RYA Competent Crew Course, April 2022

Just Sailing @ Marina di Chiavari, Italy

Why Just Sailing..?

I live in Central Switzerland, where I don’t speak a single word of Swiss German. It’s a beautiful place with lakes and tons of fancy yachts that never seem to leave their blue covers.

Anyway, I thought, let’s try something different. I wanted to find a sailing school nearby that teaches in English. So, I did some Googling and guess what? I found this awesome place called Just Sailing on the Italian Riviera! It’s a legit training center and they’re accredited by the RYA. Best part? It’s just a 4 to 5 hour drive or train ride from where I live. Oh, and get this, the owners and their yachts have a connection to my hometown, Portsmouth in the UK. How cool is that? Can’t wait to check it out!

The venue

Chiavari, man, it’s this cool little seaside spot in Italy. It’s got around 28,000 people livin’ there and it’s all about that beach life, you know? There’s this sweet promenade and a marina, right near the Entella River.

So, I roll up in my ride to the Marina di Chiavaria, Calata Ovest a few hours before the course starts. Lucky me, I find a spot to park right by Armila, a Beneteau Cyclades 39.9 that’s gonna be my crib for the next week.

Since I’ve got some time to kill, I wander around the marina and check out Chiavari, just takin’ it all in and snappin’ some pics with my trusty Sony Mobile. Good times, man.

Gallery: Marina di Chiavari, Calata Ovest

Gallery: Chiavari

All aboard for some training, Dude!

So, I showed up at this course, feeling a bit nervous and out of place. Fabrizio was our instructor for the next few days, and I was waiting for the other two dudes who were there for the RYA Day Skippers Course.

I gotta admit, I was a bit worried if I had done enough prep before the course. I read those RYA Competent Crew books over and over, and I practiced all those damn knots.

After we introduced ourselves and shared our nautical stories, we each got assigned a spot to bunk. Poor instructor had to crash in the living area, so no privacy for him.

We got the whole shebang on safety, with info on fires, flares, stop cocks, bungs and all that jazz, and also a boat tour. Then we had to go get supplies for the week. Let me tell you, it was pretty basic stuff. Some pasta, pre-made sauces, salad, bread, margarine, jam, tea, coffee, milk, cereals, snacks, and juices (no booze). We grabbed all that from the local Carrefour Express. But hey, when we were in port at night, we hit up the local restaurants for some good grub. And in the mornings, starting the day with a cup of coffee and some focaccia from the marina café, La Stiva was awesome.

Over the next few days, we learned all the skills needed for Competent Crew & Day Skipper. We sailed in the Ligurian Sea, cruising from Chiavari to Sestri Levante in the southeast, and San Fruttuoso in the northwest. We also checked out cool places like Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, and Rapallo. Good times, man.

We covered a bunch of cool stuff during our time on the yacht! We learned how to get the boat ready to sail, different sailing techniques, how to use winches, sheets, halyards and lines, what to do in case someone falls overboard (where’s Oscar..?), anchoring, who has the right of way, planning our passages, sailing at night, navigating blindly, using the motor while sailing, picking up mooring buoys, maneuvering in the marina, and even fueling up. It was a jam-packed week of learning!

Sure, dude! So, while I was in the training session, it was pretty hardcore. I couldn’t really snap many pics or videos because I had to give my full attention to the instructor. But hey, I did manage to get a couple of shots and thought I’d share ’em with you down below… Cool, huh? 😉

Gallery: Competent Crew Training, Part 1

Gallery: Competent Crew Training, Part 2

Summing it up

Once we finished scrubbing the yacht, we were given a quick briefing and handed our well-deserved certificates. Guess what? We all aced it! Who would’ve thought?

What an incredible week it was! I cannot express how much I enjoyed every moment. Huge props to Fabrizio and the awesome team at Just Sailing! You guys rock!

Time to hit the road home and continue my adventures…