RYA Training for cadet members

BSC offers training and coaching for our Cadet members (aged 8-17) at all levels.

Novice sailors make use of our Lake Training Groups learning the basics in a safe and controlled environment, after 2-3 years our cadets graduate to the River Training Groups where they complete their RYA levels before joining one of our Race Coaching Groups. For lake training the club has a large fleet of training Optimist dinghies which can be borrowed by cadets.

The club runs three training weekends from April to June leading up to our Cadet week where cadets will either complete their training or take part in our full race program. We also run a day's race coaching in September to support Bart's Bash. 

Most BSC training is to RYA standards and lead by RYA approved instructors. We use Assistant Instructors to supplement the lead instructor but do not exceed a ratio of 6 cadets : 1 Instructor / Assistant Instructor in any training group. Our coaching groups can exceed this ratio but we try to maintain the 6:1 ratio where possible. We cannot run our training without also having Cadet Parent Helpers.

We concentrate on running the following courses but do run other speciality courses such as Sailing with spinnakers or Seamanship if there is enough demand.

RYA Level 1

• Assumed Knowledge: None
• Course Content: How to sail in all directions, including an awareness of launching and recovering
• Ability After Course: Able to steer and understand basic principles

RYA Level 2

• Assumed Knowledge: Sailing skills to the standard of Level 1
• Course Content: Basic sailing skills, ropework, collision avoidance
• Ability After Course: Able to tack and control boat speed, and understand basic principles

RYA Level 3

• Assumed Knowledge: Up to and including Stage 2 standard
• Course Content: Rigging, launching and recovery, sailing techniques, capsize recovery, sailing theory
• Ability After Course: Able to launch & sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions

RYA Level 4

• Assumed Knowledge: Up to and including Stage 3 standard
• Course Content: Launching and returning to a beach, jetty or mooring, and sailing a crewed dinghy around a triangle in moderate
• Ability After Course: Able to launch & sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions