Learn to Sail Holidays in Greece

In Greece we offer Learn to Sail Holidays that start and finish on Lefkas and sail around the Southern Ionian. These holidays are operated along similar lines to the holidays in Croatia and are also IYT approved courses, with internationally recognised crew and skipper certification available, including ICC's for British and Irish nationals or citizens.

You join your yacht in Nidri, on theisland of Lefkas on a Sunday. The first evening you will be shown on board your yacht and you get to meet your instructor and the rest of the crew. You will be shown everything you need to know for living on board for the night and then left free to go off and explore. Most choose to go for a meal with their new shipmates, while anybody arriving late just retires to their bunk. Normally your instructor will not sleep on board the first night but will then be with you for the rest of the week.

The following morning (don’t worry, not too early) starts with a comprehensive briefing when your instructor will set you about exploring the yacht, peering in lockers, trying on life jackets and sorting out getting provisions for the week. Breakfasts and Lunches are usually taken on board while most people choose to take evening meals in local restaurants, but you have full use of the facilities on board should you wish. All shopping is done in local shops and markets. Families and groups take care of all their own provisioning costs while, those sharing a yacht usually choose to operate a small kitty among themselves for onboard meals Preparation of lunches as with cleaning up and tidying of the yacht is to be shared by all on board. Once everyone is organised, usually between 11 and 11.30 you will prepare to leave port.

The rest of the morning will be spent getting everyone familiar with the workings of the yacht, the engine and handling under power, the sail controls and generally establishing everybody’s experience. This will all be done as you slowly make your way towards your first lunchtime stop and swim of the week. The afternoon will usually be spent doing some sailing and leaving everybody get the feel for the yacht in its natural environment. By the time you reach port on that first afternoon a lot of the mystery of sailing will have disappeared and you will be ready for a cool drink. A shower and freshen up is normally next followed by a pre arranged group meal at a local restaurant for those interested in getting together. Most people like to go along, as it is the first night and its kept simple by everyone paying their own bill. It’s the perfect chance to discuss the day’s activities with the other members of the group. Sleep is never normally a problem on the second night. The pattern for the week will now have been set. The day will start with a short flotilla briefing at 0930 and most yachts will have left within an hour or two. Mornings tend to have lighter winds making them perfect for practicing and teaching. We will have lunchtime stop most days unless we have a particularly favourable wind and everyone wants to keep going. The brisker afternoon winds make for great sailing and the evenings are spent in port. During the course of the week we try to visit a different port every night. There is always time to explore locally and the whole emphasis is on learning by doing, hence our use of the word ‘tuition’ rather than ‘school’. Where possible we try to keep the obligatory distances between ports no more than 12 to 20 miles so we allow all day to get there. This approach allows for maximum flexibility as with the multitude of small islands available to us to sail around, we can always make the route as long as we want, while still providing plenty of variety and training opportunities.

This is what makes the programme ideal for both those who like the idea of a sailing holiday while being taught how to sail, and those who want to develop their skills further by getting more fully involved in all aspects of sailing the yacht and training to be a skipper. The complete beginner to sailing will be shown how to tie knots correctly and general rope work, steer a boat under sail and power, handle the sails, mooring and anchoring, basic navigation, and all the other things which lead up to gaining an International Crew Certificate. Someone with prior boating experience will be taught how to develop these skills further together with more advanced techniques in order to get them up to a Flotilla Skipper level. This is a particularly popular way for dinghy sailors to obtain the yacht sailing experience and certification needed prior to taking their own yacht on flotilla. For anybody that hopes to get to a skipper level, we can also assess for International Certificates of Competence (ICC) for which there are some extra costs and requirements. Please click the IYT qualifications tab for for further information. At the end of the week you will return to our base on the afternoon of the day before the holiday ends. We usually organise a last evening get together and this often extends into the early hours. You spend your last night on board and leave the yacht by 0900 the following morning.

Frequently asked Questions for Learn to sail in Greece

In this section we have tried to answer the most common questions that people have about our Learn to Sail holidays in Greece. It is not however an exhaustive list, so please do not hesitate to email us (use the make an enquiry link above) if you cannot find the answers to your questions here.

What kind of yacht will we be sailing on

The yachts used for the Learn to Sail holidays are drawn from our in house fleet and will either be 31ft two cabin yachts, with a maximum of four plus the instructor on board, or a larger three cabin yacht which can have up to six people and the instructor. You can view a selection of the yachts here

How many people are on the Tuition Yacht

There will be a maximum of four students on a smaller 31 ft two cabin yacht, and up to six on board a larger three cabin one. Families or groups filling an entire yacht may sometimes put an extra person on board, but this is then made clear at the time of booking.

What is the general mix of people on the Tuition Yacht

We get a full mix of all ages and both sex's coming on these holidays. Families are not mixed on board the same yacht as other adults, but singles and couples are mixed according to what seems to be the best fit. Generally people are in their mid twenties to mid fifties, but we have had people into their seventies.

I have never sailed before and am traveling alone, is this a suitable holiday for me

There is no problem about traveling on your own as you are immediately part of a crew as well as part of a flotilla so there is a very good social side, and the courses are specifically designed for total beginners, or those just getting up to a skippering level.

How fit must I be

There is no special level of fitness required, and anybody that is normally active and does not have any particular balance problems should have no problem.

What if I do not get on with the others on the yacht

Naturally we can never guarantee that all crews will all get along well all of the time. However as long as people are prepared to be a little bit tolerant, most issues can be dealt with before they become major problems. Remember that your yacht will be sailing as part of a flotilla of yachts so socially you will not be limited to just the people that you are on board with. Also one of our instructors will be in charge of the yacht at all times, and part of his/her job is to identify any potential personality clashes before they become issues and to look after everybody's interests fairly.

How much sailing there as I want a holiday as well and not just feel that I am going to school

These courses are all about learning to sail a yacht in a holiday environment. Unless we are on a special trip, we always aim to keep the daily obligatory distance relatively short (usually five to fifteen miles) so that we have maximum flexibility. The yacht usually leaves port sometime after 1000hrs and then arrives in port around 1700hrs having had a stop in the middle of the day for an on board picnic lunch and a swim. In reality we sail much more than just the straight line distance between ports, but the actual amount depends on the wind, how you are feeling on the day etc.

I want time to see the places that we visit

The instructor must always try to juggle the different needs of those onboard. However with our flexible programme if you want extra time to explore a particular port, you can always remain behind on your own for an hour or two while the yacht heads off to do some sailing, perhaps some mooring practice etc before popping back in to collect you at a preset time. Likewise you can always be dropped in early if you fancy a short day, and the yacht can go back out sailing. This way we can mix those that want the maximum amount of sailing with those that only want the minimum.

What are the sleeping arrangements

The following applies to anybody sharing a yacht. All bookings are taken on a shared cabin basis unless you specifically book a single cabin and pay a supplement for this. Couples or two friends traveling together will then share one of the double cabins. Singles will be allocated a berth in the main saloon where there are single berths, or occasionally if one of the larger three cabin yachts is being used, may have to share the larger fore cabin in one of these yachts with another person of the same sex. If then a double cabin happens to be free, on the day it will be given to one of the singles. Most weeks we have a few tuition yachts out so we mix and match the crews and yachts to get what appears to be the best mix. Families or groups booking an entire yacht will sort out their own sleeping arrangements, but must leave one of the berths in the main saloon for the instructor unless they have specifically booked not to have him/her on board at night.

What food if any is included, and how are meals taken

No food is provided for groups and families filling an entire yacht, as it is much more logical to leave you shop for whatever you want yourselves based on your own tastes etc. There are supermarkets near to our base where you can do a bulk shop before you leave, with good back up shops in most of the ports that we go to as well as local bakers and some form of fruit and vegetable market. Most families will tend to eat all breakfasts and lunches on board and then eat their main evening meals in local restaurants in the evenings, although they are of course totally free to prepare evening meals on board if they wish.

For those sharing a yacht we pre stock the yacht with a certain amount of basic provisions like tea, coffee, bread etc as well some non perishables to act as a base for simple on board breakfasts and picnic lunches. On the first morning the instructor will go through a quick outline of what is on board, and provide some general guidance for on board meals, after which you then shop yourselves, adding whatever you want, ie favourite breakfast cereals etc. Most groups choose to run a small kitty among themselves to ensure that there is enough for each day. This system is the only way of ensuring that everybody's individual tastes, budgets and preferences are catered for, while still providing a structure so that you are not all "squabbling over who ate whose biscuits" , but are free to eat as you please. It is after all your holiday!! Cooked breakfasts if required can be obtained from local restaurants and main evening meals are taken ashore, at your own expense, although you are totally free to prepare food on board if you wish.

IYT qualifications and Training

The training that we offer follows the syllabus laid down by IYT for their recreational sailing programme's. We offer this programme because the recreational training syllabus is ideal for organisations like ourselves where we teach in a holiday environment. It is very important that we ensure that any training that we provide, follows internationally recognised standards and and that we can issue appropriate, recognised certification. Equally it is essential that we do not forget that most people choosing to do their training with us are also looking for a holiday, and that often in any group or family not everybody will eventually want to become a skipper.

The IYT recreational syllabus is a modular system which offers a very flexible approach. Total beginners can easily be brought up to an International Crew level in a week. At the same time nobody is put under any pressure, and you can be signed off just part way along the Crew syllabus allowing you to finish it later if you wish. Those with prior experience can quickly be assessed and then may be brought up to a Flotilla Skipper level within a week, if appropriate. If not they can be assessed up to whichever skippering modules they have covered, allowing them to complete the skipper training at a later stage. All tuition for these levels is on a hands on basis and you learn as the yacht goes from location to location as part of the holiday. The necessary theory is covered through practical exercises and general discussion as you go along, while all previous experience and knowledge, however obtained, is taken into account.

The International Crew Certificate

As part of your holiday a complete beginner will be taught the points of sail, shown how to tie knots and handle ropes correctly, steer a yacht under sail and power, handle the sails, mooring and anchoring, basic navigation, amongst the other things which lead up to gaining an International Crew Certificate. At the end of the week you will be a useful crew member on any small yacht and ready to start basic skipper training if wish to do further training.

The Flotilla Skipper Certificate

Those with some prior sailing experience can be trained up to a Flotilla Skipper Level in a week, or total beginners brought up to this level in two weeks. This is an entry level skippering qualification enabling you to take charge of a small yacht, in moderate conditions during day light hours. Because even at an entry level, sailing conditions can vary so much around the world, it is intended that for your first few times actually sailing as skipper, that you would sail in company of other yachts. You would be the responsible qualified skipper on your vessel but initially you should sail in the company of other more experienced skippers, so that extra assistance and advice is available if required. This is why it is called a Flotilla Skipper Certificate, but you are not restricted to sailing in an organised flotilla and it could equally well be in the company of friends, other yachts from your yacht club or some form of organised rally. A log of all skippering and sailing should then be kept in your Training Development book, so that once you have had a few trips as skipper while sailing in company, then you would be ready to go off on your own and could charter yachts as skipper.

An important point to mention at this stage, is that your initial training with Activity Yachting Holidays in Croatia is in non-tidal conditions. Because of this you can get to a Flotilla Skipper level much faster than if you were learning in more demanding conditions, allowing you to then develop further skills in due course as required. Up to Flotilla skipper level you will only cover tides very generally, and you certainly would not be ready to go straight out as a skipper in strong tidal conditions without a more in depth study of tides. Further study on the collision regulations, navigation and chart work and meteorology would also be necessary before you should attempt any more advanced skippering on your own. This can be done through self tuition or by completing any general tidal, navigation and skippering theory course.

For any beginners to sailing not understanding the full significance of this point, we suggest likening learning to skipper a yacht in tidal waters, to learning to drive a car while towing a caravan. Naturally it is much easier to learn to drive a car first and get your licence and then after some experience, if required, to add on the necessary skills for towing a caravan. In the same way once you learn the skills required to skipper and sail a small yacht in non tidal conditions, and you have got some practice as a skipper you can easily add on the extra knowledge and skills required for sailing in tidal and more challenging conditions. We are happy to advise and assist with arranging tidal sailing on request.

The International Certificate of Competence (ICC)

The International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is a certificate of competence that has been developed in accordance with a UN resolution to create a basic standard skippers certificate that is recognised internationally. It is effectively the closest thing there is to an official state recognised driving licence for yachts or boats. ICC's can be for power or sail (including yachts with inboard engines) and may or may not be taken with a section to validate them for use on European Inland Waterways. Anybody that wishes to start skippering or chartering yachts is strongly advised to get one of these. The single biggest advantage of the ICC over other certification is that even though they are only to a basic skippering level, and are still issued by the individual training organisations concerned, they all follow the same standard and are recognised as national qualifications. More and more charter companies are therefore now requesting, either for insurance purposes or to satisfy government regulations, this particular qualification over others.

Each country that has joined up to the scheme (most European ones have including the UK and Ireland) appoints training organisations that are approved to issue ICC's to citizens or residents of that country. As an IYT recognised training school, we can therefore assess anyone from the UK or Ireland (or genuine residents of those countries) for ICC's for Sailing Yachts. This can be either as an add on to one of our normal training courses, or a straight forward assessment for anybody doing a Pot Luck Holiday or taking a Flotilla yacht, that also wants to use the opportunity to be assessed for an ICC.

The actual test consists of a practical boat handling assessment and then a short written paper on navigation, collision regulations etc. Anybody that has done one of our Flotilla Skipper courses would already satisfy all the boat handling requirements but some extra prior study would have to have been undertaken for the theory, particularly on the tidal elements. Anybody taking a yacht on flotilla either as the Skipper or participating on one of our Pot Luck Holidays can also book an assessment for an ICC. Please contact us for some guidance on prior study that should be done before the assessment. A guide to the Test syllabus can be viewed by clicking here.

As the ICC is more of an official licence, anybody wishing to take one of these assessments must book this in advance as there are some extra costs and paperwork which depend on which holiday option you have booked.

International Certificate of Competence additional costs for assesment and paperwork
If you are already chartering a yacht, or on a Pot Luck Holiday, and wish to have one or more people assessed at sometime during the holiday	Cost per person for the assessment £40/45€
	On passing there is a further administration cost for the issuing of the licence of £80/95€

If you have booked a Live Aboard Tuition Course and wish to be assessed for an ICC in addition to an IYT Flotilla Skipper Certificate.	There is no extra cost for the assessment, but on passing there is an extra administration cost for the issuing of the licence of £80/95€ per person.

ICC's are issued directly by IYT head office, and so Activity Yachting Holidays will submit all fully completed paperwork for processing on a monthly basis throughout the season. Full details of all information required, passport photos etc will be sent to each client in advance when they confirm that they wish to take one of the assessments.

For more information on IYT and to be taken directly to their site, please click here

ICC Test syllabus

The following is the syllabus for the ICC and outlines the various elements that need to be assessed for the certificate.

1. INTRODUCTION

· Instructor is required to outline aims and objectives of day

2. PREPARATION FOR SEA

Has student carried out preparation for sea checks and mechanical checklist including:

Safety brief including use of all safety equipment.
Pre-start engine checks
Pre-start weather checks
Start engine and checking cooling
Check fuelling requirements and range

3. SHORT PASSAGE

Student must execute a short passage including all of the following:

DEPARTING FROM A PONTOON
Has the student communicated effectively with the crew
Did the student understand the use of springs to depart from lee wall/pontoon
Did the student position fenders correctly
MAN OVER BOARD PROCEDURES
Has the student demonstrated correct direction and speed of approach
Has suitable contact been made with MOB
ALONGSIDE SKILLS
Has the student communicated effectively with the crew
Has the student showed awareness of other water users
Did they prepare warps/fenders
Did they choose the correct angle and speed of approach
Has the student stopped the boat in place and secured to pontoon
360º TURN
The yacht must be sailed through 360 degrees, demonstrating all points of sail and then a full 360 degree turn under the motor must be demonstrated in a confined space.
SECURING TO A BUOY
Has the student communicated effectively with the crew
Did they prepare warp
Did they choose the correct angle and speed of approach
Has the student secured the boat effectively
Has the student departed from the buoy safely
HANDLING UNDER SAIL (if applicant is applying for sail)
Did the applicant use suitable sails for prevailing condition
Did the applicant choose a suitable area for hoisting/lowering sails
Did the applicant trim sails correctly
Has the applicant warned crew before undertaking any manoeuvres
Did the applicant undertake a check of the area before tacking and gybing
POWER MANOEUVRES (if applicant is applying for power)
Has the applicant shown awareness for other water users
Did the applicant use a kill-cord if appropriate
Did the applicant choose a suitable area to carry out manoeuvres
Did the applicant carry out an emergency stop
Was the applicant able to control speed on turns and did they warn crew before starting and executing emergency turns.

4. THEORY TEST

REGULATIONS – Required for all candidates

Can the applicant recognise a potential collision situation?
Does the applicant know what action to take as “stand on” and “give way” vessel?
Can the applicant determine a safe speed?
Does the applicant recognise manoeuvring signals?
Can the applicant recognise and make visual distress signals?
Does the applicant know to keep a proper lookout?
REGULATIONS AND PILOTAGE – Required for coastal
Does the applicant know the requirements for navigation lights and ships?
Does the applicant recognise sound signals?

Does the applicant recognise the following from the lights – vessel at anchor, power
driven vessel and sailing vessel?
Can the applicant recognise, by day and night, and understand the significance of
buoys of the IALA system?
Can the applicant plan a harbour entry/departure, taking in to account possible hasards?
Does the applicant know the sources of information regarding local regulations, port
entry and departure signals and Port Operations radio?
NAVIGATION - Required for coastal

Can the applicant plot a position by cross bearings and by Latitude and Longitude?

Can the applicant interpret a navigational chart and understand charted depths, drying
heights and charted hazards?

Can the applicant use a tide table to find times and heights of high and low water?

Can the applicant determine direction & rate of tidal stream from a tidal atlas or from tidal diamonds?

Can the applicant determine magnetic course to steer, making allowances for leeway and tidal stream

There is currently no requirement to have completed a specific course covering the above and completion of any good all round basic tidal navigation and seamanship theory course should be sufficient. There are however some Navigation Correspondence Schools that have written courses specifically designed for the ICC theory for anybody wishing to study via this route. You can find details of two of these schools by contacting them directly via their web site links below. Before following these links please note that these will take you away from this site, so do not follow them until you are ready.

International Yachtmaster Academy

Tiller School of Navigation

Greece Learn to Sail Prices

The following prices all relate to our Learn to Sail Holidays which are based from Nidri on Lefkas Island. You join the yacht from 1700hrs onwards on the first Sunday afternoon, sleep that night on the yacht and then sail as part of a flotilla from the Monday morning. The yacht then returns to the base home port the following Saturday afternoon, after a full six days sailing, you sleep that last Saturday night on board and then depart by 0900 hrs on the Sunday morning.

Learn to Sail Holidays are normally based on having up to four people on board a two cabin 31ft yacht or up to six on board one of the larger three cabin yachts. For groups of more than six or those requiring a larger yacht, please contact us to discuss your requirements. All prices are based on two people sharing a twin/double cabin with a single cabin reservations available for a supplement and subject to availability.

**Learn to Sail (Per Person) Prices 2010**
Dates	02/05-22/05	23/05-19/06	20/06-03/07	04/07-28/08	29/08-18/09	19/09-02/10	04/10-31/10
	Prices are per person in UK £sterling or Euros€ per week and based on two people sharing a twin/double cabin
	£295	£335	£375	£400	£375	£335	£295
	380€	430€	480€	515€	480€	430€	380€

Deposit is 30% per person, and the balance is then due 10 weeks before the holiday commences. Payment by credit card, or a non UK Debit card will incur a 1.5% surcharge on the above prices.
In addition to the above payments, there is an on site payment of £55/70€ per person for one week holidays and £75/105€ for two weeks, which must be paid in cash on arrival. This is to contribute towards the onsite teaching boat weekly costs, and includes IYT Log books and certification, fuel and mooring fees. For families or groups filling tuition boats, the above per person charges do not all apply as you cover the yacht and marina costs as you go along. Please contact the office for an exact costing.
Anybody wanting to specifically reserve a single cabin can do so on payment of the following supplements

April, May and October	£95/115€
June and September	£150/175€
July and August	£190/220€