RYA Sailing Courses on Lake Windermere

Welcome to an unforgettable week on the water!

Our level 1 to 4 RYA-accredited sailing courses are designed for young people aged 8-17 who want to build confidence, master new skills and enjoy the thrill of sailing in one of the most beautiful locations in the Lake District.

Whether your child is stepping into a boat for the first time as a beginner or already has experience and wants to progress through the RYA Youth Sailing Scheme, this five day programme offers structured learning, expert instruction and plenty of fun along the way.

What to Expect

• Highly Professional RYA-qualified instructors
• Ratio instruction is six pupils to each instructor
• A safe, supportive environment for all ability levels
• Hands-on learning, fun, and engaging experience
• Progression from beginner to advanced skills
• A mix of practical sessions, games, and confidence-building challenges
• Light hot lunch is included with free flowing hot/cold beverages
• Friday afternoon BBQ at the centre on conclusion of the course at 3pm.

Our Centre

Hodge Howe, is our private water sports centre, is accredited by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) as an officially recognised club for British Youth Sailing. The centre is part of Windermere School and offers training is in a variety of dinghies and courses are split into learning groups by ability.

The sessions will see pupils work their way through the RYA Sailing Courses and each pupil will have their own personal logbook recording their progress.

Course Dates 2026

• Easter Holidays 7th April to 10th April – Book Here
• May Half Term 25th May to 29th May – Book Here
• Summer Holidays 6th July to 28th August – Book Here
• October Half Term 26th October to 30th October – Book Here

Course Times

Drop off and Registration 9.00am – Collection 4.30pm

Availability and price

We have limited availability per week to ensure greater learning. The weeklong courses start from £400.00 per child

Q&A

We have a list of frequently asked questions here or please email: holidaysailing@windermereschool.co.uk

Adult and Sibling Courses

We are delighted to be able to offer Adult sailing courses in 2026.

Why not learn to sail alongside your children? We also offer Bespoke Adult sailing courses to fit you and your ability. – Book Here

The Courses:

Dinghy Sailing

Discover confident dinghy sailing with our Adult Stages 1–4 syllabus. Progress from your first sail to being independent and confident, covering rigging, boat handling, manoeuvres, capsize recovery, sailing theory, and seamanship. Expert instructors, supportive coaching, and modern dinghies ensure safe, enjoyable learning with clear progression at every stage.

Keel Boat

Discover confident keelboat sailing through the RYA Keelboat Scheme Stages 1–4. Progress from your first sailing experience to advanced skills, within the trusted RYA framework. Learn helming, crewing, manoeuvres, safety, and theory with expert instructors, on our Hunter 707 keel boat. We offer structured coaching that includes motoring, mooring and can include spinnaker sailing.