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£850

ToTheir name

FromYour name

Emailed to them on the date you choose. You'll get a copy now.

Package price

£850

£850 is the typical price of an RYA Competent Crew course. The voucher goes towards their course, or any other trip if they'd rather. Prices in GBP. You can change currency at the top of the page.

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Who's it from?

We'll send your receipt and a copy of the voucher here.

How should we send it?
When should it arrive?

You'll pay securely with Stripe. Vouchers can be used on any SailTies trip for 12 months from the day they're delivered.

What's included

One gift voucher towards the RYA's course for people new to sailing.

  • RYA Competent Crew

    Five days aboard a yacht with an RYA instructor, from no experience to a useful member of the crew.

  • What they'll learn

    Steering, sail handling, knots and ropework, safety and life on board, all by doing it.

  • Their choice of school and dates

    They use it with any of our providers that run Competent Crew courses.

Who this gift is for

Anyone who has always wanted to learn to sail.

  • They've never sailed, or have only had a go on a friend's boat.

  • They'd like to crew for friends, or join a sailing holiday with confidence.

  • They want to start on the path to Day Skipper and beyond.

No experience needed. The course starts from the very beginning, and everything is taught on board.

How the gift works

It can be used with any of our providers that run Competent Crew courses. They pick the school and the dates, send us their voucher code, and we take it off the price.

  1. 1

    Choose and buy

    Add their name and a message, choose how to send it, and pay securely.

  2. 2

    Send it

    We email it to you to give in person, or to them at 8am on the day you choose.

  3. 3

    They book their course

    They pick a school and dates, and use the voucher when they book.

Competent Crew courses coming up

Validity and terms

  • Valid for 12 months from the day it's delivered. Schedule it up to 12 months ahead and the 12 months start on that day.

  • The package is a gift voucher for the price shown above, the typical price of a Competent Crew course. It's priced in pounds and converted to your currency at today's exchange rate.

  • It can be used on Competent Crew courses with any of our providers, or on any other trip on SailTies.

  • If their course costs more, they pay the difference when they book. If it costs less, the rest stays on the voucher for another trip.

  • Courses are run by independent sailing schools, and each booking follows that school's terms and availability.

  • Unused vouchers can be refunded within 14 days of purchase. Vouchers can't be exchanged for cash.

Begin sailing gift FAQs

A sailor looking out from the foredeck

  • What is the RYA Competent Crew?

Other sailing gift vouchers

Not quite right? Choose another gift, or see them all.

  • Gift voucher

    From £25

    Use on any trip

    Sailing gift voucher

    Choose the amount. They spend it on any trip or course on SailTies.

    Buy a gift voucher

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Adventures

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  • Begin sailing package

    • Gift package

    Begin sailing gift package: learn to sail

    Their first proper sailing course, as a gift. The voucher goes towards the RYA Competent Crew course, five days aboard a yacht, with the school and dates they choose.

    A voucher to give

    With your message, emailed to you or to them on the day you choose. Valid for 12 months from delivery.

    RYA Competent Crew — Sailing Course in United Kingdom

    With Nomad Sailing

    RYA Competent Crew

    Gosport Marina

    • 21 - 25 October 2026
    • 28 October - 1 November 2026
    • 11 - 15 November 2026
    • +7 more dates

    Course from£795

  • RYA Competent Crew Course — Sailing Course in United Kingdom

    With London School of Sailing

    RYA Competent Crew Course

    Port Hamble Marina

    • 21 - 25 October 2026

    Course from£820

    • See all sailing courses

    It's the RYA's first course for people new to sailing: five days aboard a yacht, learning to be a useful member of the crew. No experience is needed.

  • Does the package cover the whole course?

    It's a voucher for the typical price of a Competent Crew course. Prices vary by school and location: if theirs costs more they pay the difference, and if it costs less the rest stays on the voucher.

  • Do they need any experience?

    No. The course starts from the very beginning, and everything is taught on board.

  • Where and when can they do the course?

    With any of our providers that run Competent Crew courses, on dates they choose within the 12 months. The courses coming up are listed on this page.

  • Can they use it on something else?

    Yes. It works on any trip or course on SailTies, so if they'd rather do something different, they can.

  • Can I send it as a surprise?

    Yes. Have it emailed to you to give in person, or pick a date and we'll email it to them at 8am UK time that morning.

  • Can I get a refund?

    Unused vouchers can be refunded within 14 days of purchase. Email hello@sailties.net with your order number.

  • Day Skipper package

    £850

    Theory and practical

    Day Skipper gift package

    The RYA qualification to skipper a yacht by yourself. They choose the school and the dates.

    See the package

  • Mile builder

    £1,500

    Around 1,000 miles

    Mile builder gift voucher

    Sea miles on a real offshore passage, towards their next qualification. They choose the passage and the dates.

    See the voucher
    • See all sailing gift vouchers
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    Why buy a sailing gift with SailTies

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    Sailing trip reviews from the boat

    Reviews can only be left by sailors who were on the boat.

    Trusted by 50,000 sailors

    • Kirsty Sutherland

      August 2026

      Great sailing, lovely crew

      “Perfect introduction to non-stop ocean sailing, and night watches. We were blessed with plenty of solar/celestial activity, but most of all a professional and friendly crew who were generous with their time and expertise, and very lovely and thoughtful on top.”
      • Genoa to Palermo Mile Builder
      • Genoa to Palermo Mile Builder
      Genoa to Palermo Mile Builder

    • Jay Baum

      July 2026

      An amazing training opportunity at a world-famous racing event

      “I'm a resonably experienced club sailor with some racing experience on smaller keelboats. When I realized I would be visiting the south coast during the Round the Island Race, I went looking for a chance to join a crew. I didn't want to over-sell my experience, and finding a new class of boat (for me) and an organizer like Tim (who was looking to make the event a training day in which we would all have a chance to learn and practice our skills) was the perfect fit. With an experienced skipper and a crew with diverse sailing sailing backgrounds, we worked well together and helped each other in our various roles. Tim focused on communication and timing, making sure we knew what to do, and what to do next. Finishing in in the top half of our class was a proud moment considering we all met for the first time at 5am on race day.”
      • Round the Island Race with Sea Trials
      • Round the Island Race with Sea Trials
      • Round the Island Race with Sea Trials
      Round the Island Race with Sea Trials

    • Andrew Buchan

      July 2026

      Fantastic sail

      “Quite simply, it was a fantastic day. Tim was brilliant, as was everyone else on board. It was great to rotate responsibilities throughout the day, giving everyone the chance to experience all aspects of sailing. It was a fantastic way to pick up new sailing tips, build confidence, and have a great deal of fun along the way. I would highly recommend these sails!”
      Round the Island Race with Sea Trials

    • Dan Fullerton

      July 2026

      RTI 2026

      “The day was absolutely brilliant, Tim who organised the event did an exceptional job, Richard the Skipper was a local so knew the Solent like the back of his hand so the boat sailed well at all times, Niomi who ran the bow definitely knew her stuff and when there was a problem sorted promptly so we could still sail competitively. To say none of us as crew had meet before hand everyone got on and did there rolls and helped others out if people where struggling a bit. By the end of the day everyone could do everything and do it well. I would definitely recommend Seatrails as a company. Hopefully I will sail with them again.”
      • Round the Island Race with Sea Trials
      Round the Island Race with Sea Trials

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