Courses

Specialty Courses

Bareboat Charter Preparation

This one-day, nil experience required course will have you on your way to the most enjoyable sailing holiday imaginable.  You will gain knowledge to safely and competently charter your own desired yacht by providing practice picking up moorings, planning your trip, advice on what to expect and what to pack and take.  Upon completion you will obtain an Introduction to Sailing – Bareboat Charter Preparation Certificate which is recognized by all reputable charter operators so your briefing time on commencement of your charter is reduced and getting you out on the water sooner.

Boat Handling

One of the most challenging aspects of yachting is not out in the open ocean but rather at the very beginning and ending of most journeys – ‘parking’.

This one-day boat handling course helps students to confidently manoeuvre a yacht under power within a marina.  Onboard one of our own yachts (or for your own, see Own Boat Tuition), you will learn-by-doing under the guidance of one of our highly skilled skippers. 

Skills you will enhance are:

  • Exiting and entering a berth
  • Springing on and off
  • Reversing in to a berth
  • Using stern kick
  • Turning in a tight circle
  • Confidence in unfamiliar conditions
  • Mediterranean mooring (if planning/chartering a vessel abroad)

Own Boat Tuition (Sail and Power)/Personal Coaching

Have you purchased a boat or wish to learn new skills to more confidently handle your current boat?  Under the calm and experienced guidance of our skippers, you will gain confidence and skills for more enjoyable boating.

100% tailored to suit your needs and areas of improvement.

Common skills for further development include:

  • Docking/Mooring
  • Boat handling
  • Sail trimming
  • Navigation
  • Launching and retrieving for trailer boat owners
  • Reviewing vessel equipment and layout with emphasis on safety aspects
  • Executing tight turns for entering and leaving marinas

For owners planning travels beyond Moreton Bay, our skippers can accompany you on multi-day passages and deliveries to broaden experience with passage planning, navigation, bar crossings and night sailing.

Tuition can be as short as an hour on weekdays, one full day or multiple days depending on your personal requirements.

Call or email if you wish to discuss your private tuition needs further.  (Maximum 4 onboard)

Offshore Sail Training & Coastal Experience/Mile Builder

Southern Cross Yachting offers offshore sail training courses and mile builders to coastal destinations from Mooloolaba to the Whitsunday’s. 

These voyages are ideal for completing qualifying passages for Yachtmaster exams or for simply gaining experience offshore with an experienced instructor.  Depending upon the voyage timeline, there will be night sailing opportunities as well as evenings in marinas or at anchor.

As with any offshore sailing trip, destinations are weather dependent and alternative stopovers or routes may be chosen to suit weather conditions.  As a participant you will be involved in preparing meals and keeping the vessel clean during the trip.

If your dream is to cruise the Queensland coast or beyond this is a great opportunity to experience offshore sailing and help prepare for your own voyages in the future.

The following are some of the training areas covered on these offshore trips:

  • Passage planning
  • Watch keeping and crew organisation
  • Preparation for sea and safety checks
  • Practicing pilotage and navigation skills
  • Adverse conditions and managing the yacht in heavy weather
  • Choosing sails and reefing
  • Spinnaker sailing in suitable conditions
  • Helming offshore
  • Night passages
  • Emergency situations

International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft (ICC) & CEVNI

International Sailing Qualifications required for chartering in Europe are the ICC (International Certificate of Competence) and CEVNI (required for inland waterways such as the French Canals). Southern Cross Yachting is one of the first training centres in Australia to be accredited to test for the ICC & CEVNI.

Most European countries are now requiring skippers of charter and private boats to hold an ICC to operate these vessels in their open and inland waterways. This Certificate is issued by the RYA and it is important to check with your charter company or the maritime authorities of the countries you are intending to visit to find out if the ICC is required.  An ICC can only be issued to persons holding passports or residents of: Australia, the United Kingdom and its territories, the USA, Canada and New Zealand.

The ICC can be issued directly to persons holding the RYA/YA Day Skipper practical certificate or higher.  For people not holding these qualifications, but who have suitable prior experience,  a direct test is available.  The test is both a practical and theoretical assessment and takes approximately 4 hours.  It can be undertaken on your own suitable vessel (power or sail) or onboard one of our fleet (sail only).

We can also arrange for a one- or two-day course during which the test will be completed.

The ICC can be issued for power and/or sailing vessels up to either 10 or 24 meters, consecutively, in length.  Specify whether you require an ICC for power or sail when booking.

For those wishing to skipper a vessel in the French inland water ways there is an additional short theory exam called the CEVNI rules.  This covers rules specific to the French canals and includes signs, buoyage, light and sound signals and general steering rules. This test is taken on-line.

Contact Southern Cross Yachting to discuss the assessment that is right for you.

Ladies Sailing

Women who participate in our weekend or 5-day ‘Ladies Only’ courses do so for a multitude of reasons:

  • To further contribute to the sailing of their own yacht with their partners
  • To learn with, and from, link-minded women
  • To understand and practice safety procedures including person overboard drills
  • To gain skippering skills and experience to confidently helm their own vessel

This is a specifically designed course where you can gain Certificates in a range of RYA competencies on a female only vessel.

An incredible adventure! The experienced owners Carly & Jamie of SCY were fantastic in booking & organising, the instructor was incredibly knowledgeable & professional, and the boat was amazing. Can’t rate Southern Cross Yachting highly enough- I’m already planning my next lesson
Jemma - July 2023 
Jemma - July 2023

Massive thank you to Jamie and all the staff and other instructors at Southern Cross Yachting! 10/10 experience from booking to sailing to instruction to food whilst onboard.
Absolutely one of the best things I’ve ever done and now I’m addicted to sailing!

Alex 
Alex

A great place to learn all things about sailing, experienced Captains who are only to happy to answer any and all questions, a great experience,

Michael MacCormack 2021
Michael MacCormack

Well organized with a wonderful team and instructors. Completed my Comp Crew and looking forward to doing the Day skipper next.

N Dashti 2020
N Dashti

We were lucky enough to spend a day with Jamie on Moreton bay and can’t speak highly enough about it. Three of us with varied previous experience of sailing joined with a father and son to share in a day of learning the ropes. The day was tailored to our varied needs and at all times we were able to ask questions and glean experience from Jamie’s wealth of knowledge. We would highly recommend signing up for a course if you’re interested in getting back on the water after a hiatus. Thanks so much guys! It was a priceless day!

Maria Bukala 2021
Maria Bukala
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