All About The RYA Keelboat Level 3 Better Sailing Course

How much will the Better Sailing course cost including exam fees?

It costs up to $380/£250/330 EUROS depending on where you do it, what time of year, and whether you do it alone.

What will you get out of this course?

You can hone your skills in any direction you want. If you want to be a better keelboat racer then there is flexibility in the course to teach you racing skills such as spinnaker use, though if you want to learn to do coastal cruising and sailing, the course can be adapted to your needs.

All in all, the Keelboat Level 3 Better Sailing course is about honing the skills you have learned on the previous courses, and enabling you to take the direction in sailing you want.

What are your limits on passing the Keelboat Level 3?

Don’t expect to go chasing Moby Dick or beating Ben Ainslie to the mark! You will be comfortable in a keelboat in some challenging conditions, and confident enough to enjoy a longer day sail, or not embarrass yourself in a club race.

Is it practical, theory or both?

You will cover more advanced safety skills ashore, but the course is primarily a practical course designed to get you enjoying life afloat…

Where can you take the course?

Have a look around The Boating Hub website to see where you can do the keelboat course locally. It is offered at many sailing centres around the world accredited to teach the RYA syllabus.

Can you do it in another country?

Yes.

What level of experience do you need before you begin the course?

You should have an RYA Competent Crew, RYA Keelboat Level 2, or demonstrable skills and experience that are equivalent to these certificates.

What is the duration of this RYA course?

2 days that can be split into a series of evenings, or done over a weekend.

What exactly does this course involve?

You will learn to improve your skills learned on the previous courses. You will become a competent helmsman and crew with the skills to handle the boat in some challenging conditions. You will learn more about sail trimming, flying a spinnaker, and sailing at all points of skills.

It gives you the confidence to progress to the next level of RYA courses, that can be seen here.

How do I progress after completing it?

You have a choice. If you want to be a better racer you can do the RYA improvers and advanced series of keelboat courses, focusing on racing. If you want to learn more about coastal cruising then consider the RYA Seamanship Skills course, or perhaps one of the yachting courses such as the RYA Day Skipper.

Does the Keelboat Level 3 course give you international accreditation?

No, but the RYA training scheme is recognised all over the world.

Where can I find out more about this course?

Click the button below to contact a training centre near you that offers this course, or check out the syllabus here.