Traning is thriving at RSC!
Published 07:03 on 12 Sep 2026
A Busy Summer of Training at Ripon Sailing Club
It's been another busy summer for training at Ripon Sailing Club, with 37 RYA Dinghy Sailing certificates awarded during July and August alone, alongside a packed Powerboat Level 2 course.
Across our adult and junior dinghy courses, sailors achieved:
- 8 Adult Level 1 certificates
- 9 Adult Level 2 certificates
- 12 Junior Stage 1 certificates
- 7 Junior Stage 2 certificates
- 1 Junior Stage 3 certificate
That's 37 dinghy qualifications and, more importantly, lots of new and developing sailors getting out on the water and building their skills.
Going the extra mile
As every sailor knows, the weather doesn't always read the course programme!
One of our recent Adult Level 2 courses took place in particularly light winds, which meant the group didn't get quite as much opportunity to practise their new skills in more challenging conditions as we would have liked.
Graham B therefore kindly organised an additional Level 2 day, free of charge, to give the group some extra time on the water. This time the wind certainly obliged, providing a much livelier day and a great opportunity for the sailors to put their skills into practice.
A big thank you to Graham for giving up the extra day and helping our new sailors gain even more confidence.
Summer Improver Sessions
Learning to sail doesn't finish when you receive your RYA certificate. In many ways, that's when the fun really starts!
Our Saturday Improver Sessions are designed to bridge the gap between completing an RYA course and becoming a confident, independent club sailor.
The first planned summer session on 25 July unfortunately had to be cancelled because of strong winds, but 12 sailors joined us on 1 August, followed by another 10 on 8 August.
There is now a gap before our final two Improver Sessions of the season, which take place on 17 and 24 October. Booking is already open for both.
We would particularly encourage those who completed Adult Level 1 or Level 2 during July and August to come along. With relatively few Improver days available over the summer, these October sessions are a great opportunity to get back in a boat, refresh what you learned on your course and continue building your confidence.
Powerboat training our biggest PB2 course yet
It hasn't just been our dinghy sailors who have been busy.
On 27 and 28 August, Ripon Sailing Club ran an RYA Powerboat Level 2 course in conjunction with Yorkshire Universities Sailing Club (YUSC).
With nine students and three instructors, it was our largest PB2 course to date. The two days went extremely well and we're delighted to say that all nine students successfully passed the course.
There has already been plenty of interest in further powerboat training, with a number of enquiries about when the next course will take place.
In response, we're looking to schedule both an Dinghy Recovery Skills Session (essential if you are considering a safety boat duty) and another Powerboat Level 2 course within the next couple of months. Keep an eye on the Club website and calendar for dates and booking information.
Powerboat training is an important part of life at Ripon, helping us develop the skilled crews needed to support our racing, training, junior sailing and other activities on the water.
One final RYA dinghy course for 2026
Our final planned RYA dinghy training course of the season takes place across Saturday 12 and Saturday 26 September, with Adult Level 2 and Junior Stage 2 training running.
We already have 13 sailors booked, so it promises to be another busy couple of days on the water and a fitting conclusion to this year's RYA dinghy course programme.
New sailors continue to find Ripon
Interest in learning to sail at Ripon has remained encouraging throughout the summer, with Training receiving six enquiries from non-members in July and nine in August.
Those enquiries are already translating into people becoming part of the Club. Two have joined and completed their RYA Level 1 course, while other interested families are coming along to see what our junior ROTTERs programme and the wider Club have to offer.
Although there were no Taster Sails during July and August, it's great to see people continuing to discover Ripon Sailing Club and finding their way onto the water through our training programme.
What comes next?
One of our biggest priorities is making sure that completing a course is the beginning of someone's sailing at Ripon, rather than the end of it.
Whether that means joining an Improver Session, coming along to RASCALS or ROTTERs, getting involved in club sailing and racing, developing powerboat skills or simply spending more time practising on the water, there are plenty of ways to continue.
A huge thank you goes to all of the instructors, assistant instructors, powerboat instructors, safety crews and volunteers who have given their time over the summer. Delivering this amount of training simply wouldn't be possible without them.
And congratulations to all our newly qualified dinghy sailors and powerboat drivers 46 RYA certificates across July and August is certainly something worth celebrating!
Last updated 07:03 on 12 September 2026