Sailtrainingsouthwest Reviews 8

Just completed a second course with Sail Training South West. I did my Coastal Skipper/Yachtamster Prep this October having done Day Skipper in the summer of 2024.

Both courses exceptionally good. A great boat but what really made it was the quality and experience of our instructor - Kevin Brigden. Kevin is outstanding. Calm, clear and friendly - but also demanding in a way that test you, helps you to learn and gets the best out of you.

Can't recommend highly enough.

I would highly recommend doing a course with Sail Training South West. Kevin is a very knowledgeable instructor, and delivers his teaching in a clear and structured way. The boat was very well equipped and comfortable, and the food provided was great too!

I had a great experience completing my day skipper course with Kevin. as someone who's main prior experiences of learning to sail have consisted of being shouted at by the helmsman (!) this course gave me so much confidence in my ability and allowed me to learn to be in a position of control in a safe environment.
would highly recommend!

The best sailing school I have ever been to. I did a week long sailing course, instructed by Kevin - a truly superb instructor who always taught with a smile, even when things go wrong. His knowledge of sailing is second to none and he always had a witty anecdote to share too. Without a doubt I have come away a much better sailor and have left with an evening greater enthusiasm for sailing. If you're local - this school has a lot to offer. If you're not local - it is well worth making a trip here for a sailing course. As well as the school being brilliant, Falmouth is perfect for learning.
Very highly recommended and I look forward to using Sail Training South West for my next course.

Just returned from nine days on the combined day skipper course in Falmouth, under the expert tutelage of Kevin Brigden.

The first part of the course was the theory which involved two examinations, which Kevin had prepared us for with his knowledge and experience.

The second part of the course was practical, on the water, in Falmouth. This involved honing our skills in, although not an exhaustive list MOB; berthing; fixing the ship; mooring to buoys and anchorage, pilotage, passage planning and Kevin was able to impart his unrivalled experience in the exercises he’d set.

I had a great time, learned loads and cannot recommend highly enough.

Have done Day Skipper 5 day practical course. The quality of knowledge and delivery by Kevin are exceptionally good!
The complex concepts were simplified, explained and made easy to execute (step by step guide). He was strict, fair and fun. We learned a lots, had fun practicing and came out more confident and with much better understanding of the boat, weather, tide and surroundings. I will be coming to him again for Yachtmaster course!

STSW is slightly more expensive than the average YM Prep Week, but it was absolutely worth every penny. The instructor (Phil) was incredibly knowledgable and a gifted teacher (as well as a clearly expert sailor) who was patient and not afraid to engage in 360 degree learning. Excellent food provided and accommodation onboard was second to none. It might seem strange to pick a school based on getting your own cabin, but being rested meant we learnt more and it was a more pleasurable experience all round!

The school even provided an extra hand to enable the exam to be undertaken by 2 students and have a third to assist in sailing the boat which is a really important factor that most other schools don't (too many of my friends have been frantically calling around the night before their exam looking for an extra pair of hands!).

All in all I would whole heartedly recommend STSW if you want to prepare well for a challenging exam.

Sail Training South West's training was ideal, exactly what I wanted and needed. I took the five-day RYA Day Skipper course to consolidate some long-ago experience. I took the course with one other student who was at a similar level, so we were able to learn rapidly at the same rate. The instructor Adam was absolutely top-notch: unfailingly patient, incredibly knowledgeable, with a huge breadth of experience of just about every kind of sailing from dinghies to huge square-riggers. The resulting Day Skipper cert feels like more than just a piece of paper: I still have a lot to learn, but I feel genuinely trained and competent to be in charge of basic yachting trips.