Learning to Handle a Boat | Sea School
If you want to learn to sail or handle a motor boat, then what better place to do than on the Algarve? You may not need to obtain qualifications in the UK to take out a sailing or motor boat, but in Portugal as in other European countries, it is a requirement to have the necessary competency certificate.
There are a number of sailing schools on the Algarve, and one of the first to be started was by Martin Northey, who founded the first RYA( Royal Yachting Association) sea school in Portugal over seventeen years ago. He now runs the Iberian Sea School at Olhos de Agua near Vilamoura, where he offers both sailing, power boat and motor cruiser courses. Most of Martin’ s clients come from the UK. Some live full time in Portugal, some have holiday homes and some come out just for the course.
“ Many of the people, who live here, will use their own boat to learn on, which I much prefer” says Martin.“ People need to do a competent crew course, a day skipper course and a day skipper practical course to be able to take out a boat in sheltered waters. That’ s three 5-day courses, although some people choose to do the practical course on-line”. Once they have the relevant certificate, they can of course use it anywhere in the world.
“ In Portugal, the sea is not rough and we are protected from the Atlantic swell, but you do need to know how to navigate. It’ s a huge expanse of sea – not like the Solent between the south coast of England and the Isle of Wight, where many people learn to sail. There used to be a much bigger demand for motor boat courses, but that is changing because the cost of fuel has gone up so much. I have a client who came to me in 2009 and did a three day motor boat course giving him an ICC certificate( International Certificate of Competence) for Powerboat Level 2. Now he wants to take his ICC for sail” he says.
Martin offers a variety of sailing courses from a two day Start Yachting course, which is a gentle introduction to sailing for people who have never sailed before to a 5 day Competent Crew course, which is suitable for complete beginners and people with just a little experience of sailing with friends. The latter costs € 598, which includes an evening meal on the first night. The rest of the time they go out for their meals, with the client paying his or her own way.“ They stay on the boat for five days and I give them breakfast too. We often get couples, which is nice” says Martin.
Robert Harris has been running Algarve Boat Courses, which is based in Lagos, for the last 5 years. He teaches people how to handle jet skis, small speed boats and motor cruisers. For an introductory two day power boat course, with a maximum of three students, he charges € 395. This includes the boat, the course, fuel and certificate.“ You don’ t need to have any experience to do this course. I sometimes try to persuade a client to do the course in three days, as it gives them more time to do a bit more. With this Level 2 certificate, you will be able to charter a boat and get started. I focus on teaching the basic skills, how to moor up the boat in a marina and basic safety skills, such as man overboard” he says.
“ In Portugal, the sea is not rough and we are protected from the Atlantic swell, but you do need to know how to navigate. It’ s a huge expanse of sea.”
| www. portugal-life. net | Summer 2012 | 45