Australia Sailing Course Learn To Earn

Sailing Courses

Our sailing courses are designed for those with an Australian Working Holiday Visa looking to gain employment in the Marine Tourism industry on a gap year and act as a stepping stone to leverage yourself into the Yachting Industry.

Our sailing school, an accredited NSCV training centre, has been operating in this area for over ten years and provides a personalised service and training excellence.

All courses begin on-land at Airlie Beach’s Abel Point Marina. Here there will be an in-depth orientation and safety briefing before heading out onto the tropical waters.

There are three courses available to you depending on your previous experience or qualifications:

• 6 day/ 5 night NSCV Commercial Crew Course
• 6 day/ 5 night International Bareboat Skippers Certificate
• 23 day/ 23 night Learn to Earn course

6 day/ 5 night NSCV Commercial Crew Course

Beginner (no previous experience required).

This course contains theory and practical elements giving you a basic understanding of the knowledge that is required to be an active crewmember on board a yacht under power or sail. The syllabus covers crew skills in the following areas:

• Terminology
• Nautical Knowledge
• Seamanship
• Boat Handling
• Engineering
• Meteorology
• Communication
• Passage Planning
• Navigation 

6 day/ 5 night International Bareboat Skippers Certificate

Intermediate (pre-requisite is International Crew Certificate and/or approx 10 days prior sailing experience on cruising yachts).

This is a course of basic pilotage, boat handling, seamanship and navigation intended to assist you to skipper a vessel in familiar waters. These theory and practical modules are aimed at increasing your nautical knowledge sufficiently to be a watch keeper on board a bareboat yacht, or a flotilla skipper in fair weather, in daylight hours within sight of land.

Topics covered include:

• Responsibilities of a watchkeeper
• Charts and chart work
• Compasses and magnetism
• Buoyage
• Safety Brief
• Galley
• Power boat handling skills
• Sailing boat handling skills
• Basic first aid
• Collision regulations
• Customs, manners and legal requirements
• Passage plan
• Short passage
• Anchoring 

Both the 6 day / 5 night courses allow you to live aboard the sail training vessel while sailing around the Whitsundays and include all meals, course notes, tuition, snorkelling equipment and seatime log book. 

23 day Learn to Earn course

Advanced (this course includes the NSCV Commercial Crew Course).

Our fantastic 23 day learn to earn course allows you to experience 12 nights on sailing tours (made up of 2 day / 2 night trips) around the Whitsundays as an extra crew member. Working with professional crews you'll reinforce the theory learnt from your sail training course in week 1 plus learn about the additional requirements of commercial charter work. In addition you need to muck in and help the crew with all charter duties on board. At the end of your course you’ll have an interview and assistance finding work (depending on performance and work availability).

If you wish to take command of your own yacht or charter a small yacht with friends or family this certificate of excellence will enable you to do so safely and confidently.

Your first week will involve you training on the 6 day 5 night NSCV Commercial Crew Course, where you will live-aboard our Sail Training Vessel, undergoing theory and practical application, while sailing around the stunning Whitsunday Islands.

All meals during the 6 days 5 nights are included as well as, course notes, tuition, snorkelling instruction and equipment, marine and National Park Fees, log books and course certificates.

 The following 12 Nights will be spent on sailing tours (made up of 2 day 2 night or 3 day 2 night trips) around the Whitsundays as an extra crew member aboard our charter yachts to give you a true crew experience.

You will be added to the roster on the yachts and get to work with professional crews reinforcing the theory that you learned in your sail training course in your first week, plus learning other customer service aspects of working on Charter Yachts. As part of this experience you will also have 6 nights backpackers dorm/share based Accommodation in Airlie Beach to be used for nights off roster i.e. in between tours at sea.

Meals while on the sailing tours (12 days), 2 crew uniforms and 6 nights backpackers dorm/share based accommodation in Airlie Beach are all included during week 2-3.

At end of programme an interview will be arranged with our Human Resource / Recruitment Manager to evaluate performance with a view to employment. Employment is based on positions being available and successful performance.

Please Note: Work on the Commercial Charter Yachts is pretty hard, provisioning the yacht, assisting guests, assisting with cleaning, working the decks, assisting the cook. However, if you are energetic and don't mind mucking in, you will enjoy it.