2004, please contact us in January when we start the organisation of next year's courses.
As a small club, with limited time and volunteer resources, we cannot run many courses and concentrate on our racing sailors after the initial May sessions. If you wan tot know the full range of RYA courses that are available elsewhere in the country, see the data a long way further down this page
Llandegfedd Sailing Club's Beginners courses are held annually in May over 3 consecutive weekends, and up to 20 students can be accommodated. Tuition is provided by a Principle Instructor, a Senior Instructor, several qualified instructors with a number of other experienced club sailors acting as helpers. We aim to have a very high instructor/student ratio, often 1 to 1, to maximise the learning experience.
The club has several boats in which to train, and with club members volunteering boats together with a reciprocal arrangement with the Sea Cadets students need not concern themselves with having to provide their own craft.
The dates for our courses are shown in the Training Programme Pages
In 2002 the RYA re-organised their course to permit achievement of new skills in a single week-end. There are five options, but Llandegfedd does not offer them all at the moment.
Anchoring, Man overboard (which we often cover in our Level 2 course) being towed, reefing afloat, sailing in adverse circumstances
Boat Handling around the course, starting, Racing rules, Race organisation
Sailing to best advantage using 5 essentials, hoist, gybe, drop, Best Course downwind, Apparent wind.
Windshifts, Symmetric and Assymetric Spinnakers, Rig tuning, boat equipment
IRPCS, Pilotage, Navigation, First Aid precautions
The club can arrange courses at the reservoir throughout the season to suit individuals requirements. Members benefit from discounted rates on RYA approved courses. Contact us for more details. Use the e-mail link in the footer if you don't have any other contact details
The venue is a particularly attractive reservoir with an exemplary safety record. The owners provide continuous safety boat cover to augment the 2 safety boats that the club provide for training. See our Safety Policy pages
The cost of the courses is kept low. Race Training courses may even be free.
In addition to the above, the club also offers race coaching under the instruction of 2 RYA qualified race-coaching instructors. This element of training is timed to follow on from the level 2 course so that newly-qualified sailors (and other less experienced club sailors) who wish are given the opportunity to improve their skills so that they may enjoy participating in the clubs active race programme.
Finally, the club also runs RYA power-boating courses depending on demand. This is usually to fulfil internal club requirements for additional experienced rescue boat cover, but can be extended outside the club on application.
During 2002 we intend to offer more Power Boat Level 2 courses and assessments
Contact Mervyn Directly - if you have lost his contact details, and we can transfer to him via mail or through our training co-ordinator