Convert from dinghy to RYA Day Skipper!

Converting from dinghy to yacht sailing is an exciting and rewarding journey! What’s more the entire family can take part! Our RYA yacht sailing courses are run over seven beautiful days in the sunny Ionian, with accommodation on board every night. Qualify for your RYA Day Skipper ticket so that you can charter and join flotillas in Greece!

Join us in the sunshine, on our fleet of luxury Bruce Farr designed Bavaria yachts, and moor in a different harbour each evening. Explore Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaca, Meganisi, Kastos & Kalamos and swim in the sparking clear water off the back of the boat.

Your family can take the RYA Competent Crew if they don't have any experience, so everyone can join in and learn how to sail.

Two people on a white sailboat near a rocky coastline, possibly preparing for RYA training courses. Other boats are visible in the clear blue water.

Sail Ionian’s RYA Day Skipper course can be booked either by individuals on a shared boat, or by families or groups chartering their own yacht. Our highly experienced, friendly instructors will guide you through the syllabus and work with you to ensure you’re successful in passing and going home with your Day Skipper ticket.

Dinghy sailors, windsurfers and other sailing sports enthusiasts make the fastest progression through the RYA Day Skipper course. Existing sailing skills and knowledge are a big advantage. Whilst yachts are a lot larger, the wind stays the same!

Theory knowledge is an important prequel to the practical course and can be done in a classroom or online in the UK before your holiday. This ensures you get the most out of your time on a yacht and have the best chance of passing the course. You’ll learn all about navigation, safety, pilotage, meteorology and passage planning, standing you in good stead to be a safe sailor.

Two people on a sailboat examining a nautical map, with one person holding a divider. They are surrounded by blue ocean waters under a clear sky, discussing special offers for their next destination.

Sail Ionian are located in a perfect area for both sailing and power handling and aim to provide a unique, valuable and fun learning experience! Our amazing sailing area is ideal for training with lots of options of bays and harbours in close proximity, allowing us to practice a wide variety of techniques, all around these spectacular islands.

We are more than happy to teach different courses on the same yacht, if you have crew of mixed experience. We can run the beginners Competent Crew course as a stand-alone week or alongside Day Skipper, so that some of the family can learn the basics at the same time. It’s a great active holiday for everyone. Expect busy but fun days!

Two young boys, participants in RYA Family Training Courses, wearing sunglasses and holding onto a yacht's steering equipment, with adults in the background navigating. They are on a sunlit sea, enjoying a

All this means you will come away from a fantastic and informative sailing holiday in the beautiful surroundings of the Greek Ionian Islands, with a wealth of knowledge. What's more, when you pass the Day Skipper course, you get the last day of the holiday to sail bareboat, without the instructor, and practice your new skills!

Read about what a typical RYA Day Skipper course is like here.

Take the next step and contact us today about progressing from dinghies to yachts!

A child ready to jump off a yacht anchored near rocky cliffs, with two women watching from the deck during their yacht holiday.

This post was written by Tom Fletcher