FAQ’s: RYA Multihull Start Racing Course

How much does the course cost?

The RYA Multihull Start Racing course will cost around $250 / £170 / 235 EURO’s depending on when and where you do the course, as well as whether you decide to do it as an individual or as part of a group.

What will you get out of the course?

This is the entry point to start being competitive on your club racing circuit.

Club racing is fiercely competitive, and if you have the bug after winning a few races in the family fun racing series, then it might be time to develop your skills further through this route.

What are your limits after passing it?

Expect not to be left behind by a typical club racing fleet!

No matter how fast your boat is on paper, you will still come last if you don’t know how to use it effectively! This course along with the courses you have previously done to get to this level, should enable you to compete without blushing at the end of the race.

Is the Multihull Start Racing course shorebased theory, practical or both?

There will be theoretical elements to the sailing course but by far the bulk of it will be about learning practical skills.

Where can you take the course?

You can take the Start Racing course in most countries worldwide, wherever there is an approved RYA training centre offering the course.

What level of experience do you need before you take it?

Course Prerequisites;

On paper you only need the RYA Multihull Level 2 beginner’s course but you should consider completing the Performance Sailing course (and thus the Sailing with Spinnakers course to achieve that) in order to get the most out of it.

How long does this take?

The course duration is 2 days.

What does the course involve?

You will cover the advanced skills required to race your boat at club level.

This will include tuning your boat for a particular tack, and calculating the best route to take on an upwind or downwind leg – for instance, it is sometimes faster to sail off the wind on a run and gybe half way than to just get blown down the course.

You will also look at how to calculate the best end of the starting line to take, and how to get there first. Finally you will look at race tactics to ensure that you will beat your opponents in any one on one situation.

How do you progress after completing the Multihull Start Racing course?

At present, there aren’t many sailing centres at which to develop your racing skills further. Though the RYA offers two more courses, the take up by sailing schools hasn’t been amazing. As such, unless you seek private tuition to hone your newfound skills further, or manage to get in a regional or national team, this is generally the top multihull racing qualification. 

Does this course give you international accreditation?

No

Where can you learn more about the course?

Have a look at this page on the RYA website for further information on the Multihull Start Racing course.