Meet and greet
On arrival at Queensway Quay marina at around 18:00 on the evening before the yacht sets sail, you will be introduced to the yacht, your home for the duration of the course. You will be given a basic safety brief and dinner will be ashore if required. Accommodation is included on board. This is a great time to get get to know your Instructor and other crew members and to get immersed in the whole nautical theme! But don't worry, you won't be expected to demonstrate a whole repertoire of sailing knowledge on the first evening, it is just a relaxing, easy way to start the course.
Day 1
Today you will start after breakfast on board at around 09: 30 with a full safety brief usually delivered by a budding Day Skipper under the watchful eye of your instructor.
The day will start with a few hours out in Gibraltar Bay consolidating your knowledge and blowing away the cobwebs, then moving on to position fixing and procedural exercises such as reefing and MOB. Skippering a yacht, large or small is about crew and safety management so from the outset this week each and every student will be taking command of the yacht during numerous exercises and tasks.
After Lunch, more sailing skills and drills to include reefing, tacking, gybing and heaving to. If there is time you will explore the MOB procedure. Finish is usually around 1800 on day one.
The evening is usually spent back in our home marina where you will have some free time to explore the old city of Gibraltar, soak up the marina lifestyle and enjoy a meal ashore.
Day 2 - 4
Over these three days you will be planning and executing passages to different destinations in Morocco and Spain while working steadily through the RYA Day Skipper syllabus. Each student will plan and execute at least one passage from one place to another and show their skills in dealing with an emergency such as a MOB. While this might all sound daunting, don't worry! We believe that you learn best when having fun so we have a light hearted approach which will keep you smiling while soaking up the knowledge. Each day your Instructor will debrief and advise on areas to work on to help you progress effectively. Whenever possible your Instructor will schedule some downtime to chill out and explore the local area. It is essential for sound learning to get some 'head space' to allow knowledge to sink in
Day 5
The last day! Today you will be heading back to Queensway Quay, Gibraltar. By now you will be at, or close, to Day Skipper level and brimming with confidence. Despite it being the last day it is invariably super busy as there are always some last minute exercises and 'refinements' to do en route. Once back in Queensway Quay the Skipper of the moment will ensure the yacht is secure, and then after a clean down and final debrief your Instructor will sign log books and award certificates. The course will be finished by 16:30.
During the course you will cover at least 100 nautical miles, weather permitting, and if possible 4 night/darkness hours as per the RYA Syllabus. Sometimes during the summer months night sailing is not easily possible but at most other times we cover it. This sets you firmly on your way along the RYA training path.
Jolly Parrot supply breakfast, lunches and snacks for the entire practical course.
Have a question?
If you have any questions please email us or call on +44 7925 784407 or see our Frequently Asked Questions.
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See what our clients say
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Great week with Jolly Parrot our instructors Ian and Lissie were excellent and prepared us above and beyond for our Yachtmaster assessment at the end of the week. Would definitely recommend for any of your training.
Ben
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Amazing 10 days with my instructor Ian working on my yacht master coastal prep course, which I successfully passed the day after the course. Great company couldn’t recommend them enough booking was easy and very well informed thanks to Rachel working behind the scenes.
Greg
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Absolutely incredible! Recently, I completed Jolly Parrot’s ‘Novice to Day Skipper’ course, and it was one of the best experiences of my life! Not only did I learn to sail, but the course also improved my confidence massively. The instructors were all so lovely and incredibly knowledgeable. Greg was my instructor for the Day Skipper portion and I couldn’t imagine anyone better suited for the job - An excellent instructor with impeccable humour. I met some amazing people during this course (namely my crew mates Bene, Doug and Flo), and overall had a wonderful time :)
Georgia
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Novice to Day Skipper course with Alex & Jason I was eager to learn to sail and at the same time to have relaxing time (holiday-like). It worked well for me, the instructors were cool and I was lucky to meet good colleagues sailors and have good time on the way. Keep rocking Jolly.
Nikola
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16-week Fast-Track I completed the 16-week Fast-Track program with Jolly Parrot, starting as a complete beginner with no prior sailing experience. From the moment I stepped aboard, the instructors—Ian, Greg, Rob, and Jason—became my guides, transforming my raw inexperience into something far more seasoned and confident. With their patience, skill, and unshakable belief in every student, they taught me far more than I could have imagined. If you’re considering joining, I can wholeheartedly recommend Jolly Parrot. The program is well-structured, and the instructors are highly knowledgeable, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to develop their sailing skills.
Tobias
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We spent a wonderful 11 days in November 2021 with Jolly Parrot. I completed the Coastal Skipper Combined course and my wife the Comp Crew. Instructors Flipper, IanG, Hailey, and Tom were all exceptional in their own unique way and we came away with more rounded skills and knowledge as a result of their patient teaching methods. Clive and Rachel did a fabulous job of shuffling schedules and boats to accommodate our different experience levels. Expect to be challenged on the Coastal Skipper course! We made some abiding memories, some long-term connections and friends, and hope to return soon for the next challenge maybe a mile-builder.
James
