Shortcuts to Available Courses :
Dinghy Courses || Keelboat Courses || Shore-based Courses || Powerboat Courses
Oban Sailing Club is an RYA approved dinghy and powerboat training centre. We run a variety of courses (see the full list and details below) following the RYA schemes in dinghies, powerboats and onshore, and offer keelboat coaching, all generally between April and October. Our summer holiday junior weeks run in a block during Argyll and Bute summer holidays. If you’ve any questions about training courses at Oban Sailing Club, please see our frequently asked questions or contact us at training@obansailingclub.org.
Dinghy sailing courses for beginners include a membership for the remainder of the current season, but our other courses require you to join the club beforehand.
For informal sailing for all ages, coaching and a chance to have fun and practice your skills check out our Monday Mayhem sessions.
All of our courses are organised by volunteers and run by either local volunteer instructors or instructors brought in from outwith the club.
Training Courses – What’s Coming Up
We’ve now completed our scheduled training courses for 2025. Thank you to everyone who took part!
We’re already planning ahead for 2026 and expect to offer a full programme once again. Keep an eye out for updates early in the year.
We’re currently working on sourcing instructors to run:
- RYA Junior Beginner Courses
- RYA Junior Advanced Courses
- RYA Adult Beginner Dinghy Courses
These are planned for July and August 2026, alongside our Wet and Wild Summer Weeks – fun, informal activity weeks for young sailors. As always, please bear with us while our volunteers organise the sessions – we’ll post new dates as soon as they’re confirmed, so check back often.
Want to stay in the loop?
If you’re interested in a particular course please register your interest here, and we’ll email you as soon as that course – or something similar – becomes available for booking.
Dinghy Sailing Courses
High School Learn To Sail Course – Wednesday evening course in April and May for anyone of high school age to learn to sail or keep practicing, no prior experience necessary.
Junior Start Sailing Weekend – A weekend of games and fun to learn the basics of sailing
Junior Beginners – no experience necessary, for everyone who’s working towards Stage 1 or 2.
Junior Improvers – a slightly more advanced level, for those who already have their Stage 2, working towards Stage 3
Junior Advanced – for those who’ve mastered Stage 3, working on Stage 4 (doublehanded boats), advanced modules, or just developing skills that the sailors would like to work on.
Adult Beginners – learn the basic skills of dinghy sailing, working towards RYA Level 1
Adult Improvers – for those who already have RYA Level 1 or equivalent experience, building on your sailing skills.
Adult Advanced– for those who already have RYA Level 2 or equivalent experience, building on your sailing skills.
Advanced Modules – we can also run courses on sailing with spinnakers, start racing, and seamanship skills.
Upcoming Dinghy Courses
Powerboating Courses
RYA Powerboat Level 2 – learn to drive a powerboat so you can help out at OSC sessions, no previous experience necessary
RYA Safety Boat – how to provide safety cover to help keep a variety of water users safe
OSC Rescue Boat Practice Days – practice the skills required to be a safety boat driver at OSC, and get (re)acquainted with the OSC powerboats
Upcoming Powerboat Courses:
Shorebased Courses
RYA First Aid – one day marine focussed first aid course. Suitable for maintaining a current instructing or Yachtmaster qualification.
RYA Marine Radio Short Range Certificate (SRC) – Operator’s license for marine VHF radio.
Upcoming Shore-based Courses:
Yachting Coaching
Keel Boat Race Crew Coaching – No need to have sailed a yacht before, however basic sailing knowledge in a boat of some kind will help.
Upcoming Yachting Courses:
Becoming an Instructor
Assistant Instructor – start to help others learn to sail
Instructor Sailing Skills – coaching sessions for those who are interested in becoming an instructor at OSC.
