RYA Courses - Family Sailing
SAFE | FUN | PRIVATE | MIXED LEVEL | BEGINNER FRIENDLY
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5.0 based on 50+ Sailing Families
5-7 days from 3500 euro Max 5 students Bavaria 46 Cruiser
You are a couple, a group or a family wishing to have the yacht to yourselves. This option offers flexibility in that the week can be dictated by you/your group.
RYA Family / Private Sailing Course – Seasonal Pricing 2025
Please note: Prices are per boat (max 5 people if for RYA course) on Bavaria 46 Cruiser (4 cabins 2 heads); 2-day course only available for weekends.
Find out one family's 5-day private sailing course experience ...
Upcoming Course Dates
Learn to Sail Together with Our RYA Family Sailing Courses
Looking for a way to combine adventure, quality time, and practical learning at sea? Our RYA family sailing courses are specially designed for families who want to learn to sail together in a safe, private, and inspiring setting.
Whether you're new to sailing or already have an RYA skipper qualification, our courses offer the perfect opportunity to grow as a sailing team. You'll have your own yacht and a dedicated RYA-certified instructor, guiding you through hands-on sailing skills while allowing plenty of time for swimming, sightseeing, and relaxing in stunning locations.
Enjoy the freedom of private sailing tuition tailored to your family’s goals and comfort level. Children can earn beginner certificates, while teens and adults may work toward RYA Competent Crew, Day Skipper, or even Coastal Skipper certification.
For maximum comfort and privacy, there's also the option for your instructor to sleep ashore in the evenings, leaving your family to enjoy the yacht on your own overnight.
This is more than a course — it's an unforgettable family sailing holiday, blending RYA-accredited training with Mediterranean exploration.
Compare Your Family Sailing Options in Malta
What’s the best way to combine sailing education, family bonding, and adventure on the water? Here's how our RYA Family Sailing Courses stack up against other options.
| Feature | RYA Family Sailing Course | Skippered Charter | Bareboat Charter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor Onboard | ✔ RYA-Certified Instructor | ✔ Skipper (not an instructor) | ✖ None |
| Learn & Get Certified | ✔ RYA Day Skipper / Competent Crew certifications for adults & kids | ✖ Not a training trip | ✖ No instruction |
| Child-Friendly Education | ✔ Kids can actively learn, steer, and earn real RYA certification | ✖ Kids are mostly passive passengers | ✖ Kids are mostly passive passengers |
| Skill Development | ✔ Hands-on sailing, mooring, navigation & skippering — real growth | ✖ Minimal — focus on leisure, not learning | ✖ Requires prior skill, no coaching onboard |
| Custom Itinerary | ✔ Tailored to your family’s interests & level | ✔ Limited — skipper leads | ✔ You plan it — but no local insight or guidance |
| Safety for Kids | ✔ Child life jackets, guardrail netting, safety-first approach | ✔ Basic precautions | ✖ Fully self-responsible |
This course is for:
- Families who want to learn sailing together in a private, supportive setting
- Those who like to become experienced in a new activity as a family.
- Parents and teens (16+) working toward their Day Skipper certification
- Younger children and teen over 12 years old can earn their Competent Crew Certificate
- Anyone looking to combine sightseeing, leisure, swimming, and hands-on learning in beautiful Maltese waters.
Please note: Instructor must be onboard. A maximum of 5 people can take an RYA course on the same boat (can be mixed course levels).
Download: A Typical 7-day Family Sailing Course Route in Malta
Join us for a memorable RYA family sailing course around Malta, Gozo, and Comino, blending hands-on learning with adventure and relaxation.
🌊 Day 1 – Valletta, Balluta Bay & The Three Cities (~5NM)
- Meet your crew at Manoel Island Yacht Marina and complete a safety briefing
- Sail to Balluta Bay for lunch and a swim stop
- Practice docking and boat handling in Grand Harbour
- Explore Valletta and The Three Cities; dinner at a traditional Maltese restaurant
🏝️ Day 2 – Valletta to St. Paul’s Bay (~15NM)
- Sail past Sliema and anchor at the historic St. Paul’s Bay
- Optional hike to Red Tower and visit to Malta National Aquarium
- Dinner along Bugibba’s scenic seafront
🏖️ Day 3 – St. Paul’s Bay to Comino via Mellieha (~15NM)
- Stop at Mellieha Bay for paddleboarding and swimming
- Visit Ahrax Cave and cruise to Comino’s Blue Lagoon
- Anchor overnight in Crystal Lagoon
🌞 Day 4 – Explore Gozo and Anchor at Ramla Bay (~10NM)
- Moor at Mgarr Marina and explore Victoria and the Citadel
- Optional Jeep or e-bike tour to salt pans and Dwejra Bay
- Evening anchorage at Ramla Bay
⚓️ Day 5 – Round Gozo, Sail to Golden Bay (~20NM)
- Sail Gozo’s coast, view Popeye Village from the sea
- Anchor at Golden Bay for sunset and dinner ashore
🐟 Day 6 – Golden Bay to Marsaxlokk via Blue Grotto (~20NM)
- Sail past Dingli Cliffs and Blue Grotto for optional dinghy cave tour
- Dock at Marsaxlokk for a fresh seafood dinner
🏊 Day 7 – St. Peter’s Pool & Return to Valletta (~15NM)
- Morning swim at St. Peter’s Pool or explore Marsaxlokk Market
- Enjoy a relaxed sail back to Manoel Island Yacht Marina
- Farewell dinner and course debrief
This route may vary with weather and preferences, but it’s a great mix of skill-building, cultural discovery, and family bonding on the water.
Learn Sailing as a Family – Practical, Fun & RYA-Certified
Our family sailing courses are a unique opportunity for everyone onboard to learn practical sailing skills while enjoying time together on the water. Whether you're an adult ready to take on the challenge of skippering or a young sailor curious about ropes and steering, there’s something for every age and level.
Adults and teens aged 16+ can train for their RYA Day Skipper qualification — mastering navigation, pilotage, passage planning, seamanship, and boat-handling skills, including techniques like ‘Med’-style mooring. It’s a course that empowers you to skipper a yacht with confidence on short coastal passages.
Children aged 12 and over can qualify for their RYA Competent Crew certificate. They'll get hands-on with age-appropriate tasks such as steering the yacht, tying fenders, hoisting sails, and learning how life works onboard — all while having fun and building lifelong memories.
What you’ll learn as a crew:
- Essential sailing techniques from basic to advanced, tailored to each family member’s experience
- Navigation, seamanship, pilotage, and route planning based on the official RYA syllabus
- Fun and safe hands-on activities for children — steering, sail trim, line handling and more
- Opportunities to earn RYA Day Skipper or Competent Crew certifications by the end of your sailing adventure
It’s not just a course — it’s a rewarding learning holiday on the water where your whole family becomes part of the crew!
Bavaria 46 Cruiser - 4 cabin version
Set sail aboard our fully equipped Bavaria 46 Cruiser — a modern 46-foot sailing yacht built for long passages, offshore training, and life at sea. With the perfect mix of comfort and performance, she's your home and classroom during the course.
Designed to accommodate a wide range of sailors, it is an exceptional family cruiser, offering a perfect balance of seaworthiness, comfort, and value—often praised as "a lot of boat for the money." Spacious and intelligently designed, this yacht is ideal for couples, friends, and families alike. The layout ensures ample living space, smart storage solutions, and well-thought-out details that enhance both comfort and functionality. Onboard, you'll find all the essential equipment expected of a yacht in this class, making every voyage enjoyable and stress-free.
- Designed for Sail Training: Autopilot, dual GPS plotters, AIS, radar, depth sounder, wind instruments, and a bow thruster make navigation and handling a real learning experience.
- Comfort at Sea: Four double cabins, two bathrooms (electric toilets), cockpit cushions, teak deck, hot waters shower, and fresh linens make even night passages feel relaxing.
- Well-Equipped Galley: Includes fridge, kitchenware, and a welcome basket to fuel your adventures — plus an inverter and solar panels for off-grid reliability.
- Safety First: EPIRB, liferaft, self-inflating life vests, VHF, and full RYA-compliant safety equipment onboard for peace of mind.
- Extras You’ll Love: Bluetooth sound system, StarLink, cockpit speakers, fans in each cabin, and a spacious cockpit for both learning and lounging.
Stephen Baynham – RYA Yachtmaster Examiner
Stephen is the principal of our school and a veteran Yachtmaster Instructor & Examiner. With decades of experience and a calm, structured style, he’s guided countless sailors to their Yachtmaster certificates with confidence and skill.
Neil Morris – RYA Yachtmaster Sail & Power Instructor
A lifelong sailor and passionate coach, Neil brings global sailing experience and a hands-on approach to teaching. Whether you're a beginner or brushing up for exams, he’ll support your learning every step of the way.
Andrew – Yachtmaster & Racing Instructor
From building his first dinghy at age 6 to racing in nine Fastnet Races, Andrew’s passion runs deep. He’s an expert in both cruising and racing, offering a calm and encouraging learning environment — with a pot of tea always nearby.- Exclusive use of a 46-foot 4-cabin yacht
- Course materials, and certification if your instructors approve your completion of the course
- Safety gear, including colourful child life jackets
- Bedding, towels, linens, and onboard essentials
- Fuel, marina fees, end cleaning, gorceries, water
- We can also provide extras for your comfort such as SUP boards, and snorkelling gears with addtional cost
- Depending on the age of your children you may want us to arrange for netting around the guard-rails of the yacht. Safety is a key priority and your children will be expected to obey instructions about wearing their life jackets, not running on deck etc. Our skippers enjoy having children on board but they will be firm about safety rules!
Full bedding is supplied, sheets, pillows and blankets. Also, we provide towels for use on the yacht but not beach towels. If you should require more than one towel during the week, please do bring your own additional towel.
- Sunglasses
- High factor sun cream
- Deck shoes if possible, otherwise soft shoes with a non marking sole, or just barefoot
- Shorts (Please be aware that these are liable to get dirty, so not your bestones!)
- T-Shirts
- Wash Kit
- Fleece or jumper for the evenings and windy days at sea
- Soft bag as opposed to a hard suitcase (we can store luggage if you are staying on)
- Light long sleeved shirt if you need to cover up in the sun
- Baseball/sun hat (preferably with a clip to stop it blowing overboard!)
- Sea sickness tablets should you need them
- Phone/ Ipod / lap top chargers – 12V (cigarette style chargers) if needed
- RYA log book, if you have one
- Travel Insurance recommended
- And above all, enthusiasm!
Please note that the temperatures in Malta are normally very warm during the day but it can be cold in the evenings and windy days at sea. It is a good idea to bring a small light rain mac if you have one and also a pair of long trousers and a warm fleece, just in case.
If you need a flight to Malta International, the airport code is MLA. There is only one airport.
Malta International Airport (MLA) is well connected to many European cities, especially major hubs. Low-cost carriers dominate many of the connections, especially from regional airports.
On arrival at Malta airport, there is a kiosk at the exit from the airport where you can pre pay the taxi to the boat. The cost of this is usually 25 Euro.The taxi drivers speak good English.
Cheaper transport option would be use taxi app such as: Bolt and Ecab. There are plenty of taxi connected to these apps.
You will have a short safety brief on arrival to familiarise yourself with the boat and meet your crew mates!
Still not clear how to live on a boat? Don't worry, we will send you joining instructions and explain everything the day you come aboard.
For more details about course, logistics, accommodation, booking, and certificate, please refer to the FAQ's section.
Compare Your Family Sailing Options in Malta
What’s the best way to combine sailing education, family bonding, and adventure on the water? Here's how our RYA Family Sailing Courses stack up against other options.
| Feature | RYA Family Sailing Course | Skippered Charter | Bareboat Charter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instructor Onboard | ✔ RYA-Certified Instructor | ✔ Skipper (not an instructor) | ✖ None |
| Learn & Get Certified | ✔ RYA Day Skipper / Competent Crew certifications for adults & kids | ✖ Not a training trip | ✖ No instruction |
| Child-Friendly Education | ✔ Kids can actively learn, steer, and earn real RYA certification | ✖ Kids are mostly passive passengers | ✖ Kids are mostly passive passengers |
| Skill Development | ✔ Hands-on sailing, mooring, navigation & skippering — real growth | ✖ Minimal — focus on leisure, not learning | ✖ Requires prior skill, no coaching onboard |
| Custom Itinerary | ✔ Tailored to your family’s interests & level | ✔ Limited — skipper leads | ✔ You plan it — but no local insight or guidance |
| Safety for Kids | ✔ Child life jackets, guardrail netting, safety-first approach | ✔ Basic precautions | ✖ Fully self-responsible |
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