You’re searching for “sailing lessons near me” in Newcastle, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Cullercoats, or nearby areas?. You want to learn to sail. Great choice – its good exercise, stimulates the brain – and gets you outdoors. You’ll love it ! And Tynemouth is an interesting place to sail.
We’re a small, friendly group. We want you to enjoy your intro to sailing at Tynemouth, in the River Tyne estuary (and sometimes at sea). If you live in the area, or are at a nearby university, we are a good spot for learning to sail. We are a coastal sailing location. This page should help you to start sailing, so join us, learn to sail & have fun on (and off!) the water: it’s easier and cheaper than you think.
If you have sailed before, we would be delighted to welcome you to the club. You can chat or restart your sailing. Sunday morning coaching sessions could be a great way to return to the sport if you’ve been away for a bit. Sundays from March to September. We have all the gear you’d need.
See this link from the BBC about starting to sail.
We run a “discover sailing” open day in May. Then, we run the key Royal Yacht Association (RYA) Level 1 and 2 courses on Saturdays in the early season. The total cost of £395 (2024 price) includes membership for the year.
We have a Facebook page – here – for those who want to engage with us on that platform.
Many routes lead to becoming a regular sailor; a couple of these routes appear below.
- Do a taster day, RYA1, then RYA2 in early summer, year 1. Then, weekly coaching on Sunday mornings and some ad hoc social sailing. Then, year 2, transition to sailing independently. Do more Sunday coaching and add some racing.
- Come along with a friend who has a 2-person boat. “Crew” for them. You’ll learn a lot, including how to right a capsized boat. It’s a common, but safe, occurrence if you have the right gear.
Expect to get wet each time you sail. You don’t often capsize, but it happens enough when learning to sail. So, dress for it. Wear warm, quick-drying, windproof clothes. A peaked cap on sunny days and some sailing gloves to protect your hands are also ideal.
You can borrow some gear from the club if you’re interested – wetsuits and buoyancy aids. If you are competent (e.g. RYA2), there are boats for hire on our Spond site (once subscribed). They are Laser 2000s, Fevas, Lasers, and Toppers. In a typical beginners’ coaching session, we will get you afloat somehow.
If the sailing bug bites you, there are usually a few boats for sale on the notice board or the site. There is also plenty of advice to help you buy one.
Typical session:
- Remove cover, Rig the boat 20-30 minutes.
- Drag the trolley & boat near to the water, go & get changed. (2 changing rooms, secured whilst sailing)
- put the boat in the water (wet feet, up to thigh high), put trolley on the beach (this piece often easier in pairs)
- Sail! 1 to 2 hours (ish)
- Come back tired but happy, drag the boat up the beach (can be a long way at low tide) de-rig, add covers.
- Change out of wet stuff, then shower. Then, retire to the clubhouse bar for a pint on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday nights.