We work together with you to agree your objectives, to tailor a course specific to your own requirements, or to concentrate on particular areas that you wish to improve.
Whilst Melvyn Cooper is a member of Hayling Island Sailing Club in Hampshire, we are more than happy to travel to your sailing club and coach you and/or your family in your own boat. Lessons are available during the week and weekends with full or half day options, at your convenience.
Typical course topics include:
Rigging
- Clarify boat controls terminology
- Check the boat is set up correctly
- Understand jib tension and initial downhaul, outhaul and kicker settings
Beaufort scale and assessing the local weather
- Wind
- Currents
- Tides
- Waves
Launch and recovery techniques
- Practice leaving and returning ashore
Upwind and tacking skills
- Focus on developing these skills
- The different tacking techniques
- Hiking out
- Use of tell tails and the burgee
Implementing the five essentials
- Sail trim
- Balance
- Boat trim
- Centerboard/daggerboard
- Course sailed
Downwind and gybing skills
- Developing teamwork and communication skills
- The five essentials in practice and gybing safely
Spinnaker work
- Rigging the spinnaker
- Smooth and efficient hoists and drops
- Hoist/drop safety zone
- Communication skills
- Implement gybing with Asymmetric spinnaker
Man overboard (MOB)
- Focusing on boat handling skills for this situation
Capsize drill (on the shore)
Thank you for the passion and energy you put into building confidence and sailing skills whilst making it fun to simultaneously build enthusiasm and enjoyment – a great formula!
