UK Sailing Courses - Portsmouth

Pricing and Availability

For more information on UK sailing courses please contact or visit Prometheus Sailing

Standard course prices

Prices above are listed in GBP and per person based on a single berth upon a shared yacht and may include sharing a cabin or sleeping in a converted berth in the saloon. For single occupancy prices and availability, please talk to the Prometheus sailing school team.

We have sailing courses running year-round here in Portsmouth. Please call the number above or email the sales team on [email protected] for available course dates.

* Call for pricing

** plus exam fee payable to RYA

Any special offer discounts will be applied at time of booking when paying the deposit and cannot be added retrospectively. Special offes are only available on listed dates and are subject to availabilty. Special offers are subject to change and can be withdrawn at any time.

(The above price list is correct at time of publishing and subject to change without prior notice)

Sunsail Magenta Courses

Sunsail has joined forces with The Magenta Project – a collective of passionate sailors committed to creating equal access and opportunities for women – to launch an innovative sailing initiative (Sunsail Magenta) designed to encourage more women to take up sailing, compete in yacht racing and consider careers in the marine industry, within the UK. Sunsail Magenta provides RYA sailing courses, race training courses and mentoring programs to women of all ages.

For more information about Sunsail Magenta Courses or to book your place, please call 02394 350 505 or click the button below. 

Learn more

Practical Information

You can find additional helpful information and our updated Covid-19 policy in our Prometheus Sailing School Joining Instructions.

What to bring

Practical courses

• Cold weather gear: fleece top, gloves, hat, scarf, thick socks, comfortable trousers or tracksuit, deck shoes, sailing boots or non-marking trainers, neck towel or small towel to stop drips. We do not recommend jeans as they take a long time to dry.

• Warm weather gear: a hat, sun cream, shorts, and T-shirts.

• Please note: all personal items are brought at your own risk. You may also want to bring your own waterproofs or hire some from us. For hygiene reasons, we do not hire out sailing footwear. Waterproofs for hire come in a range of adult sizes.

• Please note: All practical course students are required to wear lifejackets. Prometheus only provides life jackets suitable for adults or older teenagers. We do have a small supply of children’s lifejackets (size 20-50kgs) available for hire at the Sunsail reception subject to availability (pre-booking is recommended)

• If taking part in Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore prep week, you will need a logbook showing past experience and two passport-sized photographs for your examination. You will also need a valid first aid certificate and an SRC certificate or higher level GMDSS radio operator's qualification. Please ensure you bring the correct exam fees for each course. These are payable direct to the RYA examiner, not Prometheus.

• We recommend bringing a flashlight with you on all practical courses.

Shore-based courses

• Pens, pencils, eraser, calculator, dividers and a Bretton Plotter. A Bretton Plotter and divider pack is available to buy from us at a cost of £26.00 +£3 p&p or can be collected on arrival.

It isn't all work and no play, so you'll have the chance to enjoy coffee breaks throughout the day. There are various places to buy lunch as well as a supermarket close by, or you can bring a packed lunch instead. Please note that the classroom may not be based at the Sunsail office in Port Solent and may be hosted at an alternative classroom a short walk/drive away. 

RYA Practical Day Skipper and RYA Coastal - Skipper Certificates 

To get your certificate you will need to bring a passport size photo and a photo ID, such as a passport or driving license. Please note: you cannot be issued with your certificate without both of these items.

ICC Certificate

To get your certificate paperwork you will need to bring photo ID, such as a passport or driving license. Please note: you cannot be issued with your certificate paperwork without the instructor seeing your ID.

Accommodation

Practical courses

• You will be sleeping on board in shared cabins. The saloon area is also available for sleeping.

• We do not provide bedding so please bring your own sleeping bags, pillows, and towels.

• Please bring your things in a soft holdall as there is limited storage onboard the yacht.

Shore-based courses

• We are able to offer accommodation onboard our yachts, subject to availability. Please ask us for further information or, if you would prefer, you can arrange your own accommodation locally. There are 3 hotels within a 10-15 minutes walk from Port Solent. These hotels are the Marriott, Premier Inn Port Solent, and Premier Inn North Harbour. There is also a Village hotel around 10 minutes drive from Port Solent.

Catering arrangements

Practical courses

• Breakfast, lunch and non-alcoholic beverages are provided onboard. You are welcome to bring any extra snacks you may need.

• We do try to cater for dietary requirements if you let us know what they are ahead of time, or bring alternative provisions as needed.

• Evening meals are at your own expense, but your skipper will be able to direct you to the best meal in town at each overnight stop with the crew.

• All meals are included on teenage sailing weeks.

• Helping out with the cooking, washing up and general housekeeping of the yacht will be expected of each guest.

Shore-based courses

• You can expect some refreshments on arrival, as well as in the morning and for your afternoon break. For lunch you can dine in the great local restaurants here in Port Solent or a short walk away is a large supermarket and food outlets. Lunch is not included.

Logbook for RYA courses

You will need RYA logbook G158 for your course. If you have not already ordered a logbook you can purchase one from our office. If you have ordered a logbook when you made your booking it will be on board for you to collect on arrival for your course. Logbooks cost £10. 

Recommended reading for RYA courses

RYA practical and/or theory course books. These can be purchased in advance directly from the sales team at the Sunsail Port Solent office or at reception on arrival. If you have ordered a course book when you made your booking it will be on board for you to collect on arrival for your course

Course start times

Please refer to your booking confirmation for your start day and times as these differ in different courses.

Practical courses start at 9 am or 7 pm depending on the course booked and usually finish around 4pm. Theory courses run from 9 am-5 pm. Please ensure that you arrive between 10 and 15 minutes early for your course, this will allow enough time for our reception team to check you in and assist with any purchases or waterproof hire. 

Teenage practical courses start at 6 pm and usually finish at 4 pm.

Marina fees 

Mooring/Marina fees are not included in the UK Course price. Costs incurred for berthing will be split between the crew. On average this will be around £10/15pp per night. As guide 5 day courses will incur 4 days mooring/marina fees and 2 day courses will incur 1 day mooring/marina fees.

Children on courses

• Prometheus welcomes older children (16+) on any of our courses at any time of year, provided they are accompanied by at least one adult (over 18yrs). Children under 16 are welcome to join you on a family course. However, to participate in RYA courses they must meet the minimum age requirements.

   Start Yachting Course - Minimum age 8+

          Competent Crew Certification Course - Minimum age 12+

          ICC and Day Skipper Certification Course - Minimum age is 16+

• If you are aged 13 to 17 and want to take to the water without your parents then our specialist teenage weeks with DBS checked instructors are the perfect week away. Contact the sales team for further information.

• Prometheus' Club Welfare Officer is Karen Rawson. Karen is responsible for implementing safeguarding and child protection policy and can be contacted at [email protected]

  Click for more information about Club Welfare Officers

Respecting destinations

Prometheus remains committed to protecting the environment and supporting local cultures in our sailing areas. Over many years our clients have helped us to ensure that our presence does not negatively impact these areas. Please continue to help us leave these areas as good as or better than we found them.

• Managing your sewerage by always using the pump-out facilities in marinas, where available. Otherwise, please avoid emptying tanks in busy anchorages and marinas and prevent contamination to humans and reefs by pumping out as far as possible offshore.
• Washing off your anchor when leaving an anchorage. Your yacht is equipped with low phosphate washing up liquid, please use this and keep the bottle so that it can be refilled.
• Separating your waste and recycling on board as much as possible.
• Avoid pumping oily bilge water or other hazardous substances into the sea. Save these for safe disposal in a marina pump-out facility. 
• Being litter conscious by never throwing rubbish overboard and avoiding using plastics and other non-biodegradable products. 
• Observing marine law, and knowing the laws that govern fish catch sizes and the touching and handling of marine wildlife.
• Remembering to keep a safe distance from marine life, and if viewing, approach side-on and stop with propellers in neutral.
• Identifying dark water areas as possible important ecosystems, and taking care if navigating around them.
• Keeping sealife in mind when mooring. Using buoys where available instead of anchoring.

Photography

We have photographers on-site at our bases throughout the season, and you'll be informed if one is present upon arrival at your base. If you have strong objections to close-up photography of yourself and your party, please indicate your feelings to the photographer at the time.

Prometheus schools office opening hours

The Prometheus sales office is open Monday to Friday and 9 am to 5:30 pm. 

Port Solent base opening hours: Monday - Thursday from 9 am - 5 pm (or 8 pm when we have yacht departures or sailing courses)

Friday from 9 am-8 pm, Saturday from 8 am - 10 am

Sunday from 3 pm-8 pm when we have yacht departures or sailing courses

Contact numbers

Contact [email protected] or call 02394 350 505 to make a booking
(Monday to Friday 9.00 - 17:30)

Reception and for delayed arrivals 02394 350 505 (Within base opening hours)

Emergency Prometheus Sailing LTD operations 02394 350 505 (Outside base opening hours only)

Base address

Prometheus Sailing LTD (previously Sunsail)

The Marina Lock Approach

Port Solent

Portsmouth

England

PO6 4TJ

How to find us

By Train 

The nearest mainline stations are Havant or Fratton station with regular connections to Chichester, Brighton, London, and Southampton. The nearest local stations to Port Solent are Portchester and Cosham. For 24 hour information on local and national train times and fares telephone: National Rail Enquiries: 03457 48 49 50.

There is a taxi rank at Havant, Fratton and Cosham train stations. The local taxi number is 02392 654 321. Uber also operates in the Portsmouth area.

On arrival at Port Solent 

Follow the main road going straight across the first roundabout. At the next roundabout, bear right (the only way). At the third roundabout, near the Odeon cinema take the second exit. Then drive over two speed bumps and take the next right, sign posted Sunsail. The car park is on the left of the gravel area. Parking at Port Solent is free. Once parked, make your way down the path to the left hand side of the marina, with the water on your right. Continue until you reach a smaller car park, and can see the marina reception. The Sunsail reception is at the front of the same building.

Course joining instructions are correct at time of publication but are subject to change without prior notice.