Sailing News

A mix of insights into our courses and trips, engaging stories from some adventures, and educational content for anyone passionate about sailing.

Sailing Gifts for Her: Ideas for the Ideal Present with First Class Sailing

Aug 13, 2024

Finding the perfect gift for a sailor is challenging. The best sailing gifts for her should really be something that will add to the experience of the recipient, rather than a traditional present or accessory. At least, this is what we think, which is...

First Class Sailing Rescue Historic Vessel

First Class Sailing has rescued a 1908 Gaff Rigger. After some restoration and a refit she will be sailed along the south coast to her new home in Southampton where she will live alongside the existing fleet of modern cruising yachts.

Challenge of the Channel Islands

Clive Loughlin invites you to look over his shoulder as he plans a 7-day cruise to the Channel Islands.

What will you do if your engine won’t start?

Mechanical failure is the main cause of rescue call-outs to cruisers and can be one of a skipper’s biggest fears. Most engine failures are due to a handful of problems and can be easily rectified given a few spares, a little knowledge and a basic set of tools. No skipper should go out to sea without being armed with these fundamentals.

How to protect yourself from the Sun whilst Sailing

Quick Guide for Sailors. We all love a good dose...

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					  A consistently great experience  - Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF,... read more First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill.  A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!				
Mo M
October 30, 2025 

					  Great night sailing weekend. - I did the night sailing weekend on the Solent. Callum was very friendly and knowledgeable. He planned the weekend together with the participants such that everyone could have an input... read more regarding what they wanted to get out of the course. It was a great weekend and the Jeanneau Voyage 12.5 was really a great boat in windy weather. The food was very good and the office staff were helpful and responded very quickly.				
Federica D
November 8, 2025 

					  All female boat for day skipper practical  - Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3... read more of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice.				
ALMC62
October 15, 2025 

First Class Sailing Ltd

5.0

Based on 278 reviews

review us on

Maurice MacSweeney

11:45 30 Oct 25

Over the last few years First Class Sailing have taken me all the way from complete novice to Coastal Skipper, with theory and other courses along the way (like VHF, First Aid, etc), and there's now no other school I'd want to train and study with. They really stand out from other providers with the quality of their instructors and the support and responsiveness you get from the office team. There's never too many students on a course, so you get lots of time to practise and learn from the instructor. By the end of each course you really feel you've been stretched and graduated to a much higher level of skill. A really high quality outfit and thoroughly recommended!

Response from the owner 13:56 06 Nov 25

Hi Maurice, we're so pleased to have been with you from the start of your sailing journey. That's great that you enjoyed the ratio of students to instructor and felt confident with the levels you achieved. Thanks for the review, we hope you manage to get plenty of sailing in after all the hard work you've put in.

Marty Stromquist

15:22 24 Oct 25

I just finished another training week at First Class Sailing’s training center. The week was dedicated to Yachtmaster Ocean Theory, with a highlight on Celestial Navigation. The instructor, Nigel Rennie FRIN (Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation), was fantastic. It was very fast-paced, but covered the basics and theory behind Celestial Navigation. The jewel of the week was Rennie. His abundant patience, coupled with his experiences and passion for the art, made the week incredible. First Class Sailing have the best instructors. They know their craft and have real-life experience to make training both fun and memorable. Well Done!

Response from the owner 13:42 06 Nov 25

Thanks Marty. We're so pleased you enjoyed Nigel's expert guidance and passion for sailing. Like all our instructors, he loves teaching and sharing his knowledge, but manages to make it fun too. Thanks for the recommendation.

Anne-Laure McLeman

10:07 15 Oct 25

Being in an all female boat is a great way to learn. Kirsten, our instructor, had a very calm and reassuring style. The small size of the group (only 3 of us) meant we got a lot of attention and many opportunities to practice. Such a good week!

Response from the owner 13:24 06 Nov 25

Thank-you for the review Anne-Laure. That's great that the all female option suited you well and you enjoyed learning with Kirsten. Hopefully all that practice has set you up well for future sailing. Good luck!

Angus Sandison

19:57 07 Oct 25

Really great experience with First Class. My partner and I did our Day Skipper over two weekends with our instructor Mark. He was fantastic. Patient as we learned and made the whole thing fun. The boats are great and organization by First Class was seamless. Would totally recommend.

Response from the owner 13:17 06 Nov 25

Thanks Angus. That's good that you enjoyed Mark's style of teaching and also had lots of fun along the way. Wishing you lots of happy sailing in the future.

Tricia Bunten

18:48 07 Oct 25

I just finished a fantastic week taking my Day Skipper practical with First Class Sailing and I highly recommend them. I chose the Women Only week and had an incredibly patient instructor who was able to help each of us individually with areas of weakness but also worked great with us as a group. I had never sailed in the Solent before and it was the perfect location for this class. I am so grateful for First Class and my instructor for helping me build confidence and experience.

Response from the owner 16:59 04 Nov 25

Thanks Tricia, we're so pleased you enjoyed the Women Only week and had a positive experience. We always say that the Solent really is one of the best places to learn and it has some beautiful scenery to explore too, so that's good that you appreciated it. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon.

Evan Ainsworth

20:30 05 Oct 25

They do say that what sets great companies apart is customer service. This is my third time with first class sailing the first time was a few years ago when we did our competent crew it was one of the best weeks of our lives. Then we came again in August for the kids to do their competent crew and my wife and I to do our day skipper course. Unfortunately when I did my day skipper course the weather was terrible and I was unable to have a good session to pass. So Jake said to me you can come back and have a free weekend on us to enable you to pass. And again I had a fabulous weekend. There was just three of us on the boat. A wonderful instructor, Tom, and another student. Tom was an excellent instructor he was relaxed, he had great experiences, he got on with the practical part of sailing not just a lot of theory and he was thorough. He had lots of practical tips to make sailing easier and had some good exercises forest to try. We had a super trip down to Yarmouth where he cooked a wonderful dinner and then we went to the pub. Where we met another first class sailing group and spent the evening listening to their tall tales. The following day we had a super sail back to Southampton, with lots of cool exercises and I was thrilled to pass my day skipper.

Response from the owner 16:46 04 Nov 25

Thanks for the review Evan and congratulations on passing your Day Skipper practical, the hard work has paid off. That's good that the whole family joined you for one of the trips and so now hopefully you have some willing crew members for future sails. Good luck!

hugo kirby

15:26 09 Sep 25

great course with a very engaged and helpful instructor - who was happy to go outside the curriculum and give us the benefit of his wider knowledge - throroughly recommended

Response from the owner 15:30 11 Sep 25

That's good that you appreciated the experiences and extra knowledge that the instructor passed on. Thanks for the recommendation.

Justin Brooks

11:11 23 Aug 25

We would highly recommend First Class Sailing.

Very well organised with a top quality instructor who provided tuition tailored to our differing needs.

A fantastic option for a couple wanting an entire boat to do a mixed Competent Crew / Day Skipper itinerary.

Response from the owner 14:21 28 Aug 25

Thanks Justin. We always find that mixing the Competent Crew & Day Skipper works well, so that's great that it worked for you too. Hope you manage to get out on the water soon and put all your learning into practice.

ChrisC

15:37 22 Aug 25

Great experience doing a Yachtmaster Offshore prep week followed by exam. Lots of useful paperwork up-front for the course admin and training exercises. The 3-day prep format worked well and Hayley did a brilliant job of cramming in the training over those days. Lovely modern boat too called Sazerac. Will be back.

Response from the owner 14:17 28 Aug 25

Hi Chris, thanks for the review. Congratulations on gaining your YMO qualification. There's a lot to cover, but as you've found, the hard work really pays off. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

Miles Barr

11:27 03 Aug 25

I completed my Competent Crew and Day Skipper Practical with First Class Sailing. It was a great experience. I hired the whole boat each time, taking my family members along who also earned their Competent Crew qualifications.

Response from the owner 15:21 21 Aug 25

Thanks Miles. That's great that hiring the whole boat for your courses worked well for you all. Now that your family have their comp crew qualifications, you'll have plenty of help onboard for future sails! Good luck.

All Blogs

Crossing the Atlantic Using Denebola and Chertan

Jan 21, 2018

The FCS crew on Challenger 2 can almost feel the dry land and taste wet beer that awaits in Horta or this leg from Antigua to Portsmouth Harbour. First update comes from the mate and that will be followed by the crew’s musing. Will tinned sweetcorn get a...

Is This The Perfect Weather for Sailing the Atlantic?

Jan 20, 2018

Starting with the Skipper’s report and then following with the FCS crew on Challenger 2 as they sail towards the Azores on their voyage from Antigua to the historic city of Portsmouth... Shorts, T-Shirts, Sunshine and Wind - the best of Sailing Date :19 January...

The Long and the Short of Atlantic Messages

Jan 19, 2018

It has been a calm day on the Atlantic Ocean and the FCS crew of Challenger 2 have set aside some time to write... Day 10 Blog 17/01/2018 Another calm and sunny morning from the Atlantic. We’re still ploughing on ahead on course 085 degrees under diesel power...

From Bjork to a Tinned Sweetcorn Mutiny – Just Crossing the Atlantic

Jan 17, 2018

Horta is not yet on the horizon but the crew can sense it is getting closer. Ocean habits are starting to form, the little things mean a lot and everyday more and more sailing experiencing is gained. Here are the latest thoughts and observations from the FCS...

Crew Writes Donuts in Their Wake

Jan 17, 2018

The variety of weather conditions can be quite remarkable on this voyage from Antigua to Portsmouth. From high winds and 45 degree living to flat seas and a touch of the cold weather we’re experiencing in the upper reaches of the Northern Hemisphere.......

Experiencing the Azores High is an Atlantic Adventure

Jan 15, 2018

Considering the dramatic actions being described below it is a triumph that this blog has been written at all. This blog perfectly why crossing the Atlantic is an adventure... Date :14 January 2018 Time : 12:00 GMT Position :35.24 N 51.03W Destination Horta Good...

Heading into the Wind – An Atlantic Adventure

Jan 15, 2018

More news from the FCS crew as they sail from Antigua to Portsmouth, almost one week in they are finding their feet, although footholds would be more helpful if that pesky wind blew in the right direction! Mate's report first and then messages from the crew....

Messages Home from the Atlantic Snow Globe

Jan 12, 2018

The crew are getting lyrical, maybe it is the sea air, maybe the night sky, maybe the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean has opened their creative minds, either way here are some lovely messages home and once again you have to marvel at the technology we take for...

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