Elite Sailing

Just completed my motor cruiser Day Skipper certificate with Greg Godden of Elite, it was comprehensive, informative, interesting and an absolute pleasure.Topics covered were Navigation, boat handling, Pilotage, MOB, Passage Planning to name but a few. Each was covered in detail as Greg’s knowledge was invaluable and put across in clear unambiguous language that was both informative and fun.Very profession outfit and would recommend them without hesitationThank you allCaptain Phil

I did my competent crew sailing course with Elite Sailing this year.Having never sailed before, I was nervous, but I was quickly made to feel at home and we had a lovely crew, and the instructor (Sam) was so friendly and welcoming. She tailored the course to each of us, and I learned so much from her. She was professional and clearly a very experienced instructor, with lots of useful tips and tricks, but also some amazing stories.I live in London, and so for me it was easy to get to, it took about an hour on the train (elite is the closest sailing school to London), everyone else on the course was from London too, and some of us have stayed in touch.I left feeling confident, and like I’m ready to take my sailing forward.Now to crack on with my day skipper theory and get my day skipper practical booked for the spring. Eeek!Thank you Elite Sailing.I highly recommend them, to anyone thinking about learning to sail.

It's taken me a couple of weeks to sit down and write this review and I wanted to get it right, because I think that the 5-day RYA Day Skipper course has changed my life! I am totally hooked on sailing!Adam, our instructor, was just incredible - his love for sailing was infectious and I know that this brought the 5 strangers on the boat at the start of the week together in ways that no other course I've ever been on has.No time was wasted across the 5 days, every moment was an opportunity to learn something - whether that be manoeuvres in tight spaces within Chatham Marina, exiting and entering the lock, motoring or sailing, every single part added to my knowledge and challenged my thinking.After the first day's manoeuvres and sailing in the Medway, we sailed to Burnham-on-Crocuh. The three of us aboard doing Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper planned the route and decided timings etc. We were caught in a large low pressure system (no wind but torrential rain) right in the Thames Estuary so again we learned so much about the value of radar and what to do in low visibility.When the weather improved and the wind picked up slightly we sailed toward Burnham, spotting porpoises and seals along the way. We had missed our timing window so were having to tack along the Crouch against the tide but it was perfect for us to learn some real sailing in increasingly challenging conditions.We finally motored into Burnham Marina for a well earned rest.The following day we practised man over board, ferry gliding and other manoeuvres (some of us even had a chance to go for a swim - heaven!)The return to the Medway was a motor all the way back as the conditions were sublime, 27 degrees of strong sunshine and not a breath of wind. We joked that you could see every buoy to Calais as the water was so flat calm.We moored up at Queensborough to prepare for a night sail and we finally arrived in Chatham at midnight.There was an abundance of food aboard and we were very well looked after. The cabins were comfortable and every marina had good quality facilities.To say we were spoiled by the experience is an understatement, I'm not sure I could have enjoyed a week any more.I couldn't wait to get out on the water and I had the opportunity to crew 2 days later in Southend-on-Sea - my confidence and knowledge were evident (I think I knew more than the skipper!)I have not stopped looking at boats since I returned and cannot wait until I am sailing by own.I fully intend to do more training with Elite Sailing and will be asking for Adam every time!Photos courtesy of Juan (who had the best camera!)

I just got back of two weeks adventure sailing with Tonic. And it was beyond all my expectations !! After I have done the RYA courses (Up to Coastal skipper) it was now time to work on the miles and experience the real adventure sailing. I feel we have seen so many aspects of sailing which I really enjoyed. Skipper Will definitely made the difference. Let us sail the boat while making sure everyone felt comfortable and came up with the nicest idea’s that made the trip even more adventures. Beach bbq’s, fishing, hike at Jura and a bit of heavy weather sailing on the Irish Sea. I can definitely recommend Elite Sailing for her Adventure sailing program !! I'll come back

What a fantastic instructor and what a great time we had!If I could have written down what I would have ideally wanted out of the 2 days and 1 night, then what we got far exceeded it!!!The boat was great, the location you have is superb, and Steve made my family feel so confident!They have all been transformed from slightly nervous landlubbers to really happy and confident crew!Steve's approach was the perfect balance of friendly, professional, funny and an absolute mine of knowledge.This, coupled with the fact that he knows how to encourage each member of crew and bring the best out of them is a real skill!I love your set-up, your base, fleet and trainers, and I'm so happy to know that you're just up the road ready for the next time we either need training or a charter!

I attended the 5 day competent crew course. Our skipper was Nihan and she did a great job of explaining things about sailing and I have definitely enjoyed the course. The food and atmosphere on the boat was great and there was a variety of tasks to do. Definitely recommend.

A brilliant week of adventure sailing. I took part in the first leg of one of Elite’s 2021 round Britain circumnavigations and was very satisfied with the experience.Steve is a great instructor who has outstanding local knowledge of anchorages, marinas, pubs, and sailing knowledge. He acts as a facilitator on board allowing the crew to really take charge yet he is always there to answer questions and advise when necessary. I loved his style of letting you make mistakes while sailing so you can learn from them, and I felt very safe knowing he was always a few steps ahead and able to predict and steer you away from any major mistakes. Steve cared deeply about the crew on this trip and was always making sure we were happy and confident.Tonic is a great boat. She is a big girl which gives great manoeuvring practice in marinas, yet under sail she handles like a dream with only the lightest touch needed on the helm. She is getting on a bit but has clearly been very well looked after by Elite and is evidently a safe and comfortable vessel you can trust.The trip is definitely an adventure so expect it to be hard work rather than casual day sailing! It was great to be introduced to watch systems on long passages and to be able to push myself to my limits - exactly what I was looking for. A fantastic week and I would have no hesitation booking with Elite again.

I just returned from a very intense 5-day RYA Skipper course. Simply 'wow', and kudos to our instructor Will. A week full of practical and theoretical experience, inc navigation at night, engine check, etc. Would recommend to anyone looking for sailing courses.

I recently completed my Day Skipper Practical sailing course with Elite Sailing and had a very positive experience. Our instructor Will was excellent at passing on his knowledge in a relaxed fashion which put all the crew at ease. Chatham is also incredibly easy to reach by frequent trains from London in less than an hour, so it's effectively on your doorstep. Many thanks to Will, Fred and his team. I'm looking forward to booking again soon with Elite to gain more experience and improve my sailing skills.