Adult Learn to Sail Programs
Join one of RSYS Sailing Academy’s Discover Sailing courses and experience the beauty of Sydney Harbour whilst developing your skills and making new friends. Whether you’re a nervous novice or looking to brush up on your skills, we offer courses for sailors of all experience levels.
These courses are open to RSYS Members and Non-Members and are conducted on our Club’s fleet of dynamic Elliott 7s keelboats which provide a stable platform allowing you to discover sailing without the fear of capsizing. Up to 5 sailors will be on-board with you including our friendly and enthusiastic Australian Sailing qualified Instructor.
Ladies of the Sea (LOTS) : Wednesdays 9.30-1.00pm
These courses are open to adult female sailors with mixed experience levels including beginners. Sessions take place on Wednesday mornings with a relaxed environment to build your skills, on-water confidence and meet new female friends.
Adult Discover Keelboat Sailing : Sundays 8.30-12.30pm
The Sunday morning courses are open to all adult sailors from beginners to those looking to sharpen their on-water skills. It is the perfect weekend activity and a wonderful way to share the experience and joy of sailing with new friends.
Keelboat Sailing Pathways
We offer four levels of keelboat courses plus ‘Skill Building’ opportunities designed to take you from your first sailing experience to being a skilled skipper looking for their next adventure.
Start Crewing: The first step on the Keelboat pathway introduces you to the basics of sailing on a small keelboat, including boat handling, safety and sailing theory.
Start Helming: This course develops both your sailing theory and practical skills to confidently take control on the helm; it continues to develop your skills as a crew.
Skill Building: The ‘Skill Building’ level is designed to give sailors more time on the water to practice and solidify their skills before progressing up to the next level. This is a good option if sailors don’t have the opportunity to build up their experience elsewhere between the pathway levels (Crewing, Helming).
Start Skippering: This course will advance your sailing skills and safety knowledge to enable you to skipper unsupervised in sheltered waters.
Spinnakers: This course introduces you to the fun and challenge of using an asymmetrical and/or a symmetrical spinnaker.
Each level comprises 5 sessions including classroom and on-water time. Spinnakers and Skippering courses are run based on expression of interest.
Upcoming Adult Discover Sailing Courses
Ladies of the Sea (LOTS)
11 March - 22 April 2026
29 April - 27 May 2026
3 June - 1 July 2026
22 July - 19 August 2026
26 August - 23 September 2026
14 October - 11 November 2026
18 November - 16 December 2026
Sunday Discover Keelboat Sailing
15 March - 12 April 2026
3 May - 14 June 2026
31 June - 26 July 2026
2 August - 30 August 2026
20 September - 1 November 2026
8 November - 13 December 2026
Notes:
All courses are booked via Australian Sailing’s platform RevSport.
You will be asked to enter your Australian Sailing Number and profile details
Forgotten your Australian Sailing Number? click here
Course booked out? Can’t find what you are looking for?
If the course you were attempting to register for has booked out, add your details to our Expression of Interest form to be notified when the next courses open.
If you are cannot find a course, would like some help or would like to complete the Start Spinnaker Course, please use the contact details below to reach out to a staff member of the Academy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wear clothing that can get wet: board shorts/activewear, a long sleeve sports top (similar to what you would wear at the gym) and a spray jacket. We also recommend you bring a change of clothes, a towel and sailing gloves. Enclosed shoes and a hat are essential.
We provide PFDs (life jackets) for all course participants.
The underground car park is generally available to Members only. There is some 4 hour parking in the surrounding streets, otherwise please take an Uber or public transport (Milsons Point train station or Kirribilli Wharf).
To register for all our courses, Members and non-members need to click on the course link above. This will take you to RevSport, the Australian Sailing booking platform.
You will be asked for an Australian Sailing number. If you cannot remember your AS number or do not have one, please follow the prompts on the booking page.
You can pay for our courses by credit card.
You may change and shower in the change rooms opposite the training room and you may grab a coffee or lunch in the Careening Cove Anchorage (our casual dining bistro). We ask that non-members do not walk through the clubhouse.
Brilliant! Novices are encouraged to seek a spot on a Twilight boat
Wonderful! Please contact us!
RSYS Sailing Academy Contact Details
33 Peel St, Kirribilli NSW 2061
Phone: +61 2 9017 0154
Email: [email protected]
