What is a Keelboat?
Keelboats are sailing boats, that are larger than sailing dinghies but smaller than sailing yachts. They do not generally have cooking or sleeping facilities on board and are sometimes open. They are an excellent vessels to learn to sail on, unlike dinghies they do not capsize except in very heavy weather. The large lead keel ensures the boat self rights. They are generally sailed with 3 to 5 crew.
RYA Keelboat Training
Learning to sail in small boats is probably the quickest and easiest way to get started. The RYA’s National Sailing Scheme consists of a series of two day courses (Level 1: Start Sailing, Level 2: Basic Skills & Level 3: Better Sailing) aimed at anyone wanting to learn to sail in either dinghies, small keelboats or multihulls. These smaller boats are generally lighter and easier to handle and launch than larger sailing yachts.
The introductory Levels 1, 2 & 3 of the scheme are followed by 5 advanced modules for those looking to pursue the sport further. These advanced modules include Seamanship, Spinnakers, Start Racing, Day Sailing and Performance Sailing.
At Chieftain Training, we teach the RYA’s National Sailing Scheme in keelboats, dinghies and multihulls. Keelboats are slightly larger, more stable boats, although they are still not as big as a cruising yacht. The fixed keel stops the boat from capsizing, meaning you will spend more of your course afloat and less (hopefully no) time in the water.
It is possible to take courses from the National Sailing Scheme back to back, as we often run the 2 day courses consecutively. During the summer months, however, many people opt to spread the 2 day courses over 5 evenings, instead of taking 2 full days off work. This has the added benefit of turning the course into a social after work event, and an opportunity to spend some of those longed for light summer evenings on the water.