A marina with the best location and infrastructure in the Lisbon area, well equipped boats adequate for learning, and a team of motivated instructors. These are the ingredients we find crucial for a good experience afloat.
West Coast is also the first school in the Lisbon area to reach RYA recognition and thus offers both the "Sail Cruising" scheme (Start Yachting, Competent Crew, Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster) and the "Powerboat" scheme (level 1 e level 2).
Our "Beginner's Courses" in Keelboats work with a student-instructor ratio of 3:1 (and never more than 4:1). In this way we can make sure that each student benefits from individual attention from the instructor and learns faster. Our keelboats up to 7.5m long are a fun, well priced and solid solution to start sailing before getting into "cruising" with larger yachts.
The courses which lead to a "Carta de Navegador" (Marinheiro, Patrão Local - the portuguese licence sytem) have a strong theorectical component and are taught in a room just overlooking the marina. A good knowledge of Portuguese is required for these courses.
Flexible Sailing is our bets solution to keep sailing and learning regularly if you don't have a boat. It works just like a free pass ifor a gym: you buy a pack with 8 outings, call us during the week to book and it's done. 100% flexible and without a rigid course calendar to follow - you only sail when you want to.
The Private Tutoring are also a good option for anyone looking for customized and individual training, either on board your own yacht or our own boat. It is also possible to provide RYA training (sail or power) onboard your boat.
How to Choose My Course?
Find the course that will take your boating skills to the level you aspire, wether sail or power.To pick the right course it's very important to performa an honest evaluationof your present skills. More important than the certificate, chosing a level that is both a challenge but within reach is crucial for a positive and enriching learning experience.
Some quesitions worth asking yourself are:
Does a gybe come by surprise for you? Am I confotable when boat handling under power inside the marina? Can I trim my outboard engine for speed and safety? How many nautical miles have I sailed (day/night)? In which boats have I sailed, where and in what roles? How many passages have I done where I assumed responsibility as a skipper? Do I know my knots, when to give way/stand on? Am I well aware of boat safety issues when afloat? Can I use the weather forecast information to build my own forecast and take decisions?This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Do visit us at our shop at the marina to discuss all the possibilites and listen to our advise.
