Intro to Keelboat Course - Level 1

Welcome to the Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland Training Centre

​Our courses are operated in the safe haven of Kilrush Marina and the Shannon Estuary. The Marina waters are non-tidal and a perfect place to start sailing. Participants must be 16 years or over to take part. Our sailing courses are run in two or three person dinghies or day boats.

This course assumes participants have no previous sailing experience and introduces you to the basics of sailing including rigging, steering (helming), turning the boat (tacking & gybing) and setting the sails according to the angle you're sailing at to the wind.

Level

Beginner - Level 1

Taste of Sailing

16+

Syllabus includes modules on

1. Clothing & Equipment
2. Boat Handling & Manoeuvres
3. Weather

The Boat

This keelboat course will take place on our Hawk 20 the "Fintan K"

The Fintan K is a 20ft cabined boat suitable for 6 people with a mainsail, jib and spinnaker

• Bermudan Rig
• Sail area 140 sq ft
• Easy reef system
• Tiler steering
• Pivoting aluminium alloy centre board providing excellent stability and shallow draft ability
• Outboard engine for transiting in and out of pontoons
• Trailer Sailer - Can be launched and recovered with its own trailer
• Built by Reid Boats in the UK - New build 2025 - Hawk 20 cabined version

Operating Areas

Kilrush Marina & the Shannon Estuary. Most skills can be learned within the safe haven of Kilrush Marina but where weather is permissible we go outside the lock gates on to the tidal Shannon Estuary

What We Provide

• Buoyancy aid /lifejacket
• The boat
• Course materials

What You Need to Bring (whatever the forecast is giving)

• Wet weather gear - Waterproof/windproof jacket and trousers (it gets chilly out there even if its sunny!)
• Layers - warm base layers
• Boots/wellies - a closed shoe is required. Flip flops/neoprene boots are not accepted as your feet will get cold and flip flops represent trip hazards on a boat
• Peaked hat / wooly hat appropriate to the weather
• Sunglasses / Sun Cream
• Hydration / Snacks - Keep hydrated and energised
• Notepad (some shore based sessions on theory)

Sessions

• x1 Day or x2 evening sessions
• 0900-1700hrs / x2 3 hr evening sessions

Venue

RWYCI Clubhouse, Kilrush Marina, Clare, V15AD62