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

Clothing & Equipment
Boat Handling & Manoeuvres
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

Intro to Keelboat Sailing - Level 1 - KW3