Learn to sail in Jason’s home waters!
In Association with RYA Recognised Training Centre: Thessalia Sailing Ltd.
RYA sailing courses in Greece
The RYA no longer distinguish between tidal and non-tidal sailing areas, so a certificate gained in Greece has the same value as one attained in the UK.
This officially endorsed RYA sailing school in Volos is run by a British couple, Carl and Liz, who fell in love with the area and decided to settle here. Their sailing grounds are within the beautiful Pagasitikos Gulf (Gulf of Volos) and surrounding area of the Aegean Sea, one of the last remaining, undiscovered secrets of the Mediterranean and once you have your skipper’s certificate, you will want to come back and explore this paradise under your own command.
All students will help with the preparation of meals on board as learning how to look after yourself and working as a team on board a yacht is part of the training. At least 3 pre-prepared evening meals will be eaten on board in an idyllic bay, which the other evenings you will visit a taverna in a picturesque port or fishing village and sample local freshly cooked Greek food.
The gulf is about 14 nautical miles wide and is surrounded by idyllic anchorages, small harbours and picturesque islands. Inside the gulf, you will experience near-perfect sailing conditions, with the regular sea breeze and calm waters, whilst out in the Aegean, the Meltemi usually blows force 3-4, funnelling down the channel between Evia and the Mainland. Any swell from the north is cut off by the archipelago that makes up the Sporades Islands and you will rarely experience swell of more than 1-2 metres. These conditions are usually reserved for lake sailing, but here we have the open sea and countless coves and harbours to explore.
All courses will have a maximum of five students to one instructor on a large Dufour 45 classic with 4 double cabins, but you will never have to share a bunk with a total stranger.
2026 Sailing courses and prices
RYA Competent Crew
This course is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers. Learn to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the day to day duties on board. The course is for 5 days and runs from Sunday to Thursday, with 6 nights on board. You will arrive in Volos on Saturday and spend the first night on the boat getting to know the other candidates. The boat returns to Volos on Thursday afternoon and you can spend the last night on board before disembarking on Friday morning.
Course Dates 2026
Places are limited to 5 persons per course. Please contact us for availability. Alternative dates may be available on request.
| May 2nd-7th May 9th-14th May 16th-21st May 30th-June 4th June 13th-18th June 27th-July 2nd Fully booked July 4th-9th July 11th-16th July 25th-30th August 22nd-27th August 29th-September 3rd September 12 – 17 September 19th-24th September 26th-October 1st |
2026 Price: €1090.00 pp per week
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
-10% discount for course dates in May!
RYA Day Skipper practical / and Day Skipper theory pack combined
This course is for those who have completed the Competent Crew course or who have at least 100 nautical miles previous sailing experience as an active member of the ship`s crew, and who wish to obtain the minimum level skipper certification to charter your own yacht, internationally recognised in many parts of the world.
You will learn how to be a responsible skipper, pilotage and navigation, safety procedures and rules of the road, docking and anchoring techniques and much more. It is assumed you will have studied or completed the essential navigation theory before you come as it will not be possible to gain this level otherwise. If not you can opt to do the combined theory and practical course which includes online study to be completed before you come.
The course is for 5 days and runs from Sunday to Thursday, with 6 nights on board. You will arrive in Volos on Saturday and spend the first night on the boat getting to know the other candidates. The boat returns to Volos on Thursday afternoon and you can spend the last night on board before disembarking on Friday morning.
Course Dates 2026
Places are limited to 5 persons per course. Please contact us for availability. Alternative dates may be available on request.
| May 2nd-7th May 9th-14th May 16th-21st May 30th-June 4th June 13th-18th June 27th-July 2nd Fully booked July 4th-9th July 11th-16th July 25th-30th August 22nd-27th August 29th-September 3rd September 12 – 17 September 19th-24th September 26th-October 1st |
2026 Price: €1090.00 pp per week
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
-10% discount for course dates in May!
COMBINED PRACTICAL AND THEORY
2026 Price: €1485 pp per week
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
Price includes delivery of the theory pack that accompanies the online course.
Combined RYA Competent Crew to Day Skipper 10-12 day course
Go from absolute beginner to Day Skipper in 10 days, able to confidently skipper a yacht. The RYA no longer distinguish between tidal and non-tidal sailing areas, so a certificate gained in Greece has the same value as one attained in the UK.
You will board the school boat in Volos on Saturday afternoon and spend the first night on board in Volos harbour. We set sail on Sunday, starting with the 5 day RYA Competent Crew course, returning to Volos on Thursday, followed by 2 days of rest to brush up on your chartwork, or to explore the local area in the stunning surroundings of Mount Pelion. Then it`s back aboard for the RYA Day Skipper Practical course from Sunday to Thursday. The boat returns to Volos on Thursday afternoon and you can spend the last night on board before disembarking on Friday or Saturday morning.
Course Dates 2026
Places are limited to 5 persons per course. Please contact us for availability. Alternative dates may be available on request.
| May 2nd – 14th May 23rd – June 4th July 18th – 30th August 15th – 27th September 12th-24th September 19th – 1st October |
2026 Price: €2498 pp per week
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
-10% discount for course dates in May!
RYA Coastal Skipper practical and combined theory course
This course is for yachtsmen and women with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation, wanting to undertake longer coastal passages by day and night. The training moves away from the shorter passages of Day Skipper and starts looking at passages that require watch-keeping routines, crew management and the ability to pilot a vessel both day and night. With longer passages it is less likely that you will be familiar with the sailing area, so a higher level of overall navigational and pilotage skill needs to be developed.
The RYA no longer distinguish between tidal and non-tidal sailing areas, so a certificate gained in Greece has the same value as one attained in the UK. The course is for 5 days and runs from Sunday to Thursday, with 6 nights on board. You will arrive in Volos on Saturday and spend the first night on the boat getting to know the other candidates. The boat returns to Volos on Thursday afternoon and you can spend the last night on board before disembarking on Friday morning.
Before joining us for the practical course, you will need to complete the RYA Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster™ Offshore shorebased course or request the combined course with online theory.
Course Dates 2026
Places are limited to 5 persons per course. Please contact us for availability. Alternative dates may be available on request.
| May 23 – 28 July 18 – 23 Aug 15 – 20 Sept 12 – 17 |
COASTAL SKIPPER PRACTICAL
2026 Price: €1090.00 pp per week
-10% early booking discount: €980.00 pp
-10% discount for course dates in May!
COASTAL SKIPPER PRACTICAL AND THEORY COURSE COMBINED
2026 Price: €1516.00 pp per week
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Exam preparation
In order to qualify for the Yachtmaster practical exam, you must have completed the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore theory course. A holder of the Yachtmaster™ Offshore certificate is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour. A commercially-endorsed Yachtmaster™ Offshore certificate allows the holder to work in the Industry, anywhere in the world.
The RYA no longer distinguish between tidal and non-tidal sailing areas, so a certificate gained in Greece has the same value as one attained in the UK. You will be expected to have completed the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster™ Offshore shorebased course before joining us in Volos. Under the professional tuition of an RYA Yachtmaster™ Instructor, you will be coached to meet the exacting requirements of the RYA Examiner during the preparation week. With a maximum of 3 students to 1 instructor, you will have plenty of time to practice: sailing by day and night, theory revision, and brushing up on your personal sailing skills.
The course begins on Saturday afternoon in Volos, arriving back in Volos on Wednesday afternoon. The exam will begin on Thursday morning and finish on either Friday or Saturday morning, depending on the number of students. The combined course includes the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased online theory course provided by Navathome.com an RYA-recognised training centre specialising in online training.
Course Dates 2026
Places are limited to 5 persons per course. Please contact us for availability. Alternative dates may be available on request.
June 20 – 25
2026 Price for Yachtmaster Offshore course: €1390.00 pp
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
2026 Price for Yachtmaster Offshore Combined course: €1830.00 pp
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
Price includes the exam fees and the examiner’s travel expenses.
Price includes courier delivery for the theory pack.
Mile-building trips
Build your experience, improve your confidence and advance your practical knowledge, whilst putting hundreds of miles in your log.
Mile building trips starting from Volos, are ideal for both experienced and inexperienced sailors alike. Whether you have just passed your Day Skipper and wish to put some miles under your belt whilst polishing your skills, or whether you want to experience some proper sailing with fifty or sixty mile passages, experiencing night passages and watches, our circumnavigation of the northern Aegean has everything to offer.
The route will depend on the weather conditions, but this will play a part in gaining experience as we listen to the forecast and discuss passage planning. As well as some serious sailing, we will be stopping in some of the most stunning places that the North Aegean has to offer. The Sporades islands are one of the last un-spoilt areas of the Mediterranean. You will enjoy nights in idyllic harbours, enjoying the local food and wine and nights at anchor in secluded bays with the Milky Way overhead.
Everyone will have a chance to skipper the boat and plan passages, safe under the watchful eyes of your English RYA Yachtmaster Instructor.
Course Dates 2026
Places are limited to 5 persons per trip. Please contact us for availability. Alternative dates may be available on request.
| April 25 – May 1st -20% €864.00 pp June 6 – 12 August 1 – 7 |
2026 Price: €1090.00 pp per week
-10% discount for 2 people sharing a cabin
A typical mile builder route might be something like the one shown below, which covers 360 nautical miles.
Prices include all course and sailing expenses including fuel, port fees, provisions on board, your cabin accommodation, bed linen and towels.
Not included: evening meals ashore at a taverna, travel to and from Volos.
Further information about Royal Yachting Association courses can be found at their website.
The yacht: El Niño – Dufour 45 classic, 1998
