RYA Day skipper onshore course and general advice needed

[Nimh]

Im brand new to sailing. Just done my RYA level 1 Introduction to sailing and have the level 2 booked for end of September. After that I plan to join a local club and dinghy sail on inland lakes (I live quite far from the coast).

I really liked the RYA 1 course and think sailing could become a major hobby. By chance when looking at something else on my local college's website I was surprised to see they do some RYA courses.

Do you think it's worth doing the Day Skipper course for someone in my position?. Going past dinghy sailing on lakes and into the sea/ocean on larger boats sounds great but with cost (I could not afford my own boat) and distance what avenues are there to get into this kind of sailing?.

Lastly, if anyone has any opinions on the pro's and cons of home based courses as a opposed to lecture based. With my local college doing the Day Skipper I have the option of doing that 5 months course or one of the many distance Day Skipper courses offered by several companies.

Thanks for your help!.

[chrondi]

Normally, RYA Day Skipper classes (practical course) should take place after you have served some time as an able crew member and proven to yourself that you can command a dinghy, steer a course and handle the sails (i.e. do without hesitation any manoeuvre and spontaneously react to wind shifts). RYA concentrates in safety aspects (including MOB exercises), navigation on-the-spot, harbour manoeuvres and yacht logistics.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Nimh

Lastly, if anyone has any opinions on the pro's and cons of home based courses as a opposed to lecture based. With my local college doing the Day Skipper I have the option of doing that 5 months course or one of the many distance Day Skipper courses offered by several companies.

Thanks for your help!.

During a classroom course the instructor can often add personal experiences that make the topics come alive. Also there is immediate help for any problems that might arise.