Senior School
Sailing Summer Camp
Get ready to cast off on an unforgettable summer journey with our exclusive Isle of Wight Sailing Camp! Set against the stunning backdrop of The Solent, the Isle of Wight is the spiritual home of British sailing offering the perfect, exhilarating environment for young sailors to develop their skills and passion for the sea.
This is not just a sailing course; it is a comprehensive maritime experience blending high-performance coaching with classic adventure. Our carefully curated program ensures every pupil, from novice to seasoned sailor gains confidence and expertise.
- Keelboat Sailing in Cowes: Gain valuable experience in small, responsive keelboats in the world-renowned sailing capital of Cowes, focusing on teamwork and essential seamanship.
- ‘Swallows and Amazons’ Adventure: Embrace the joy of classic, adventurous sailing, learning the ropes in a fun, exploratory environment that captures the spirit of the iconic stories. Involving sailing, navigating, camping on a private beach and cooking on an open fire.
- Dinghy Sailing with Elite Coaching: Elevate your skills with personalised, expert instruction in dinghies from our Elite Coaching staff, designed to sharpen your techniques.
- The Thrill of the ‘Round the Island’ Race: Experience the energy of a major yachting event! You will get up close to the action by shadowing the iconic race from a high-speed RIB, providing a unique perspective on big boat racing, strategy and navigation.
Itinerary
Day One
- Arrival and pick up from Heathrow Airport
- 90-minute private coach drive to Portsmouth
- Scenic trip across The Solent by ferry
- Arrive on the Isle of Wight and head to accommodation
Day Two
Visit Tapnell Farm’s ultimate inflatable obstacle course: Conquer over 20 giant inflatable obstacles, including slides, climbing walls, and epic free-fall drops into the lake. Crawl, climb, slip and slide your way through the course.
Day 3 and 4 – Keelboat Sailing and Coaching in Cowes
The heart of our camp’s skill-building takes place in the sailing mecca of Cowes. Intensive Keelboat sailing and coaching will take place across two days, where you will learn the following:
- Working as a Team: Learn how to communicate clearly and manage different roles on the boat, including helming, trimming, and an introduction to symmetric spinnakers.
- Sailing in Strong Winds: The stability of the keelboat means you can practise sailing when the wind is stronger or the water is choppier.
- Navigating the Nautical Environment: Improve your understanding of coastal sailing with navigation and meteorology, and an in-depth look at tides.
Day 5 and 6 – Swallows and Amazon Trip
Experience the stories and adventure in the true spirit of self-sufficient sailing on our thrilling ‘Swallows and Amazons’ Island expedition! This journey from Bembridge to East Cowes will blend challenging sailing with camping and rustic outdoor living, including the following:
- Navigational skills in action
- Seamanship and endurance
- Pioneering an d Bushcraft
- Cooking on an open fire
- Sleeping under the stars.
Day 7 – Round the Island Race Day
Experience one of the world’s largest and most iconic yacht races. Get close to the high intensity start line and race action onboard a RIB, offering you up-close viewing, tactical insight and an abundance of inspiration for the future.
Day 8 – Elite Dinghy Coaching
Take your fast boat skills to the next level during our specialised Elite Coaching Dinghy Day. This intensive session is dedicated entirely to high-performance sailing and is run by the experts from the Isle of Wight sailing community.
- Optimising Boat Speed: Refine your sail trim, hiking technique, and balance. We focus on finding that extra gear of speed in all wind conditions.
- Starting Line Tactics: Learn the secrets to winning the start! We cover line sight, time-and-distance calculations, and tactical positioning to give you the advantage right from the gun.
- One-on-One/Video Feedback: With high coach-to-pupil ratios, every sailor receives personalised instruction tailored to their specific areas for improvement, ensuring rapid development.
Accommodation
You’ll retreat to the comfort and security of our exclusive accommodation at Ryde School. You will be staying in the school’s Millfield Boarding House.
- Victorian Villa: Millfield is housed in a beautifully renovated Victorian villa, offering a blend of historic charm and modern amenities. The building provides a warm, welcoming, and safe environment perfect for young sailors.
- Supervised and Secure: The accommodation is fully staffed and supervised by our dedicated pastoral team and the school’s residential staff, ensuring a supportive and secure environment 24 hours a day and children will share a room, some with en-suite bathrooms, with one or two other children.
- Convenient Location: The house is just a short ten-minute drive from the main ferry terminal, and conveniently close to the beautiful Ryde beach, making both travel and our final relaxation day simple and swift.
