yacht week skipper course

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Accelerated Skipper training programs 

The opportunity to be a qualified rya yachtmaster skipper working in 2017., super deals for new skippers to obtain international commercial yachting qualification., we prep skippers and hostesses for their dream jobs in the yachting industry. taking their skills to the next level for the opportunity to work with some of the biggest flotilla events and charter companies around the world. if you successfully complete our course we are sure you will get summer work., the yacht week are looking for a lot more yachtmaster skippers., we offer the training to help you get this dream job. the view from one of our instructors boats last year in croatia.  could you skipper a yacht into this raft, we have a customised yachtmaster program to help you achieve your goals to become a qualified commercial skipper. we have a plan for you depending upon you experience and sailing ., experienced sailors but no formal qualifications., the commercial track program can can build on your experience and sea miles., we can offer a 3 or 4 week intense sailing in conjunction with the skipper academy, to ensure you are capable of passing your yachtmaster., practical sailing and mile building trip, rya coastal skipper practical course, rya yachtmaster theory course, rya vhf short range course (if required), rya first aid course, rya sea survival course (optional), qualifying skipper passages of at least 60 nm yachtmaster preparation., yachtmaster exam rya (ppr) personal professional responsibility course., assistance with licensing documentation., there is in option for stcw 2010 basic training qualification with an extra week.    .

• Eligibility for the level of Yachtmaster exam is dependant upon previous experience and sea miles.

We will only take people on this program who have the experience to achieve Coastal Yachtmaster.  

New potential skippers, we have worked with many new skippers form over 35 nationalities,  helping  them obtain commercial qualifications., this takes longer as it is necessary to build the basic skills and experience., we offer a 2 stage package for people entering the yachting industry. this is customised to meet your personal requirements and budget., new skipper program:, rya competent crew course., day skipper theory course., day skipper practical course., rya vhf short range radio course., optional stcw 2010 basic training course., superyacht hospitality course also available. enquire for details., on completing the new skipper program we will help you build your experience and sea miles., seamile building , coastal skipper course , exam preparation., we will help in moving to the next step by organising sailing in tidal waters and mile building to become eligible for the commercial skipper program., this will be carried out over  a minimum of 2 weeks.

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• Diversity in sailing locations;
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• Quality logged miles (not junk miles).

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There is an IYT school on six continents. Begin training in the Mediterranean and finish in the Caribbean. Wherever you choose to be! IYT’s unique modular approach to yacht training has allowed the successful establishment of global partner schools offering a broad range of recreational and professional courses.

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The exact routes are set a few weeks before the event starts. As soon as the routes are set, you can view them on the arrival info on your booking. In the meantime, you can see an example route on the relevant destination page and lots of information regarding the highlights and things to do on the route.

During the day, you will be sailing to a new island. You will spend the day sailing, stopping in coral bays, having lunch, and swimming. This is your time, so spend it how you will! If you would prefer to head straight to the next island and do activities on the island, then your skipper will be able to sail you there and give you further information.

There will be a Yacht Week exclusive party or event each day, including the tunnel raft party and even the circle raft party (if you are lucky with the weather!). You have time to explore each island and try the cuisine at the local restaurants.

The distance between ports varies, but you would typically expect to leave the marina early/mid-morning and arrive at the next stop in the afternoon. Of course, it also depends on how long you spend having lunch, relaxing in bays, and swimming.

The captain of Mike Lynch's superyacht is being investigated by Italian prosecutors: report

• The captain of a yacht that sank off Sicily is being investigated by Italian prosecutors, Reuters reported.
• The Bayesian yacht went down last week, claiming the lives of seven on board, including Mike Lynch.
• James Cutfield was questioned on Sunday and will be interrogated again on Tuesday, per local media.

The captain of the superyacht that sank in the Mediterranean last week, claiming the lives of tech tycoon Mike Lynch and six others, is being investigated for potential manslaughter and shipwreck charges, Reuters reported , citing a judicial source.

James Cutfield, the 51-year-old captain, was questioned by prosecutors on Sunday for two hours, according to Italy's La Repubblica . The New Zealander is set to be questioned again on Tuesday, Corriere Della Sera reported .

Giovanni Rizzuti, one of two attorneys appointed to defend Cutfield, said that the yacht captain is "very shaken by the immense tragedy" and intends to defend himself, according to the outlet.

Another attorney, Aldo Mordiglia, told the Washington Post by email that Cutfield is under investigation for potential manslaughter charges.

The Bayesian, an 184-foot superyacht, sank off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, last week.

Fifteen people, including Lynch's wife Angela Bacares , were rescued, while seven others — including Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah — have been confirmed dead.

An investigation into the exact cause of the sinking is ongoing, but some have criticized the crew for supposed shortcomings.

Giovanni Costantino, the CEO of the Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, the firm that built the Bayesian in 2008, blamed the crews for not following protocol and failing to prepare for the storm.

He told the Financial Times that the yacht sank in 16 minutes but that the vessel was "designed to be absolutely stable" as it had the second-tallest mast in the world.

When the yacht started taking on water, the skipper should have locked everything up and gathered all passengers at the safe point, and no one should've been in their cabin, in line with protocol, Costantino told the outlet.

Related stories

In an interview with Reuters , Costantino said the yacht's crew members made the "incredible mistake" of not being prepared for the powerful storm that rolled in.

Franco Romani, a nautical architect who was part of the team that designed the yacht, told La Stampa the Bayesian was built to go to sea in "any weather" and that a side hatch that was left open could have let water enter the vessel, per Reuters.

Italian prosecutors said during a press conference on Saturday that they had opened a manslaughter investigation.

Ambrogio Cartosio, the head of the public prosecutor's office of Termini Imerese, said he was investigating a "crime hypothesis" of culpable shipwreck and manslaughter.

It's unclear if other crew members will be probed, Reuters reported, adding that in Italy being under investigation does not automatically result in official charges or implied guilt.

Corriere Della Serra reported that investigators have asked Cutfield's deputy, Tijs Koopmans, to stay in Sicily to be questioned again, but they didn't specify whether he was under investigation.

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Day Skipper: What you need to know to get through

• Theo Stocker
• September 25, 2020

With her husband Theo out of the way, Georgie Stocker shows on her Day Skipper course that she is more than capable of taking charge

Georgie wanted to complete a Day Skipper course to build confidence in her sailing ability. Credit:Theo Stocker

It was Theo who suggested I take my Day Skipper course.

I’ve grown up sailing, and even worked as a dinghy instructor for six months, but my yacht sailing career started as a competent sunbather on family charter holidays in Greece.

Later, I progressed to longer trips in cooler climates with my boyfriend, now husband, Theo, where, being just the two of us, I had a more active role and learnt far more.

We have done multiple trips on different boats.

I have rounded headlands, dodged fishing vessels and stood night watches.

As with many sailing couples, however, I defaulted to crew and left much of the navigation and pilotage in Theo’s capable hands.

Georgie wanted to learn and practice navigating a boat on her own during the Day Skipper course. Credit: Theo Stocker

My recurring nightmare when planning sailing trips with Theo is, ‘What would I do if he went overboard and would I be able to get him back? Would I manage if he was ill? Could I manage a boat on my own?’

These thoughts have been bugging me for a few years.

I hoped the Day Skipper course would increase my confidence in my sailing ability, help me to brush up on skills such as man overboard and coming in and out of berths.

I also wanted to learn and practise how I would go about planning a passage and navigating a boat on my own.

I wanted to know that I could go sailing without Theo and be an equal partner in planning, preparing and skippering our trips.

Theo was happy to help me prepare and I set about studying.

Plotting a course at the chart table. Credit: Theo Stocker

It was only when I started looking through the RYA course books that I realised the extent of the task I had taken on.

Tides, secondary ports, pilotage… it all seemed pretty overwhelming at first.

However, after a week’s holiday grudgingly spent doing navigation exercises and going through the theory, I began to feel like I was finally getting the hang of navigation.

I still felt a bit rusty though.

I had the course booked for the beginning of August and realised I hadn’t been on a boat, excluding the Norfolk Broads, for nearly a year.

Thankfully, a sailor at a local club offered to take me out on the water for a day to knock the rust off.

It was so useful to go over basic boat handling, safety, the engine and practical chartwork to get my sea legs back before the course.

After all this preparation I felt ready, albeit a bit nervous, especially after being grilled at the last minute by my dad on the phonetic alphabet.

Apparently ‘A for apple’ doesn’t quite cut it on VHF radio.

I did the course on the Solent with Commodore Yachting from Gosport, who were brilliant.

They had me on a shiny new Bavaria 37, which, considering most of my sailing had been on a 31ft yacht or smaller, was a bit daunting at first.

As the only woman and probably half the average age of the rest of the crew I was initially rather intimidated.

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The other two on the course both had their own boats and had been sailing for far longer than me, but they all were very friendly and I soon felt at my ease as one of the crew.

After some introductions I was set the task of planning the passage from Gosport to Cowes.

Equipped with my notes, and with the promise of a drink in the pub with the crew, I managed to get a passage planned in record time — for me.

The first two days were intense.

We took it in turns to skipper and plan the passages and pilotage.

We enjoyed great sailing and practised picking up mooring buoys — the lasso technique was my favourite, although I did get in trouble for not saying the required ‘Yee-hah!’ after throwing the line.

On the first night we conducted a night navigation exercise from Beaulieu to the Hamble.

I had done night passages before but never pilotage into a harbour at night .

I loved working out what all the lights were and using the leading lights to navigate in.

With the help of lots of cups of tea and biscuits, we managed to find our way safely into Swanwick Marina.

A slower start followed the next morning, with a full English breakfast and some time looking at engine maintenance and checks on board.

Crew and instructor kitted out for bad weather. Credit: Theo Stocker

With growing confidence in my abilities as a skipper, we were informed a storm was on its way.

Force 7-8 winds were forecast. Yikes!

Theo and I had been out in some windy conditions before, but it was going to put the first two days’ skills to the test, as well as my waterproofs .

Although I prefer sunshine and calmer waters, the thrill seeker in me relished the exhilaration of strong-wind sailing.

It was a great opportunity to practise coming alongside berths, picking up buoys and anchoring in adverse conditions.

I was surprised, however, when our instructor John shouted ‘Man overboard!’ and said the manoeuvre should be done under sail while the wind was gusting over 34 knots.

With the dummy safely aboard, we made our way into the shelter of Gosport.

Georgie had a lot of prior sailing experience before taking her Day Skipper course. Credit: Theo Stocker

After mooring up to a buoy we had chance to look at a bit more of the theory, including weather forecasts, towing and helicopter rescues.

The final day was spent refining our skills as well as finishing off the food stores.

It was a great week and a chance to hone new skills.

It was also the first time I had sailed without Theo in a long while and I think the course challenged me to step up to the role of skipper.

I feel I can now fend for myself afloat and am a lot more confident in my boat handling skills, my leadership, theory and general boat husbandry.

Theo was thrilled that I passed and relieved to know that, if he goes overboard, both his and my chances of survival have markedly improved.

Day Skipper skills

We practised picking up mooring buoys in different conditions: approaching on a close reach under mainsail as well as against the tide, approaching downwind under headsail.

A new technique I learnt was lassoing the buoy.

Georgie picks up a mooring buoy with a lasso. Credit: Theo Stocker

This is done by using a line and attaching to two cleats at the bow, ensuring that the line is forward of the forestay and over the anchor; then coiling the remainder of the lie on the approaching side and using a two-handed throwing method to lasso the buoy on the approach.

This is great in strong winds and tides as it gives time to use the lines to steady the boat so that the bowline/secondary buoy can be retrieved and brought on board without having to hold the weight of the boat on a boat hook.

Heave to for man overboard pick-up

We practised a number of techniques for picking up a man overboard during the Day Skipper course and this was probably my favourite.

In this example man overboard is called, the helmsman should count for two seconds then go through the wind with the foresail cleated to back, while releasing the main sheet and starting the engine.

Hove to with the engine on for a man overboard situation. Credit: Theo Stocker

After the mainsail has filled and the headsail has backed, steer into wind to keep the boat hove to.

A short blast of astern power also helps to slow the boat and enable it to drift downwind onto the man overboard.

The engine can then be used to line up the boat with the man overboard (this was mostly in astern) and retrieve the buoy.

I had never used this technique before but found it a much quicker and more reliable method.

In my view, if sailing with just two of you on board, it is much easier than having to drop the sails completely , and means you stay close to the casualty.

‘Woble’ your engine daily

On the course we learnt how to do an engine check, the parts that need checking and what to do if there was a problem.

Being methodical with engine checks prevents any on board wobbles. Credit: Theo Stocker

The acronym ‘Woble’, takes you through the checks in order:

W — water levels: check the filter and the antifreeze water level O — oil: check both the gear box oil and the fuel oil B — belts: checking the tension of the belts can be done by a short twist. If you can twist more than 90° it’s too slack L — look for leaks E — exhaust is pumping water

I found this methodical approach helpful to ensure that I didn’t miss anything.

Spring from a pontoon mooring

During the week-long Day Skipper course we went in and out of different kinds of berths in different conditions, multiple times.

Using a spring to leave a berth in either direction was something new for me.

Bow moves out whilst going astern. Credit: Theo Stocker

I had seen it but never done it myself and it worked brilliantly when the wind was holding us onto the pontoon.

In this technique we used a bow line, stern line and a spring from the stern to a cleat well forward on the pontoon.

Having let go of bow line and stern line we powered astern, causing the bow to swing out away from the pontoon and bring the stern in.

The engine is then put in forward gear to leave the pontoon.

Something I found helpful was to not remove the spring until there is forward motion to prevent the bow being blown back onto the pontoon.

We also learnt that all the lines should be set up to be slipped from on board, and that the shorter end of a line is released to avoid lines fouling on the pontoon.

Navigation and pilotage into 
harbours — day and night

On board we planned pilotage into and out of marinas and harbours.

While the planning seemed arduous at first, we soon got quicker at finding the right charts, calculating tide times and height, checking what lights or buoys to look out for, whether there were transits or back bearings to use and identifying any dangers and clearing bearings for these.

Pilotage into a new harbour can be a rewarding experience. Credit: Theo Stocker

For the night pilotage into the Hamble, the GPS was really helpful, but we also wrote up a plan to use on deck.

This gave us a quick reference of the pilotage with the bearing to each buoy and light, and rough distances and times.

I had never used leading lights before, so this was really good to practise, ensuring a safe passage into the mouth of the Hamble avoiding Hamble Spit.

Getting the lights for the different cardinal marks right – they can be difficult to identify – was also a key lesson to keep us safe.

Safety briefing

During the week we gave several safety briefings.

Knowing what to tell a novice crew before sailing, without overloading them, is a skill, and having a clear outline of what to cover really helped.

Demonstrating how to put on a lifejacket and how to check it fully is a good idea.

Teach your crew to check lifejackets. Credit: Theo Stocker

The briefing on deck included explaining how to use the liferaft, and how to move around safely on the boat.

As we had strong winds throughout the week there were a number of times when we were clipped on.

As skipper, making sure that the crew are safe, as well as increasing safety precautions depending on the conditions, helps to avoid unnecessary man overboard drills.

How did Georgie do on her Day Skipper course?

Instructor John Hopkins of Commodore Yachting presents Georgie with her Day Skipper certificate. Credit: Theo Stocker

Instructor John Hopkins 
gives his verdict

Georgie Stocker is a qualified dinghy instructor and has cruised yachts in the UK, the Med and the Baltic. She and her husband Theo own a Sadler 29. Credit: Theo Stocker

‘The three crew on the boat were all working towards their Day Skipper and all had a lot of prior sailing experience.

‘Martin and John both have their own boats and wanted proof of competence, as well as updating and checking their skills.

‘Georgie obviously has a lot of miles and time afloat under her belt, so once I had introduced a task or skill and everyone had a go, we could spend time practising and refining it.

‘We had a very windy week, but that’s much better than no wind.

‘It is no mean feat to pick up a man overboard under sail in a Force 7 as Georgie did.

‘There were a few skills that needed practice, and her pilotage got quicker through the week, but it is usually obvious fairly soon if someone is at the level needed for Day Skipper, which Georgie was.

‘I think she finished the week much more confident in her own ability.’

RYA Day Skipper syllabus

What you need to know before you get on the course

5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours on board a sailing yacht.

Theory to the level of Day Skipper.

Whilst it is recommended you attend a Day Skipper shore-based course beforehand, which includes an exam, you just need to be confident in doing the theory to the required level, as there isn’t time to learn this on the course.

What you will learn on the course

• Preparation for sea
• Deck work, navigation
• Pilotage, metorology
• Rules of the road
• Maintenance and repair work
• Victualling
• Emergency situation
• Yacht handling under power
• Yacht handling under sail
• Passage making
• Night cruising

How you will be assessed

Assessment will be by your instructor throughout the course.

There is no terrifying exam at the end of the week, so you should get feedback as you go along as to how you are getting on with each of the skills and tasks.

About Commodore Yachting

Commodore Yachting is a leading RYA training centre and yacht charter company based at Gosport Marina on the Solent. It offers all RYA sailing courses, taught by an experienced team.

Stuart Cooper started the company in 1999 with one yacht after leaving the Navy and now operates a fleet of seven Bavaria yachts from Gosport and has another boat based in Greece.

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Questions for Investigators Trying to Unravel Mystery of Luxury Yacht’s Sinking

The investigators searching for answers about the shipwreck, leaving seven dead, face questions about extreme weather and possible human error or problems with the yacht itself.

• Share full article

By Alan Yuhas

More than 180 feet long, with a mast towering about 240 feet and a keel that could be lowered for greater stability, the Bayesian luxury yacht did not, in the eyes of its maker, have the vulnerabilities of a ship that would easily sink.

“It drives me insane,” Giovanni Costantino, the chief executive of the Italian Sea Group, which in 2022 bought the company that made the ship, said after its wreck last week. “Following all the proper procedures, that boat is unsinkable.”

But the $40 million sailing yacht sank within minutes and with fatal results: seven dead, including the British technology billionaire Michael Lynch, his teenage daughter, four of Mr. Lynch’s friends and a member of the crew. Fifteen people, including the captain, escaped on a lifeboat.

Mr. Lynch had invited family, friends and part of his legal team on a cruise in the Mediterranean to celebrate his acquittal in June of fraud charges tied to the sale of his company to the tech giant Hewlett-Packard.

The Italian authorities have opened a manslaughter investigation, searching for answers from the survivors, the manufacturer and the wreck itself. They face a range of questions and possible factors.

An ‘earthquake’ in the sky?

When the Bayesian sank around 4 a.m. on Aug. 19, the waters in its area, about half a mile off the Sicilian port of Porticello, were transformed by an extremely sudden and violent storm, according to fishermen, a captain in the area and meteorologists.

But what kind of storm is still a mystery, compounded by the fact that a sailing schooner anchored nearby did not have its own disaster. Also unclear is whether the crew was aware that the Italian authorities had issued general warnings about bad weather the night before.

Karsten Börner, the captain of the nearby passenger ship, said he’d had to steady his ship during “really violent” winds . During the storm, he said, the Bayesian seemed to disappear behind his ship.

Severe lightning and strong gusts were registered by the Italian Air Force’s Center for Aerospace Meteorology and Climatology, according to Attilio Di Diodato, its director. “It was very intense and brief in duration,” he said.

The yacht, he said, had most likely been hit by a fierce downburst — a blast of powerful wind surging down during a thunderstorm. His agency put out rough-sea warnings the previous evening, alerting sailors about possible storms.

Locals have said the winds “felt like an earthquake.” A fisherman in Porticello said that he had seen a flare go off in the early-morning hours. His brother ventured to the site once the weather had calmed about 20 minutes later, he said, finding only floating cushions.

The Italian authorities have so far declined to say whether investigators had seen any structural damage to the hull or other parts of the ship.

Open hatches or doors?

The boat executive, Mr. Costantino, has argued that the Bayesian was an extremely safe vessel that could list even to 75 degrees without capsizing. His company, the Italian Sea Group, in 2022 bought the yacht’s manufacturer, Perini Navi, which launched the ship in 2008.

Mr. Costantino said that if some of the hatches on the side and in the stern, or some of the deck doors, had been open, the boat could have taken on water and sunk. Standard procedure in such storms, he said, would be to switch on the engine, lift the anchor and turn the boat into the wind, lowering the keel for extra stability, closing doors and gathering the guests in the main hall inside the deck.

At a news conference on Saturday, almost a week after the sinking, investigators said the yacht had sunk at an angle , with its stern — where the heavy engine was — having gone down first. The wreck was found lying on its right side at the bottom of a bay, about 165 feet deep.

12 guests occupied the yacht’s six cabins. There were also 10 crew members.

Open hatches, doors and cabin windows could have let in water during a storm, according to the manufacturer.

Open hatches, doors and

cabin windows could

have let in water

during a storm,

according to the

manufacturer.

Source: Superyacht Times, YachtCharterFleet, MarineTraffic

By Veronica Penney

Water pouring into open hatches or doors could have contributed to the sinking, experts say, but that on its own may not account for the speed at which such a large boat vanished underwater.

Asked about the hatches at the news conference, the authorities declined to comment on whether they had been found open at the wreck.

The authorities have also not specified whether the boat had been anchored, whether it was under power at the time or whether its sails had been unfurled.

A retracted keel?

The Bayesian had a keel — the fin-like structure beneath a boat that can help stabilize it — that could be retracted or extended, according to its manufacturer. On some yachts, keels can be raised to let the large vessel dock in shallower water, and extended downward to help keep a boat level.

But like the hatches, the status of the keel alone may not explain why a large ship sank with such precipitous speed. Investigators have not disclosed what divers may have seen at the wreck, aside from saying divers had faced obstacles like furnishings and electrical wiring in tight quarters. Officials want to raise the wreck to better examine it, a process that may take weeks.

Human error?

Ambrogio Cartosio, the prosecutor in charge of the case, said at the news conference that it was “plausible” crimes had been committed, but that investigators had not zeroed in on any potential suspects.

“There could be responsibilities of the captain only,” he said. “There could be responsibilities of the whole crew. There could be responsibilities of the boat makers. Or there could be responsibilities of those who were in charge of surveilling the boat.”

It remains unclear what kind of emergency training or preparation took place before the disaster, or what kind of coordination there was during it. So far, none of the surviving crew members have made a public statement about what happened the night the ship sank.

Prosecutors said they want to ask more questions of the captain and crew, who have been in a Sicilian hotel with other survivors. They said that neither alcohol nor drug tests had been performed on crew members, and that they have been allowed to leave Italy.

Prosecutors also said they were also investigating why the captain, an experienced sailor, left the sinking boat while some passengers were still on board.

Besides possible manslaughter charges, the authorities are investigating the possibility of a negligently caused shipwreck.

The bodies of five passengers were found in one cabin, on the left side of the yacht, the authorities said. The five were most likely trying to flee to the higher side of the boat and were probably sleeping when the boat started to sink, they said.

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RYA Combined Course

Competent crew & day skipper.

This ‘fast-track’ package brings together the Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses, into a convenient two week sailing course with a couple of days off in between.  Prior to arriving in Greece participants complete both of the online courses.

Why do our RYA Combined Course?

Get qualified to sail anywhere

The RYA Day Skipper is a valuable qualification and is recognised as evidence of competence by insurance and charter companies worldwide. Perfect if you are considering a bareboat yacht charter holiday. Once you have your Day Skipper you automatically qualify for an International Certificate of Competency .

Become a confident skipper

The Day Skipper course is designed to develop your leadership skills and confidence whilst in charge of a yacht. As skipper you will be in charge of the safety and comfort of everyone on board. Being the skipper is a rewarding experience and means you can take family and friends sailing in confidence.

Combined Course Benefits

The combined course will take you through both the Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses. This will teach you everything, from the basics of sailing, to the essentials of skippering your own yacht. You will develop your yacht handling under power and sail, in marinas, mooring, and man overboard recovery. 

RYA Combined Course Details

• Pre-Course Requirements
• Before you go

Course Schedule

• Life on board
• How much does it cost?

Pre-Course Experience Requirements

*Special requests and medical conditions/disability/reduced mobility - please read page 6 of our booking conditions.

RYA Courses for young children

If you wish your child to take part, but worry they may not be fully capable of participating, never fear! They will either be awarded a Competent Crew Certificate or an RYA Start Sailing Certificate for younger sailors. So, there is no excuse not to give it a go! Feel free to call us on 020 8459 8787 if you wish to discuss bringing younger children. 

Come Prepared

Prior to arrival in Greece, you will complete our RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship course online. This covers topics such as charts, buoyage, navigation, pilotage, tides, diesel engines, rules of the road and passage planning. The pack includes practice charts, electronic chart plotter download, dividers and a Portland plotter to get you started. So you’ll be fully prepped before your arrival in Greece!

Our unique online training

Our unique online learning portal gives you the opportunity to learn some of the necessary theoretical skills, without having to leave the comfort of home. The course is RYA approved, and is designed for students who cannot afford the time to attend lengthy shore-based classes. The online courses are tailored to provide the skills particular to the Day Skipper syllabus. In addition, we provide supplementary RYA course materials to further aid each student studying the theory element. Essential Navigation & Seamanship is a certified RYA course, for which, successful students will be offered a certificate upon arrival in Greece.

Got five minutes?

Why not try out our Online Course Demo with Steve from Corfu Sea School from the comfort of your sofa?

Sunday:  Arrival Day - students can arrive at any time during the day, instructors will be available to meet and greet at Blue Bar from 12pm.

Monday – Friday:  Competent Crew training, generally 8.30 – 5/6pm. On Friday evening you'll head back to Gouvia marina and your instructor will be off-duty for the weekend.

Saturday-Sunday:  Relaxed weekend in Gouvia Marina - this is a great opportunity to explore Corfu town, go to the beach or relax by the pool at Blue Bar. You could even hire a car for the day.

Monday – Friday:  Day Skipper training, generally 8.30 – 5/6pm. Friday evening - Certificates awarded and instructor disembarks training yacht.

Saturday:  Another relaxed day in Gouvia - after two weeks of training you'll need it!

Sunday:  Students disembark training yacht by 8.30 am.

Our specialised training yachts & accommodation

Our courses are taught on our dedicated training boats, three Beneteau 393's. These are specious modern cruising yachts, set up exclusively for teaching, equipped with all the essentials.

On board equipment

The yachts are furnished with modern instruments such as GPS, chart-plotter, Navtex and wireless wind, speed, and depth transducers. They have modern galleys which include a double sink, large fridge, and oven. Each boat is fitted with clean, modern heads and a holding tank.

Food & Drink

All breakfasts and lunches are included in the cost of the course, as well as two evening meals cooked on board. Greece is blessed with an abundance of tavernas, and there will be lots of opportunities to eat on-shore. If you have any special dietary requirements just let us know.

Showers, Linen & Towels

One bath sized towel per person, all bed linen, pillows and duvets are included. So there is no need to bring along that most glamorous of items - required for many a training course in the UK - a sleeping bag. There is a shower on board, and the course often stops in ports that have showers and facilities ashore.

RYA Combined Competent Crew & Day Skipper - From £1,995

• 14 nights aboard the yacht, with 10 days full instruction

• Tuition from one of our brilliant instructors

• Sunshine and swim stops

• Online training provided by Corfu Sea School

• RYA course materials and Logbook

• Breakfasts, lunches and 4 dinners on board

• Fuel, water and marina fees

• Bed linen and towels

• Waterproof jackets

Flights to Corfu and/or local airport transfers can be arranged by Sailing Holidays, we will be happy to assist and quote for your requirements. alternatively you can make your own way to Gouvia Marina.

VHF Short Range Certificate - £120

Why not add the VHF certificate to your course? This can be easily added to any RYA course. It is now a requirement to charter a boat in Croatia that at least one person on board has a VHF certificate. 

Combining an RYA Course and Flotilla Holiday

Simply ask about this at the time of booking. You will be able to combine an RYA course with our One Week Paxos Flotilla, One Week Corfu Highlights of the South Ionian Flotilla, or our Two Week Whole Ionian Flotilla.

Combining an RYA Course and a Yacht Charter Holiday

Our independent yacht charter holidays do not include flights as standard but these can be arranged. If you are looking to combine your RYA course with a yacht charter in the Ionian Islands simply ask about this at the time of booking. Please note that if you are planning to skipper your own bareboat after completing the course, should you not pass, you will need to arrange and pay for an on board skipper.

Which flotillas can I pair my RYA course with?

One Week Paxos Flotilla

Two Week Whole Ionian Flotilla

Two Week Faraway Islands Flotilla

What are the next steps.

Like the sound of our RYA courses? Check out the options below for taking the next step to becoming a qualified skipper or crew member. Choose between booking a course with family and friends or booking a berth on board a shared course boat. 

Get in touch

Still not sure which RYA course is for you? Get in touch with one of our team in the London Office. We have all been on the boats, know the instructors and most of us have even done the courses ourselves! Charlie is our RYA specialist and so if you have a burning question he is your man.

Join a training yacht

For the RYA courses you can simply book a berth on our school yacht, sharing the yacht with other students (you won’t be obliged to share a berth with someone you don’t know of course). The maximum ratio of participants to instructors, on each yacht, will be 4:1 (often 3:1).

Book a private course

Why not book a whole boat and a private instructor? With three or more of you embarking on a course there are no additional costs to pay. If you are a couple or two friends and would like a private course, you can pay an additional fee to have the instructor all to yourselves.

New to Sailing?

Yacht Charter

Shore to Sail

Keep in touch.

There are 3 major theories as to why Mike Lynch’s Bayesian yacht sank so fast

On Thursday, Italian authorities retrieved a fifth body from the Bayesian superyacht that sank in a storm earlier this week, killing British technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch. 

The 184-foot British-flagged vessel sank early Monday , and the five identified bodies thus far from the incident include Mike Lynch , founder of Autonomy and investor in Darktrace; Morgan Stanley Bank International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; Chris Morvillo, a Clifford Chance lawyer, and his wife, Neda, were also found. Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah is still missing.

There are several theories as to why the massive $39 million boat sank in just about 60 seconds. And the maker of the ship says the crew should have had time to rescue passengers. 

Theory one: The mast was pushed over by the wind

The first theory is that the mast on the massive vessel was so tall it tipped the boat over when a waterspout— essentially a water tornado —hit the boat. Giovanni Costantino , CEO of the Italian Sea Group , which owns several boat brands including the yacht’s builder, Perini Navi , told the Financial Times the boat was “designed to be absolutely stable” because it had the “world’s second-tallest mast.” But Karsten Borner, the skipper of a nearby boat, suggests the sinking actually could have been caused by high winds hitting the 236-foot mast. Even with sails stowed, the mast and its rigging would have provided a vast surface area for wind resistance. 

The Bayesian “went flat [with the mast] on the water, and then went down,” Borner told Reuters . For reference, the tallest mast on a sailing boat on record was the Mirabella V at nearly 247 feet long, according to Guinness World Records .

Theory two: The retractable keel was in the wrong position

The second theory about the cause of the Bayesian sinking is that the keel was retracted when it should have been lowered, making the boat less stable. The keel is a structural beam that runs under the middle of the boat from bow to stern, giving the boat better stability, a lower center of gravity in the water, and more control while moving forward. “Without the keel, a boat might slip or skim on the water,” according to boat manufacturer Sea Born .

The Bayesian had a keel that could be retracted, according to the yacht’s manufacturer, Perini Navi. It could be lifted to reduce the draught of the boat, making it easier to enter shallow harbors. It’s possible that if the keel had been in the raised position rather than extended, that could have compromised the boat’s stability in a strong wind, causing it to sink.

Theory three: A major hatch was left open to the waves

Perhaps the strongest theory so far is the notion that someone onboard may have left a major hatch or door ajar, causing the boat to quickly fill with water. In fact, Costantino thinks this is the strongest theory after watching back footage of the sinking; the rear of the boat appears to have a hinged door that folds down into a sea-level deck.

Since it was obvious the Bayesian was taking on water, there should have been time to get everyone off the boat and into rafts, Costantino told the FT .

“Jesus Christ! The hull is intact. The water came in from [hatchways] left open,” he said. “There is no other possible explanation. If maneuvered properly, the boat would have comfortably handled the weather—comfortably,” he said.

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RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Course

An advanced teaching/coaching course for yachtsmen and women who have considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation. During this advanced sailing course, we start to “hand over the reigns” and the decision making to you as skipper. Coastal Skippers should be able to undertake more difficult passages by day and by night and handle the yacht and crew under more difficult situations. RYA Day Skipper Practical Certificate holders in any doubt regarding ability, may consider our Day Skipper “PLUS” skills course as a progressive step to Coastal Skipper level.

• full 6 days with 4:1 or (larger yacht) 5:1 client to instructor ratio
• You get your own cabin! No-one shares unless by choice when booking
• You learn to sail and berth a clean, modern yacht of between 36ft to 40ft

1 week (6 full days sailing)

Pre Course Experience

Navigation to Coastal/Yachtmaster theory & sailing to a good Day Skipper standard

Assumed Knowledge

15 days seatime, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles and 8 hours of night sailing

Course Content

Preparing the yacht and crew for longer, more challenging passages

Expected Learning Outcome

Skipper a yacht on coastal and offshore passages by day and by night

Saloon berth €1150 

panel divided twin cabin berth €1150 pp

Single occupancy cabin €1280 (one person)

Double cabin €2200 (couple sharing)

Availability

52 Weeks of the year, subject to availability 

RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased notes Yachtmaster for Sail & Power (Only availably through Amazon) Yachtmster Exercises for Sail & Power (Only available through Amazon) RYA Sail Cruising & Yachtmaster Scheme-Syllabus & Logbook

For those clients wishing to study the book before you arrive, books can be purchased online prior to your arrival. Alternatively they can be purchased at our school when you arrive. Please note, we do not supply any books that are purchased through Amazon .

Click here for local weather links 

Coastal Skipper Practical course content

Consider practising these skills towards your Coastal Yachtmaster Exam later. Note: this certificate reduces the mileage requirement from 800NM to 400NM when applying for the Coastal Yachtmaster Exam! On successful completion of your RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Completion Certificate – Tidal, you will also receive an RYA certificate signed by the school Principal. Below is a list of the course content you will practice and “hone” by the end of your 6 day RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Course with Canary Sail

Planning the passages

• Your skills of navigation and planning the yacht for sea will be tested/ corrected
• Customs procedures

Preparation

• Safety Equipment and briefing your crew
• Prepare yacht and crew for more challenging passages

Pilotage planning

• Prepare and execute a pilotage plan giving consideration to safety of boat and crew, both during the day and at night

Making passages and skipper ability

• Skipper yacht and directing your crew
• Consider weather trends
• Crew welfare
• Use of electronics to assist passage

Handle a yacht under power in wind and tide

Handle a yacht under sail in wind and tide, tough weather.

• Heavy weather preparation and sailing
• Navigation in fog or restricted visibility – without electronics!

Emergency procedures simulated

• You will be required to deliver and demonstrate your understanding of elements of the Yacht Safety Brief to your crew and instructor.
• MOB, lifeboat and helicopter rescue

Typical Itinerary for Week

We will meet and welcome you at the San Miguel Marina in Tenerife and settle you onto your yacht. Ideally, you will start preparations and safety brief in the evening in preparation for an early start the following morning. You are then invited to join us for drinks to meet the team, your instructors and fellow students or crew who start their full week courses. You will be made very welcome by the Canary Sail team and we can advise the best restaurants for you to sample!

After the initial safety briefing, you will learn the ropes, be shown how to prepare the boat for departure and almost always be taken out for an introductory sail in the “WAZ” (Wind Acceleration Zone) just off the harbour wall. This is to help you feel comfortable and (for some of you) familiar with your new surroundings on board.

Following further sailing, anchoring and general boat handling we finish back at our home port of San Miguel. Remember your accommodation on board this evening is also included!

Leave the yacht at 09.00 latest please for your return home or to continue your holiday in Tenerife. Please see our stay page for accommodation .

Exclusive Course Yacht  option are available for couples, families or groups on 36 to 50ft cruise yachts.

At the Day Skipper level, we teach sailing and berthing a yacht and general good management techniques of the yacht and crew. In preparation for this more advanced level of Coastal Skipper, one is expected to have sailed again, usually having taken the Day Skipper “Plus” course to practice learned skills. At Coastal level, we teach less and coach more. One is expected to start planning, take initiative and take decisions without prompting (but with coaching support) from the Instructor. Your RYA Instructor is also a higher qualified RYA Yachtmaster Instructor to coach sailing at this level.

17 years. Under 18´s must be accompanied by a parent/guardian

In the main, 4:1. Sometimes should 2 couples’ book, the ratio can be 5:1 but on the larger yachts only

Course duration is 6 days, Sunday to Friday with Saturdays being the travel days – 7 nights on board

Contact us for further details

A wide range of practical and theory courses offered all year round

Choose from a variety of sail cruises around the Canary Islands and beyond

From Bareboat to skippered charter, we have an option to suit your needs

ACCOMMODATION

Recommended accommodation options in La Gomera and Tenerife

Phone any time on our UK Divert No. (UK call cost): 0044 1252 837648 Phone (USA): 001 855 866-5566 Phone (Spain): 0034 922 141 967

[email protected]

Company Address: Marina San Miguel Urbanizacion Amarilla Golf 38639 San Miguel de Abona Santa Cruz de Tenerife Islas Canarias Espana

Postal Address : Apartado de Correos 211 38800 San Sebastián de la Gomera Islas Canarias Espana

Office opening hours: Monday-Closed Tuesday-Friday 08.30-15.30

Calls diverted outside of office hours, excluding Mondays. Please send us an email and your enquiry will be dealt with promptly.

Please use the form below to email us with your enquiry

• Why Choose Canary Sail?
• Accommodation
• Flight Advice
• Terms & Conditions
• RYA Practical Sailing Courses
• RYA Theory Courses
• Yachtmaster Fastrack
• RYA Competent Crew Practical
• RYA Tidal Coastal Skipper
• Dedicated Boat Handling
• Just Sailing
• Four Seasons
• Lava Charter

Canary Sail offers year-round sailing courses, cruising, and yacht charters from their base in South Tenerife, just 15 minutes from TFS Airport. They provide comprehensive RYA training, covering over 100 nautical miles and visiting multiple ports. With experienced instructors and a focus on quality, they attract many returning clients and referrals.

Take a look at our feed

Take a look at our feed across the canary sail world, our most recent social media posts, canary sail s.l, recent posts.

• Catamaran Cruising and Sailing Training in the Canary Islands 5th August 2024
• Top Weather Apps for Sailors 17th June 2024
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• Flotilla Sailing Holidays in the Canary Islands with Canary Sail 3rd April 2024
• Wildlife Watching Guide for Sailors in the Canary Islands 12th March 2024
• What to Expect from Your RYA Practical Course 16th February 2024
• Sailing Courses: Cost Comparison Between the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands 8th February 2024
• Weather Insights for Sailing for the Canary Islands 3rd January 2024
• Meet the Canary Sail Team 17th November 2023
• Hidden Gems of Tenerife and Lanzarote 1st November 2023

Looking to hire a yacht, take a sailing course or maybe just relax on a boat in the Canaries? With over 20 years experience we offer an unrivalled range of RYA Courses.

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Five bodies found inside superyacht that sank off Sicily

PORTICELLO, Sicily — Divers recovered four bodies Wednesday from inside a superyacht that sank in a sudden storm off Sicily , Salvatore Cocina, director of the island's Civil Protection Agency, confirmed to NBC News.

Cocina later confirmed to Sky News that a fifth body had been found and was being brought to shore. One passenger remains missing.

The identities of the bodies were not immediately released. Their recovery follows a dayslong search in the deep waters off Italy where British tech tycoon Mike Lynch  and several others were believed to be trapped in the hull. Fifteen of the 22 people aboard survived.

The rest had been missing since early Monday, when the Bayesian was caught in the storm anchored off the coast of Porticello, a village near the Sicilian capital city, Palermo.

The body of the ship’s cook, identified as Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian Antiguan national, was recovered Monday. 

On Wednesday, NBC News witnessed what appeared to be at least three body bags being lifted from fire department boats after they pulled into port at Porticello. It was unclear whose bodies they were. Some were later transferred to ambulances and driven away from the dock.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, are also missing. 

The Bayesian is owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was among the survivors rescued by a nearby vessel after they got into a lifeboat.

Built by the Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, the U.K.-registered yacht could carry 12 guests and a crew of up to 10, according to online specialist boating sites. Its nearly 250-foot mast is the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world, according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters.  

Regularly described in U.K. media as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” Lynch was  acquitted of fraud by a San Francisco jury this year, stemming from the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011.

The Mediterranean sailing vacation was designed to be a celebration for Lynch, who brought Bloomer, who testified in his defense, and Morvillo, one of his U.S. lawyers, on the trip.

Lynch's co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain was not aboard the Bayesian, but in what appears to be a tragic coincidence, a  car struck and killed  him Saturday as he was jogging in a village about 68 miles north of London, local police said.

Claudio Lavanga and Claudia Rizzo reported from Porticello. Henry Austin reported from London.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Henry Austin is a senior editor for NBC News Digital based in London.

The body of a man recovered near the Bayesian yacht is believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan chef who was working on the boat

Six people are still missing after British luxury yacht sank off Sicily on Monday

They include Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer , his wife Judy, British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, and jewellery designer Neda Morvillo

Divers are struggling to reach the cabins of the yacht, with a "world of objects" blocking access to the rooms

Of the 22 people on board, 15 survived, six are missing, and one body, believed to be Recaldo Thomas, has been found

Live Reporting

Edited by Sean Seddon, with Mark Lowen reporting from Sicily

Rescue workers continue the search for six missing people published at 20:28 British Summer Time 20 August 20:28 BST 20 August

Search crews say their efforts to recover the six people still not accounted for after a yacht sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday will "continue without stopping".

As the second day of that operation comes to close, here's what we have learned:

• Friends of Recaldo Thomas , the chef believed to have died in the sinking, have begun to pay tribute to his "smile that lit up a room"
• Three more survivors have been named as Leo Eppel and South African nationals Leah Randall and Katja Chicken - all members of crew that were on board the ship when it sank
• Six people still remain unaccounted for: Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah , Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, and Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda
• Divers have been able to reach the lounge of the yacht but their path to the cabins has been blocked by "a world of objects"
• The Italian coastguard says that specialist divers are "evaluating the feasibility of safely entering the wreck", but warn the search is being complicated by its " depth and the position of the hull" around 50m (164ft) below the surface
• Jonathan Bloomer's twin brother has told the BBC his family are "coping the best we can" as they wait for updates from the rescue team's ongoing efforts

We're going to pause our coverage now but you can read more about the second day of the Bayesian search operation here .

This page was edited by Emily Atkinson, Owen Amos and Sean Seddon and was written by Sophie Abdulla, Adam Durbin, Gabriela Pomeroy, Matt Spivey, Barbara Tasch, Jacqueline Howard, Rachel Flynn and Johanna Chisholm.

Who are the six people still missing? published at 20:19 British Summer Time 20 August 20:19 BST 20 August

Technology tycoon Mike Lynch is still missing alongside his 18-year-old daughter

Six people remain unaccounted for after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Sicily, including a father and daughter, as well as two married couples.

UK businessman Mike Lynch, who helped establish Cambridge Neurodynamics and co-founded the firm Autonomy, is still missing alongside his daughter Hannah Lynch , an 18-year-old student.

Jonathan Bloomer , the chairman of Morgan Stanley Bank International, and his wife Judy Bloomer were also on the yacht when it sank and have not yet been found.

Chris Morvillo , a partner at the law firm Clifford Chance, and his wife Neda Morvillo, a jewellery designer, have also been confirmed as missing.

Earlier we reported that the body of a man recovered near the sunken Sicilian yacht is believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas , a Canadian-Antiguan chef who was working on the boat.

His friends have described him as having "a smile that lit up the room".

Couple missing from yacht are 'incredibly generous people', says reverend published at 20:07 British Summer Time 20 August 20:07 BST 20 August

Jonathan and Judy Bloomer - who are still missing following the sinking of the Bayesian yacht - are “incredibly generous people”, the reverend of their local church says.

Speaking to BBC South East, Rev Tim Edwards, from Knockholt in Kent, says “at the moment there’s an awful lot that we don’t know”.

He describes the couple as being “very much” part of the village community and active with local charities.

What are waterspouts? published at 19:52 British Summer Time 20 August 19:52 BST 20 August

According to vessel tracking app Vesselfinder, the Bayesian left the Sicilian port of Milazzo on 14 August and was last tracked east of Palermo on Sunday evening, with a navigation status of "at anchor".

Witnesses later described seeing a waterspout form during a storm that hit in the area overnight, and - as mentioned in our last post - it is believed to have struck the yacht before it sank.

Most are familiar with what tornadoes look like - they are rotating columns of destructive winds, protruding from the base of clouds down to the ground. According to BBC Weather, waterspouts are just that too, but they form over water rather than land.

Instead of dust and debris swirling around the core of strong winds, it is water mist whipped up from the surface.

Like tornadoes, most are only short-lived, narrow columns and are not easily picked out on weather radars, so many will go unreported.

How could the yacht have sunk? published at 19:39 British Summer Time 20 August 19:39 BST 20 August

It is believed the Bayesian was struck by a tornado over the water - otherwise known as a waterspout - causing the luxury yacht to capsize and sink to the seabed.

There are separate reports the boat's mast snapped during the freak storm, while other factors in the boat's tipping over could include water entering through hatches and doors which might have been left open because of warm weather off the Italian coast.

'Easy to talk to with a sense of humour' - friend describes Mike Lynch published at 19:27 British Summer Time 20 August 19:27 BST 20 August

Another one of Mike Lynch's friends has been telling the BBC a bit more about their neighbour's personality.

"He is so approachable and a very easy person to talk to," Richard Smith, who lives in the Suffolk village of Pettistree, says. "A nice sense of humour."

"You might think with all that money that he would be a difficult person to talk to, but in fact he was a very easy person to talk to."

Mike Lynch's neighbour 'horrified' to learn he's missing published at 19:08 British Summer Time 20 August 19:08 BST 20 August

One of Mike Lynch's neighbours says she was "horrified" to find out he was missing and describes it as the "worst news".

"I just couldn't believe it, I thought this can't be right," Ruth Leigh, of Pettistree in Suffolk, says.

Leigh says they have lived near each other for around 15 years and describes Lynch as a "fantastic neighbour" and a "very charitable man".

"Even though he was incredibly wealthy and a very important person he never ever gave that impression.

"Whenever he met you he always remembers your name, he would chat to you - incredibly friendly and down to earth, which we thought was a great quality," she adds.

Did the yacht’s keel play a role in it sinking? published at 18:46 British Summer Time 20 August 18:46 BST 20 August

By Tom Edgington

There has been speculation about the type of keel on the Bayesian and whether it may have been a factor in it sinking.

The website for Perini Navi – the yacht’s builder – is currently not available. However, by searching internet archives BBC Verify has obtained the boat’s 2018 brochure.

In the “features and performance” section, the document gives dimensions for the keel in an "up" position - 4.05m (13ft) - and in a "down" position - 9.83m (32ft) - suggesting it is retractable.

The BBC has contacted Perini Navi but has not had a reply.

A keel is a support structure underneath the boat which projects downwards and helps keep it balanced on the surface.

Certain boats might require a retractable keel in order to enter shallow water without getting stuck.

We don’t know if the Bayesian’s keel was up or down at the time it was struck by a storm.

However, Andrew Fairbrass who runs a large yacht engineering business says “when you're sailing, you have to keep the keel down and it does make a big difference to stability”.

Name of surviving crew member confirmed by coastguard published at 18:24 British Summer Time 20 August 18:24 BST 20 August Breaking

The Italian coastguard has confirmed the name of another crew member who survived the sinking of the Bayesian.

Leo Eppel was on board the yacht when it capsized, spokesman Vincenzo Zagarola says.

Two other surviving crew members were named by authorities a short while ago .

The BBC understands that Recaldo Thomas, who worked as a chef on the boat, was killed and his body has been recovered.

You can read tributes to the Canadian-Antiguan national here .

British investigators arrive but hopes for miracle vanish published at 18:08 British Summer Time 20 August 18:08 BST 20 August

In cloudy skies and on choppy waters, the search has gone on all day, a helicopter scouring the site where the Bayesian capsized as divers plunged deep below.

They’re trying to access the wreckage of the yacht that was hit by a tornado-like waterspout, and is now 50m (164ft) underwater.

Given the depth, each dive can only be 10 minutes, and with the boat still largely intact it’s hard to get access inside.

British investigators are now here to assess what happened during the extreme weather that hit the Bayesian.

Severe heat and violent storms had prompted a weather alert before the yacht went down.

Tonight the search goes on - but any hope of a Mediterranean miracle survival has all but vanished.

'It's still wait and see,' says twin brother of missing man published at 17:50 British Summer Time 20 August 17:50 BST 20 August

Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer

Jonathan Bloomer's twin brother has told the BBC his family are "coping the best we can" as rescue workers continue to search for him off the coast of Sicily.

The banker is one of six people still missing since the Bayesian yacht capsized.

Jeremy Bloomer tells the BBC he has not received any new updates on the search efforts to find Jonathan, beyond that divers are struggling to access the wreck of the boat.

He says: "It's a slow process and it will take time. So there might be air pockets, but we don't know."

Jeremy continues: "He was my older [brother] by half an hour. So it means a lot when you lose a twin brother. It's still wait and see, so fingers crossed."

Asked how he was coping, he says the situation is "terrible" and something that's "beyond your wildest imagination".

Quote Message I'm just numb, just numb. That's it, you don't know what to think and you can't believe it's happened."

Two members of crew named as survivors of yacht sinking published at 17:39 British Summer Time 20 August 17:39 BST 20 August

We've just heard from the Italian coastguard, which has named two more survivors of the yacht sinking.

South African nationals Leah Randall and Katja Chicken, who worked as crew members on the Bayesian, managed to get to safety after the vessel sank in the early hours of Monday morning.

In total , 15 of the 22 people on board have been rescued . Among them are:

• Mike Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares
• Charlotte Golunski, her husband James and their one-year-old daughter
• Ayla Ronald, who worked as a lawyer for Mike Lynch, and her partner

How Mike Lynch's courtroom joy led to yacht tragedy published at 17:24 British Summer Time 20 August 17:24 BST 20 August

Twelve people were vacationing on Mike Lynch 's yacht, alongside 10 crew members, when it sank in a storm off the coast of Sicily. The gathering was reportedly a celebration.

Earlier this year, Lynch was cleared of fraud and conspiracy charges arising from the sale of his firm Autonomy to US tech giant Hewlett Packard. The decade-long legal battle had led to Lynch's extradition from the UK.

Upon being cleared of the charges in June, the British entrepreneur said he was "elated" and thanked his legal team for their "tireless work". Some of them were on the yacht alongside him when it sank.

Chris Morvillo , a lawyer for Clifford Chance - the law firm that represented Lynch - is among the six people still missing. So is his wife Neda Morvillo , an American jewellery designer.

Ayla Ronald, a senior associate at the same law firm, also worked on Lynch's case. Both she and her partner were invited to the yacht and were rescued when it sank.

Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer - who appeared as a defence witness for Lynch during his trial - and his wife Judy Bloomer were on the boat when disaster struck. Both are unaccounted for.

Charlotte Golunski, the board director of Luminance - an artificial intelligence platform founded by Lynch - was on board, along with her husband and one-year-old daughter. All three survived.

Lynch's wife Angela Bacares and daughter Hannah were also there. Bacares has been rescued but 18-year-old Hannah is still missing.

In pictures: Search operation at wreck site continues published at 17:03 British Summer Time 20 August 17:03 BST 20 August

A search and rescue operation, which includes boats scouring the surface of the sea and divers examining the wreck of the Bayesian yacht on the seabed, is still ongoing.

As we've been reporting, the specialist diving team have been struggling to access the cabins on the wreck - which is around 50m below the surface - because of debris blocking access.

'A smile that lit up the room': Tributes to chef killed in yacht sinking published at 16:52 British Summer Time 20 August 16:52 BST 20 August

The body of a man recovered near the Bayesian yacht is believed to be that of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan chef who was working on the boat.

His friends have been paying tribute to him. Gareth Williams, who lives in Antigua, knew Thomas for 30 years.

"I can talk for everyone that knew him when I say he was a well-loved, kind human being with a calm spirit," he told me.

The two grew up together in Antigua, where Recaldo spent his time during off-season.

"He would come over to mine over the weekend and he would sing. He had the deepest, most sultry voice in the world, and a smile that lit up the room.

"He told me just the other day that he needed to work two more seasons to fix up his late parents' house. He loved yachting, but he was tired."

Eli Fuller met Recaldo some 25 years ago while out socialising in Antigua.

"He knew everybody and was friends with everybody. He'd always ask how you were doing, how your family was - he was always positive.

"Personality was very important in his job. The world's richest people want to hang out with someone social. He was sought after."

He added that Thomas became an inspiration to young black children who wanted to get into yachting.

"The kids would see all these white people working on yachts. For them to see an Antiguan man travelling all over the world - it was important for our community."

Search efforts complicated by wreck's position underwater, coastguard says published at 16:42 British Summer Time 20 August 16:42 BST 20 August Breaking

The search for the missing six passengers "continues without stopping" but divers have not found anything, the Italian coastguard says.

The coastguard says that specialist divers are "evaluating the feasibility of safely entering the wreck", but that the search is being "complicated by the depth and the position of the hull lying on the seabed" - at 50m below the surface.

It adds there is no trace of "hydrocarbon pollution" - meaning oil or other similar fuel is not leaking from the wreck.

Why is the search and recovery operation for the Bayesian so complex? published at 16:28 British Summer Time 20 August 16:28 BST 20 August

We're well into the second day of search and rescue operations for the six people still missing after the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily.

Here are some of the factors which make this a highly complex process:

• The wreckage is currently 50m (165ft) below the surface of the water
• Furniture and a "world of objects" are blocking access to the cabins of the yacht, hampering the divers' access
• Divers can only spend 12 minutes below the surface of the water, meaning by the time they reach the Bayesian, they only have 10 minutes to search the wreck
• The bridge of the yacht - the room where the captain controls the vessel - is full of electrical cables
• Divers are unable to see inside the yacht , though a possible entry point could be through a 3cm (1.2in)-thick glass window
• Specialist divers who are trained to work in small spaces have had to be flown in from Rome and Sardinia

Ex-MP John Gummer on his 'wonderfully kind' friend Lynch published at 16:10 British Summer Time 20 August 16:10 BST 20 August

Helen Burchell Live reporter

Lord Deben says his friend Mike Lynch is "wonderfully kind and companionable"

Lord Deben, former Conservative MP John Gummer, describes his missing friend Mike Lynch as "a wonderfully kind and companionable" man.

"He is the kind of person who carries this enormously clever mind, but carries it so lightly, and is always interested in what others have to say and might contribute," he says in a statement.

"It is a very serious moment... for if we have lost him, we’ve lost a very wonderful man."

He adds: "It is one of the cruellest blows that could possibly be made if it turns out that he hasn’t survived because he had so much to give, and he was giving it.

"This is a man of outstanding ability, but also the sort of person whom we were all very, very fortunate to know."

Water conditions could have led to waterspout, says oceanographer published at 15:54 British Summer Time 20 August 15:54 BST 20 August

Dr Simon Boxall is a senior lecturer at Southampton University

Dr Simon Boxall, an oceanographer from the University of Southampton, says "there's a lot still to be discovered" about what led to the sinking of the Bayesian.

Asked about reports the boat may have been hit by a waterspout , he tells the BBC they are "not normally dangerous" but that would depend on the intensity of the weather system.

Boxall says: "What's interesting is that we saw very light winds up until the time at which the yacht was hit.

"And then suddenly, the wind went from about three or four miles an hour to 30 or 40 miles an hour, and then dropped again. And that was on land.

"So it's a sort of precursor to there being a major sort of squall or even a waterspout that would have hit the ship."

The ocean to the north of Sicily is more than three degrees warmer than it should be at this time of year, he adds, creating a "perfect storm" for waterspouts to occur.

'Yacht sank in two minutes,' captain of nearby ship says published at 15:41 British Summer Time 20 August 15:41 BST 20 August

The captain of the Dutch-flagged ship that rescued Bayesian passengers from the water before emergency services arrived has spoken again to Reuters.

Captain Karsten Borner has previously explained how he worked to keep his ship upright during the storm, before noticing the luxury yacht that had been behind his vessel had disappeared.

"I don't absolutely know what they did. I only know that they went flat with a mast on the water and that they sank in two minutes," Borner says.

He says the sea temperature, which meteorologists have told us was at an extreme high of 30C, is "way too hot for the Mediterranean, and this causes, for sure, heavy storms".

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• RYA Competent Crew Course
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The Coastal Skipper Course is an advanced skippering course for yachtsmen and women who have considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation.

We are the only school in the Canary Islands with a MAXIMUM student to instructor ratio of 4:1. We also run 6 day RYA courses instead of the usual 5 and students get a private cabin.

The Coastal Skipper Course is an advanced skippering course for yachtsmen and women who have considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation. Coastal Skippers should be able to undertake more difficult passages by day and night and handle the yacht in more demanding situations.

Like the Day Skipper course, this course consists of skippered passages in a variety of situations. Each trainee will skipper more challenging passages and learn more about passage planning, pilotage by day and night, boat handling, safety and emergency situations.

By the end of the course you should have the knowledge if not the experience to become a Yachtmaster.

During this five day live aboard RYA course, you will cover, passage planning, Preparation for sea, Pilotage, Passage making and ability as skipper, Yacht handling under power, Yacht handling under sail, adverse weather conditions, emergency situations

It is a satisfying but intensive week, with candidates often working towards a Yachtmaster Offshore or Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence.

Suggested minimum pre-course experience

15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours

Assumed Knowledge:

Navigation to Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster standard. Sailing to Day Skipper Practical standard.

At the end of the course you will be happy to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night. Upon successful completion of the course, you will be issued with the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical certificate, which is recognised around the world for chartering purposes. It is also one step closer to the Yachtmaster Certificates of Competence.

Coastal Skipper Practical Syllabus

The aim of this course is to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a cruising yacht safely on coastal passages by day and night.

Passage planning

Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights, and tidal streams, publications required and strategy Know Customs procedures

Preparation for sea

Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks

Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of surroundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerationsb. Can pilot a yacht by day and night

Passage making and ability as skipper

Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew Can organise the navigation, deckwork, and domestic duties of a yacht on passage Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends Is aware of crew welfare on passage Can use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes

Yacht handling under power

Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide

Yacht handling under sail

Characteristics Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing

Adverse weather conditions

Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility

Emergency situations

Recovery of man overboard under power and sail Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues

Mixed courses

Meet and enjoy the course with other enthusiasts with your instructor. We run our courses with an absolute MAXIMUM of 4 people. No-one has to share a berth.

• 7 nights accommodation on board
• 6 days tuition
• All on board food and drink for breakfast and lunch
• Marina fees and diesel
• Course Completion Certificate
• Wet weather gear (rarely needed!)
• Food and drink ashore
• Flights and transfers

Exclusive use courses

If you would prefer to take a course with just yourselves on board, then you can rent the whole yacht and instructor with up to 5 students. You can have a mixture of any courses and people who just want to sail without taking a course.

• All on board food and drink
• Course Notes for Competent Crew or Day Skipper (CCPCN or DSPCN)

Customer feedback

Definitely come backing thinking of getting my son on his Competent Crew! Mark – Coastal Skipper – March 2023

RYA Practical Courses

• RYA Start Yachting Course
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RYA Coastal Skipper Practical

Price: from £899 (Finance now available)

Location: Starts from our base at Premier Gosport Marina, and visits different ports around the Solent and adjacent waters.

Duration: 5 days

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day skipper. With more advanced skills and valuable techniques being taught along with the planning and executing of much longer passages, it’s the next natural step-up from the RYA Day Skipper course, giving you more confidence in planning those all-essential Channel crossings.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course!

Booking details

Please select your preferred start date below.

• Wednesday 4th September 2024 (0 spaces)
• Wednesday 18th September 2024 (4 spaces)
• Monday 30th September 2024 (4 spaces)
• Wednesday 6th November 2024 (3 spaces)
• Wednesday 4th December 2024 (5 spaces)

Course Information

Joining Instructions: Please click here for course joining instructions

What is included in the course cost:

• RYA Qualified Instructor
• RYA course materials and certificates
• Breakfast, lunches, snacks and three evening meals (One evening meal is taken ashore at the students own cost)
• Tea, coffee & soft drinks
• Accommodation on board
• Cooking gas
• Wet weather kit hire (not footwear)
• Hire of a Baltic automatic life jacket

We can accommodate most dietary requirements, such as vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian or gluten free. Just let us know when you fill out the booking form.

Recommended Reading: RYA Yachtmaster Handbook Sail (G70), RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques (G94), RYA Yachtmaster scheme and syllabus (G158)

Course Prerequisites: 15 days at sea, 2 days as skipper (Not on a course), 300miles sailing, 8 night hours sailing. Yachtmaster Theory (or knowledge to the level of).

Minimum Age: No minimum but Under 16’s must be accompanied by adult. Persons aged 16+ can be unaccompanied subject to other pre-requisites having been met

Holiday Insurance: We would advise ALL our customers to ensure they have suitable holiday insurance in-place. Yachtsman’s insurance is available from a variety of souces like Topsail Insurance and can cover things like cancellations and personal effects cover.

The RYA Coastal Skipper course can only be run over 5 consecutive days due to the sea-miles you will be covering and the timing of the sailing you will be doing. This course will only have RYA Coastal Skipper students and RYA Competent Crew students onboard. You will start your course with a quick recap of the RYA Day Skipper skills first thing on the first day and then move onto longer passages and lot more night navigation.

Who is the course for:

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course is designed for anyone who has successfully completed the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course (or has sufficient theory knowledge to this level) and wants to learn the skills and techniques required to skipper a cruising yacht safely on coastal passages by day and night.

You will need to have completed the Yachtmaster Theory course or have knowledge of navigation theory to this level before taking the RYA Coastal Skipper Course as there is insufficient time to teach you the theory during the week. It is also preferable that you have completed the RYA Day Skipper Practical Course as there is insufficient time on the course to teach the required basic boat handling techniques.

You will learn more about advanced passage planning, pilotage by day and by night, boat handling and emergency procedures on this course.

Remember, If you are short of a few days experience then why not try one of our sailing mile builders!

What we cover on the course:

This is an amazing course to help build your confidence as a Skipper. This course will take you to the next level and the skills you will learn are the vital ones to have in your tool box for when things go wrong. From sailing to a pontoon and berthing under sail, to handling a yacht under sail in small or confined spaces. Learn how to find your position when you are lost, you’ll practice the navigation skills that are so rarely used but when you need them you will have the ability to use them.

Passage planning

• Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights, and tidal streams, publications required and strategy
• Know Customs procedures

Preparation for sea

• Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages
• Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks
• Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of surroundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerationsb. Can pilot a yacht by day and night

Passage making and ability as skipper

• Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew
• Can organise the navigation, deckwork, and domestic duties of a yacht on passage
• Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends
• Is aware of crew welfare on passage
• Can use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes

Yacht handling under power

• Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power
• All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide

Yacht handling under sail

• Characteristics
• Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space
• Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide
• Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing

Adverse weather conditions

• Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds
• Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility

Emergency situations

• Recovery of man overboard under power and sail
• Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues

Please be aware that RYA Coastal Skipper Courses completed in the Solent and other tidal waters are demanding. This course is held in high regard with yacht charter companies worldwide due to the challenging waters, winds, tides and busy waterways you will encounter. Courses run in the non-tidal waters of the Mediterranean are generally not accepted by the UK yacht charter industry. 

Course formats & details:

Courses run in a choice of three formats:

• 5 consecutive days: (Monday to Friday)
• 5 consecutive days: (Saturday to Wednesday)
• 5 consecutive days: (Wednesday to Sunday)

The course includes accommodation aboard our immaculate, well-maintained yachts with breakfast, lunch and snacks and three evening meals onboard with the remaining evening meal taken ashore at the students cost. We also include all fuel and safety kit such as lifejackets and waterproofs. Every student has their own bed on board for the duration of the course. In some instances sharing a cabin may be required.

We also offer our Complete RYA Coastal Skipper Package which includes both the RYA Yachtmaster theory and RYA Coastal Skipper Practical courses. This will take you from having a good level of sailing experience and knowledge through to passing your RYA Coastal Skipper first time round if you follow the instructors advice.

We highly recommend Students do a one day marina skills day before the course. It is also highly recommended that you also have your SRC VHF licence.

Fancy going VIP and having your own exclusive private course for you and your friends or family? You can book the whole yacht just for your own exclusive course from only £899 per person.

Enjoy the course in style, with up to five persons on the boat being taught by one of our friendly, experienced Yachtmaster Instructors! What a way to continue your sailing adventure!

Our Chief Instructor says this about the RYA Coastal Skipper Course:

This course steps things up a bit from your RYA Day Skipper level but teaches an excellent range of really useful additional skills which are essential for more adventurous sailing. It’s a great course to undertake as you really do get out there for some cracking sailing and longer passages! Make sure you’ve got the pre-requisites for the course beforehand, by spending a few days brushing up on your skills to ensure on the day you are fully prepared and ready to go!

You’ll be in safe hands throughout the course with one of our Yachtmaster Instructors on hand to ensure you get the best out of your five days with us. So what are you waiting for? 

Related courses

Rya/mca yachtmaster™ coastal/offshore preparation week.

The RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore qualification is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day/Coastal skipper, and is one of the most useful, credible, and accepted profressional qualifications in Yachting.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore Preparation week!

RYA Sea Survival

The RYA Sea Survival Course is an essential for any sailor. Teaching self-help techniques and what to do when all is lost, it’s a prerequisite for longer passages and those wanting to get into racing like RORC Fastnet!

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Sea Survival course!

Marina Skills & Boat Handling

Our very popular Marina Skills & Boat Handling course is a real confidence-builder for any sailor who has to deal with tight or difficult marina berths. We also cover things like adverse weather and tide whilst berthing, along with picking up mooring buoys too. A must-have for skippers and crew alike, you’ll feel your confidence grow after doing this course.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the Marina Skills & Boat Handling course!

Customer reviews

A fantastic weekend of sailing, almost 130 NM in all, with a relaxed, but fully engaging skipper. Great set up and brilliant on the admin. Thanks Stef, Tom et al!

I did a weeks coastal skipper course getting ready for my yacht master and I have to say it was one of the best training weeks I’ve had - our training instructor was superb, exactly the sort of person that you want. He could inspire, provide discipline and impart knowledge as well as let you learn through your own mistakes. Tom and Steph run an excellent operation there and I highly recommend it. They’re flexible and very helpful when it comes to your journey into being a qualified sailor.

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Heroes of TYW - Skippers

Posted on 14th October 2021

If you have been on TYW you will know that being a TYW skipper automatically makes you 10 times cooler...We caught up with some fan favourites to find out what life looked like for them before Quarterdeck academy.

Pieter Van Steenis , 34, The Netherlands

When did you start working for Quarterdeck and what made you get involved!?

I have been sailing and on the water my whole life, I was looking for an escape from my corporate life and decided to get my Yacht Master in South Africa. During my YM-course I met amazing people who were doing their YM as preparation for QD Academy and we connected very well. They convinced me to do QD Academy with them in April 2019 and I am very grateful that they did as it gave me the perfect escape from corporate life and the start of a life on the water.

What did you do before you applied to the Quarterdeck Academy?

I had a career at Tesla for 6 years working across Europe and Australia. 

How would you say your life has changed from then until now? 

What many people do not realise is that, apart from the responsibility and long hours, is that when you captain a yacht with guests you truly make or break someones holiday. Your guests are there to have a good time, with little more effort you can turn their holiday from a great one into an amazing one. It is amazing to see the smiles on peoples faces and super rewarding to start the week as strangers and end the week as friends. 

What is your favourite part about the QD community? 

The fact that it’s not just about being able to drive a boat but also prepares you for crew management and everything else that’s required to be a safe, great and responsible skipper.

How would you summarise a day in the life of a skipper? 

A great and amazing combination of admin, sailing, crew management, food, fun and partying with friends

What is your favourite part about being a skipper?

Sailing different yachts with different guests every week, showing them the most amazing places. Meanwhile you’re lucky enough to be doing this with your skipper and hosts friends!

Describe a memory from TYW or QD that you know will stay with you forever?

Hosting a party on the front of our yacht with a SOUNDBOKS until 3am under the stars in a natural bay with just friends, amazing!

If you could give someone one piece of advice before they go on the QD academy what would it be?

Stay humble, have a ‘can do mentality', listen to your peers and give them honest feedback, realise that the real learning starts during the season so keep learning!

Helene Hedenstrand, 33, Sweden

I started as a host back in 2015, and I just randomly stumbled over QD as I was celebrating midsummer in a small fishing village on the west coast of Sweden and randomly met some TYW Skippers who told me about it and I was hooked.

What did you do before you applied to the Quarterdeck Academy ?

I’ve actually been working corporate simultaneously at an communications agency up until last year when I quit and pursued my dream of transitioning from a host to a skipper, so I packed my bags and flew to South Africa where I did my Yachtmaster and then Skipper academy in April 2021. For me I wanted to be a skipper since I started as a host and I’m very fortunate to be able to do it. Even more having such good support from my instructors and skippers throughout my first season has been invaluable. There’s always someone willing to help, discuss and give advice and as a new skipper that is probably the best support you’ll ever find. I learned so much from my fellow skips this season and I’m very thankful for that.

I’m very thankful for the people I’ve met and the endless motivation and stories of the adventures they’ve pursued, our QD family is a special kind that is very keen on exploring the world in various ways, I learn something new every day, from tips while anchoring to what loyalty program gets you upgraded more often, which gyros place is the best or where you can find the best surf in the world.

What is your favourite part about the QD community?  

The people. We are a big family and waking up every morning, walking down the dock with the trash and saying hi to 20+ of your friends makes my morning every day. You’re never alone and there’s always someone to laugh, cry or banter with. The banter we have is unreal, I would say we are probably the most fun people you’ll find.

The best part for me is that no day is the same, you still have the various chores to do and even if the itinerary is usually similar the guests are new every week, or the weather has changed, it’s a different boat so it’s always something new to wrap your head around.

Honestly I love scrubbing the deck.. seeing the boat sparkling clean is one of my favourite feelings lol! But also seeing your guests having the best time ever, if it’s from finding a “secret” anchorage to exploring islands with them and then taking them to your favourite dinner spots and then dance the night away. And also of course my skipper and host family, having them around at all time!

There’s too many, but every hug and every smiling face when you’re back for the season and haven’t met for many months. When you see that person at the first meeting on the Saturday and you just start screaming and hugging, that’s such a great feeling. And then you see the next person, and the next one, and the next one..

Read the theory again. Read all the materials, check out videos on Med mooring and anchoring, read everything over and over so you really get it.

Jake Lockwood, 27, USA

I started working for Quarterdeck this past spring, April 2021. I was looking to shake things up and in particular was looking for a new adventure. When I went on a sailing vacation in the Caribbean, I had the opportunity to meet QD skippers and hosts who absolutely raved about their experiences. Their stories and daily lives made me want to be a part of QD! 

Prior to Quarterdeck Academy I was working in the corporate world in New York City. However, being from Montana, I always wanted to spend my days outside and not in the office. So most of the time I spent those NYC days day dreaming about outdoor adventures. 

Those day dreams became a reality! It’s night and day how vastly different my life is. My day to day is what used to be my vacation . 

My favourite part of the QD community is how incredibly friendly and helpful everyone is. Whether during Academy, on The Yacht Week, or in the off season, everyone goes out of their way to help one another and make each other better. I also love having a free couch to sleep on almost anywhere in the world now. 

A typical day for a skipper is spent outside sailing from one destination to the next, hanging out with guests, showing them secret swim stops, teaching them how to sail, and just making sure they have an absolute blast. At the end of the day once the yacht is docked or anchored, crack open a beer to sit down for a delicious dinner made by your host before heading out to a kickass party!

My favourite part about being a skipper is all of the amazing people you get to meet every week. This includes all my fellow skippers and hosts as well as the guests. Everyone is from all over the world and has had such unique and interesting experiences that are fascinating to learn about. 

When I sat down with all the instructors at the end of Academy, hearing I had passed, and knowing that all the hard work had paid off. It was a sigh of relief and the excitement and anticipation that I would be spending the next 3-4 months sailing around Croatia and Sardinia for The Yacht Week. 

I would tell them that the QD Academy doesn’t accept just anyone. So when you do go to Academy, know that and have the confidence to know that you can sail or cook with the best of them. That confidence will create trust with your fellow Academy students, your instructors, and eventually your guests, even if you maybe are silently freaking out on the inside. 

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What we know about the Bayesian superyacht that sank

The Bayesian, which capsized in the early hours of Monday, was an award-winning yacht with the second-tallest mast in the world.

News reporter @niamhielynch

Friday 23 August 2024 12:37, UK

The Bayesian, an award-winning superyacht, sank during bad weather off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday.

On Thursday, authorities confirmed divers had found the bodies of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Morgan Stanley International boss Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and one of Mr Lynch's lawyers Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda.

Recaldo Thomas, the on-board chef, was the first to be confirmed dead earlier this week.

Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued along with 14 others - including Charlotte Golunski, a mother who told la Repubblica she held her one-year-old baby above the waves to save her from drowning.

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah is missing, but believed to be the seventh body recovered from the wreckage on Friday.

But what do we know about the ship?

The British-flagged 56-metre ship - previously called the Salute - was built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi, and refitted in 2020.

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Its 72-metre mast was the world's tallest aluminium mast, and the second-tallest overall. The yacht could reach a maximum speed of 15 knots and weighed 543 tonnes.

The French design house Remi Tessier fitted out the Japanese-style interior decor, with touches of light and dark beige and dark wood furnishings, as well as a teak deck.

It won the best exterior styling at The World Superyacht Awards in 2009, and best interior at the International Superyacht Society Awards 2008.

It had six guest bedrooms - one master, three doubles, and two twins - holding 12 people, and could carry another 10 crew members.

Pictures show air conditioning units in several of the bedrooms, which could counter expert claims open windows may have caused water to rush in and tip the boat over faster.

Shipspotting.com says it was owned by a firm called Revtom Limited. Mike Lynch's wife, Ms Bacares, is named as the sole shareholder of the firm on company documents.

Read more from Sky News: Lynch's co-defendant dies after being hit by car We can learn from Lynch's unsuccessful prosecution

The yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune involved a statistical method known as Bayesian inference, based on an 18th-century theory, which helps forecasters predict outcomes more reliably.

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It was listed for rent for up to €195,000 (£166,000) a week, according to online charter sites.

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