RYA Start Yachting
A short introduction to sailing ideal for complete beginners. If you've always wondered what sailing is like and wanted to give it a go, this fun weekend aboard a yacht is the perfect first step.
Full range of RYA sailing courses, from Start Yachting to Yachtmaster. Learn on modern, well-equipped, comfortable yachts with customised Own Boat Tuition options available.
A short introduction to sailing ideal for complete beginners. If you've always wondered what sailing is like and wanted to give it a go, this fun weekend aboard a yacht is the perfect first step.
Become an active, confident crew member with this hands-on course. Perfect for complete beginners, you'll experience onboard living, learn essential sailing skills, and receive continuous guidance from your instructor throughout.
A hands-on course highly recommended for anyone who regularly sails on board a yacht. Designed to improve your skills and build knowledge of all aspects of life at sea whilst skippering a sailing yacht during short coastal passages by day and night.
Build your sea miles with offshore cruising voyages to France, the Channel Isles and the West Country. Ideal for aspiring Yachtmasters or anyone wanting real passage-making experience in a safe, enjoyable environment.
The ideal progression after Day Skipper. Build confidence for longer, more complex passages including night sailing, watch-keeping systems, and heavy weather handling on coastal and offshore routes.
The MCA/RYA Yachtmaster™ Offshore qualification is recognised and respected worldwide. This course enables candidates to prepare for an exam covering refresher training in key maritime areas, culminating in an assessment with an external RYA examiner. Enables skippering of yachts up to 150 miles from safe haven.
Bespoke sailing training on your own yacht, ideal for anyone who would like to learn more about their new boat or consolidate knowledge of a boat they've owned for a while. The itinerary is shaped entirely to what you want to achieve, with our RYA Yachtmaster Instructors coming to you.
Based at Hamble Point Marina on the busy River Hamble, Urban Truant is perfectly positioned for sheltered Solent sailing and easy access to cross-Channel passages. Our modern fleet of well-maintained yachts, Highfield RIBs and dedicated powerboats ensures comfortable, safe training in all conditions. With a maximum 3:1 student-to-instructor ratio, you get genuine hands-on experience — not just theory.
With your progression as our priority, we impose a maximum of 3 students for every course on board. This means more time with your instructor, more time practising your skills, and the ability to focus on any areas that need attention. You'll also have a cabin to yourself.
Our yachts are equipped and furnished with training in mind. Well-maintained with quality instruments including modern Chartplotters, Radar and AIS. We take your comfort seriously too — your own cabin, 240v sockets on shorepower, and complimentary use of lifejackets and wet weather gear. Marina fees are always included.
We pride ourselves on using the very best instructors available. They're a friendly, experienced team who take the time to ensure you fully understand what you're learning. Our shorebased tutors include Yachtmaster Instructors, examiners and instructor trainers.
Our exclusive SailingCourseOnline portal offers an advanced way to learn at your own pace, working seamlessly across desktops, laptops and mobile devices. Content is written specifically for on-screen learning with bite-sized modules, clean graphics and animations. Our instructor team provides fast, knowledgeable assistance whenever you need it.
Our training facilities at Hamble Point Marina provide small groups with the perfect environment to study and learn. The room is well-equipped with full audio/visual, a large whiteboard, and plenty of space to spread out your charts. Refreshments are included with every course, with decent coffee always on tap.
All our Powerboat training courses are delivered on our exceptionally maintained Highfield Patrol RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) which perform brilliantly at speed and during close-quarters manoeuvres, giving you confidence in a capable vessel.
Urban Truant is one of the UK's leading RYA sail and power training schools. We're based at Hamble Point Marina on the River Hamble, with the entire Solent within easy reach. Your RYA training course begins the minute you step on board one of our well-equipped modern boats or join us in our cosy training room equipped with the latest IT and learning aids.
We also offer online navigation courses delivered on our exclusive learning platform. Learn at your own pace — at home, on your commute — and our team of experienced instructors is ready to answer your questions, so help is never far away. This includes invigilated exams for the online Short-Range Certificate.
From learning to sail a yacht to driving a motor cruiser, from achieving your Day Skipper to gaining your radio qualification, and with a 7-day money-back guarantee and 15% discounts on multiple courses, how do you want to be an Urban Truant?
Hear from sailors who have trained with Urban Truant
"I wanted to drop you a quick note to say thank you so much for a great week aboard Inspire. Rich did a great job at putting everyone at ease and creating an atmosphere which made the learning interesting and fun. I've already recommended Urban Truant to two of my colleagues at work."
Catherine
RYA Competent Crew
"We already have a RIB but it wasn't until I nearly damaged it trying to park in windy conditions that I knew I needed some proper training! Our instructor was really patient and took us through loads of scenarios - I feel so much more confident and can't wait to take out my RIB again!"
Alan
Own Boat Tuition
"My RYA Cruising Instructor week with Urban Truant not only provided me with some key skills and tools to go out and be an Instructor but also gave me more confidence in the delivery of the various briefings and demonstrations. The week was nearly all boat based so there were lots of opportunity to practice the techniques hands-on."
Dale
RYA Cruising Instructor
"I just wanted to thank you for a brilliant week on the water in by far the largest boat I have ever sailed!"
Elizabeth
RYA Day Skipper Practical
"Just a quick note to say thanks for all your support during my course. I would recommend it to any and everyone as the best and only way to gain the knowledge prior to safely getting on the water."
Ian
RYA Online Theory Day Skipper
"Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to become an Urban Truant. Everything exceeded my expectations. I hope to put my new-found sea legs and all the knowledge I gained from you towards an interesting future. I will always remember my first voyage on Inspire."
Marie
RYA Competent Crew
"Thanks for a great course last week. I was very pleased choosing Urban Truant in so many ways. The website was attractive and easy to use, the on-line teaching excellent. The boat was in good order and clean. The quality and quantity of food was very good. The quality of teaching from Richard goes without saying."
Terry
RYA Online Theory & Day Skipper
"The Best of the schools in the hamble area and the theory website was really good too!"
Adam S
RYA Day Skipper
"Very well organised with excellent standards of tuition and food!"
Michael H
RYA Day Skipper
"Brilliant, fast, safe, fun, highly recommended."
Adam P
RYA Advanced Powerboat
"I've had the best two days training ever. Would recommend to anyone."
Bryan S
RYA Advanced Powerboat
"An amazing 2 days, enjoyed every minute of it. An absolute must if you're interested in powerboating."
Chris C
RYA Advanced Powerboat
"Do It Now!"
Andrew C
RYA Day Skipper
"Excellent instructor, very knowledgeable and friendly. Good course content and very useful skills learnt. Also in a great location."
Peter G
RYA Powerboat Level 2
"A very well taught course. A must prior to taking a boat out on your own."
Paul D
RYA Powerboat Level 2
"Urban Truant provide great instructors who give you the tuition you need to be a confident sailor."
Sarah M
RYA Competent Crew
"Thanks again for the course, everything has been excellent, Richard as an instructor, the yacht sails beautifully, the food... everything really. Yachtmaster is next!"
Olivier
RYA Day Skipper
"A very thorough, safe and fun course. Has really improved my confidence."
Keylan H
RYA Online Theory & Day Skipper
"We would definitely recommend Urban Truant for its overall excellent approach to the course."
K Norstrand & A Hunt
RYA Day Skipper Practical
"Another very thorough & enjoyable couple of days on the water. Good food as well makes for happy sailors."
K Hunt
RYA Day Skipper
"Fantastic crew & company. Instructor had plenty of experience and memories to share – couldn't have wished for a better sailing course. Great weekend sailing (and eating!)."
O Reullon
RYA Day Skipper
"A great experience and felt like a client not a profit margin. Sailing with Urban Truant is a no brainer – don't even think you are getting a better deal elsewhere – you are not!"
Theo I
RYA Coastal Skipper
"As predominantly inland water/coastal sailors with 35+ years experience we found our few days with Rich to be an extremely helpful and enjoyable experience. We received useful reminders on passage planning, navigation generally and boat safety."
Paul & Caroline W
Bespoke Skills Refresher
"I found it amazing. The on-line interaction makes it feel live and it is very easy to learn."
Nick
RYA SRC/VHF Course
"We had a really fantastic weekend with you and are very grateful! You managed to quickly ascertain our needs and the teaching was all very relevant and excellent! The boat was great and food excellent. We will be back for more!"
Karen
Bespoke Skills Refresher
"We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Vince is already planning when he can do his coastal skipper training. We're very happy we learned about Urban Truant at the London Boat Show."
Catherine
RYA Day Skipper
"I was very impressed with Urban Truant, both the course and the service."
Martin
RYA Coastal Skipper
"Just wanted to express sincere thanks for a fabulous course. 5* to Richard and Kieran."
John
Milebuilder
"Just wanted to say how brilliant Will was over the last week. He is a great instructor. Calm and precise with great visual techniques to help you understand the processes you are learning. He is a natural teacher."
Sam S
RYA Coastal Skipper
"Can I just give a massive thank you to Urban Truant for a terrific start to sailing. I can only say I am very impressed with the level of tuition and help that as a complete novice I have received from your company."
David
RYA Day Skipper
"Many thanks for giving us such a great week last week. We all came away having learnt so much and we were very appreciative of your patience and felt that you totally 'got us' and your style and approach was perfect."
Simon
RYA Day Skipper
"Your approach was fast enough to cover the material to the depth needed and yet at a pace that allowed us all to ask questions. Your approach was absolutely first class - friendly, interactive, relaxed and fun but also professional. Top marks."
Benedict C
RYA Day Skipper
"Excellent course, thank you. Richard was a brilliant instructor - interesting, patient, kind and funny. The course was so good and covered all the subject areas (and more!). The practical was amazingly valuable."
Jenny & Gary
RYA Competent Crew
"Many thanks for all assistance in trying to help with my predicament, it was refreshing to receive some helpful input after being let down at such short notice."
Rik F
RYA Day Skipper
"I have come back to my studies with renewed enthusiasm having spent 3 days with Rich. It all makes so much more sense and I understand the need for the detailed calculations in reality now. I wondered why people bothered passage planning in such detail - I now know!"
Kim
RYA Day Skipper
"I just wanted to thank you for a brilliant week on the water in by far the largest boat I have ever sailed! The practical course made sense of many aspects of the theory."
Liz W
RYA Day Skipper
"Very pleased with a well-organised training course. Jim was a great natural instructor."
Giles
RYA Day Skipper
"A life changing experience that I shall value for life. Jim was a joy to be instructed by and always made us feel safe onboard. Thank you!"
Gregor
RYA Competent Crew
"Really enjoyed the week, it was a shame the weather stopped the play! Lots learnt from a great instructor. Thank you."
Kim
RYA Day Skipper
"Just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for an incredible 5 days last week on our Urban Truant Day Skipper practical. All aspects of the course were delivered beyond our expectations. A particular mention must go to Jim who really set the tone for a successful course."
Jon
RYA Day Skipper
"I have to say the whole set-up, offices, boats, equipment, staff and food way exceeded my expectations. Paul the instructor was great, he quickly noted the various abilities of us all and made sure that we got the training we needed. Honestly, an excellent couple of days."
Michael
RYA Powerboat Level 2
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