Questions & Answers: RYA Multihull Sailing with Spinnakers Course

How much will this course cost including any exam fees?

This multihull course will cost around £190 (approx. $280 or 265 EUROS) depending on when and where you take it.

What will you get out of the RYA Multihull Sailing with Spinnakers course?

If you have RYA Multihull Level 2 you will have learned to sail with a jib and mainsail. The spinnaker is the next level in learning how to sail your cat or trimaran to its full potential.

You will focus on launching, gybing and dowsing the spinnaker and get the best out of your boat too. 

What are your limitations after passing it?

The course is about learning to fly a spinnaker.

It will show you the basics, but from there you must learn the finer points of trimming the sail as well as launching and dowsing it without embarrassing yourself quickly and safely through experience.

Is the Multihull Sailing with Spinnakers a theory or practical course?

This is a practical course in entirety. Over two days you will be doing downwind legs until you can fly the kite well.

Where can you take the course?

You can take the course anywhere in the world with an accredited RYA instructor.

The Caribbean and Mediterranean, as well as the Red Sea are multihull Meccas so perhaps consider doing this course somewhere hot, windy and sunny!

What are the prerequisites for taking the course?

Experience wise you should hold a minimum of RYA Level 2 Multihull qualification although many sailing schools prefer that you have a RYA Multihull Level 3 certificate.

How long does it take to complete?

The course in run over 2 days.

What exactly does it involve?

You will learn either on a traditional ‘symmetric’ or newer ‘asymmetric’ spinnaker, depending on the type of boat you are sailing. For instance, if you are on a newer Phantom and eventually want to foil, the asymmetric course is the one for you. If you are on a Hobie then the symmetric spinnaker is the one to learn on.

In a nutshell you will learn how to launch, fly, gybe and dowse a spinnaker. These need to be done quickly and efficiently and require expertise from both the skipper at the helm and the crew who is managing all the sheets, halyards and the spinnaker boom.

You will also cover balancing the boat so you don’t dive into the water in a pitchpole or do a windward capsize while gybing!

Over the two days you will do a series of downwind runs to get to grips with the fine arts of flying the spinnaker and will hopefully walk away with the ability to become a nuisance at the front of the club fleet at the end of it! 

How do I progress after completing it?

Consider the RYA Performance Sailing and / or the RYA racing courses to further improve your skills.

Does it give you international accreditation?

No, unfortunately!

Where can I learn more about the RYA Multihull Sailing with Spinnakers course?

Have a look at this RYA webpage for more information on this course.