FAQ's: RYA Dinghy Level 3 – Better Sailing

How much will the RYA Dinghy Level 3 course cost including exam fees?

It can cost between £125 and £185 (Approx US $195-$280 or 160-230 EUROS) depending on where you do the course, and whether you have a club discount.

What will you get out of this course?

You will become a competent sailor. Though not capable of racing at club level as a skipper, you will not embarrass yourself in most conditions on club fun races.

What are your safe limits on passing the course?

You will be able to sail in most conditions as long as there is a safety boat on the water. You will know when is safe to go out.

Is the course onshore theory, practical or both?

You will learn some techniques ashore before learning them in practice afloat. There are no written exams to pass on completion of the course.

Where can you take the RYA Dinghy Level 3 course?

You can do the course anywhere in the world that offers an RYA accredited sailing course to this level.

Can you do it in another country?

 Yes.

What level of experience do you need before you start?

You will be expected to be able to sail to the level of RYA Level 2 – Basic Skills.

How long does this take?

It takes around two full days to do the course. 

What does the RYA Level 3 involve?

You will recap on the skills and techniques learned on RYA levels 1 and 2, and develop these to a greater level. You will get some experience in flying a spinnaker, high speed manoeuvres, and racing techniques. These are tasters of what you will learn on the higher level courses that you can progress to beyond this, so you won’t be expected to fly a spinnaker, for example, with great finesse.

How do I progress as a sailor after completing it?

You can hone your skills through one of the advanced RYA courses. These include the Seamanship Course, Performance Sailing course, Sailing with Spinnakers course, and Day Sailing course.

You can also consider one of the RYA yachting courses.  

Does this give you international accreditation?

No

Where can I learn more about this course?

Have a look at the RYA syllabus for an idea of what exactly the course entails 

For background reading consider one of these titles – e-books and DVD’s.