Thornton Steward Sailing Club
The Family Club
Whether you're trying sailing or powerboating for the first time or keen
to develop your skills, we have courses and events for you.
The reservoir at Thornton Steward is an ideal place to learn water sports.
Both TSSC and CGSC are recognised Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Training
Establishments and together we offer both dinghy and power boat RYA
courses taught in a safe environment by fully qualified RYA
Instructors.
Our RYA instructors are all club members - volunteers who
love teaching sailing or powerboating. The atmosphere is
friendly and by relying on volunteers we can keep the costs
low and offer great value for money. Fees for RYA courses
include use of club boats, buoyancy aids, logbook and
certificate.
Courses are available for both adults and juniors, but some
have age restrictions; please see the course details for
further information.
For safeguarding reasons, if the participant is aged 16 or under, they must
have a parent, guardian or other nominated adult acting as ‘in loco parentis’
present on site throughout their course.
To take part in any course you need to be a member of TSSC or CGSC.
Details about membership can be found on the Join TSSC or GCSC pages of
this website here.
We offer "Taster sails" for non-members during our annual
Discover Sailing Open Day. See the Events page for this
year’s date and more details.
Dates for coaching sessions and RYA training courses can
also be found on the Events page.
Training & Courses
Dinghy Sailing Courses
We run various approved RYA certificated courses, primarily to teach
new members how to sail and then to develop skills and confidence.
Sailing is great for both mind and body and we want newcomers to enjoy
what could be the start of a lifelong passion. All our RYA sailing courses
are taught by qualified RYA Dinghy Instructors who hold the RYA First Aid
certificate and have completed the RYA Safe and Fun Safeguarding course
for working with children and/or vulnerable adults.
Adults and older teenagers
The key RYA courses which we run for adults and older teenagers are the
National Sailing Scheme:
Level 1 Start Sailing - An introduction to sailing dinghies for complete
beginners, covering everything you need to know to get afloat under
supervision.
Level 2 Basic Skills - Build your confidence and develop
your skills. By the end of this course, you'll be a competent
sailor in light winds.
Each level usually takes 2 days to complete and is run over
1 or multiple weekends. Beginners are strongly
recommended to complete both courses in a season to equip
themselves with the core skills you’ll need to start boating
independently.
Level 1 and 2 courses are usually taught in larger dinghies (Wanderers)
with a ratio of 1 instructor to 2 trainees, with trainees taking turns to
helm or crew in the boat and the instructor either stays with you in the
boat or provides close supervision from a powerboat or the shore.
Depending on numbers, these courses may alternatively be taught in
single-hander dinghies (Fusions) which you will sail on your own under
close supervision in a group of up to 6 per instructor.
Other RYA Courses
The following RYA courses can be offered on a demand-led basis:
Level 3: Better Sailing
Dinghy Seamanship Skills
Dinghy Sailing with Spinnakers
Dinghy Start Racing
Youth Sailing Scheme Start Racing
Supplementary coaching sessions:
Kickstart sessions: Aimed at encouraging both juniors and
adults to become involved in our active racing scene,
‘Kickstart Racing’ sessions will run on selected Race days
from April to September.
Starting before the first race of the day, the sessions will
provide a welcoming environment for newcomers to
racing through, providing guidance, tips and opportunities
for practice before joining in the first race of the day.
If you can already sail independently and get around a
triangular course why not give racing a go?
It’s the best way to hone your skills, challenge yourself (and hopefully
other racers!) and you’ll find the racing scene at TSSC is friendly,
welcoming and not at all intimidating. Topics will include starts,
tactics, boat handling and rules. Sessions will be available throughout
the sailing season….Check the event calendar for specific dates.
Power boat Courses
Power boats are used by TSSC and CGSC to provide Safety cover at
scheduled times and to support training activities. All adult members
are required to carry out at least 2 Safety boat duties per year as a
condition of membership.
Our team of Power Boat Instructors are focussed on upskilling members
to become competent power boat helms so they can carry out Safety
boat duties effectively and safely.
Key to this is the RYA Power Boat Level 2
course, which can be completed in 1 or 2
days. Instructors also provide ‘Safety Boat
familiarisation’ days to introduce members to
basic handling of TSSC’s Rigiflex powerboats
and provide a pre-cursor to
completing the Powerboat Level 2
course.
All adult members are required to
complete the Safety Boat
Familiarisation course and it is an
ambition to then progress to full
PB2 Status.
RYA Powerboat Level 2
This course provides the skills and background knowledge
needed by the competent powerboat driver and is the basis of the
International Certificate of Competence. It aims to teach boat handling
and seamanship in powerboats. It focuses on low-speed close quarters
handling, man overboard recovery, an introduction to driving at planing
speed, and collision regulations. As the course may be conducted in a
variety of boat types, both planing and displacement, the certificate
issued will be endorsed to show the type of boat in which the training
took place.
Safety Boat Familiarisation Courses
These taster sessions are designed to give members a flavour of how the
safety boat and equipment operates at Thornton Steward and to entice
new members into becoming trained and capable of handling our craft.
Download our on line video Safety Boat training session here.
Juniors & Youth training
We offer courses from the RYA Youth Sailing Scheme for younger members
(8-16 years):
Stage 1 Start Sailing (beginner) - An introduction to the parts of the boat and
the basic principles of how to get a boat sailing.
Stage 2 Start Sailing (beginner, intermediate) - Develop the skills needed to
sail around a course and understand the basic principles needed to become a
confident sailor.
Stage 3 Start Sailing (beginner, intermediate) - Build your confidence and
develop the skills needed to sail in different directions in moderate
conditions.
Stage 4 Start Sailing (beginner, intermediate, advanced) - Learn how to sail
a double-handed boat as crew or helm and solve a variety of problems afloat.
Youth courses are typically run using the club fleet of Fusion single-hander
dinghies. These stable, easily handled boats are ideal for
beginners and help newcomers build confidence and skills
quickly.
THORNTON STEWARD SAILING CLUB, NR NEWTON LE WILLOWS, BEDALE NORTH YORKSHIRE HG4 4BQ
e-mail: webmaster@thornton-steward-sailingclub.co.uk T: 01609 748989 eve / M: 07773 386 208
All courses are available to book and
pay for on line
See event calendar
Book through our on line portal
All courses are available to book and
pay for on line
See event calendar
Book through our on line portalAll courses are available to book and
pay for on line
See event calendar
Book through our on line portal
Thornton Steward Sailing Club
The Family Club
THORNTON STEWARD SAILING CLUB, NR NEWTON LE WILLOWS,BEDALE NORTH YORKSHIRE HG4 4BQ TSSC 2023
e-mail: webmaster@thornton-steward-sailingclub.co.uk T: 01609 748989 eve / M: 07773 386 208
Whether you're trying sailing or powerboating
for the first time or keen to develop your skills,
we have courses and events for you.
The reservoir at Thornton Steward is an ideal place to learn water sports.
Both TSSC and CGSC are recognised Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Training
Establishments and together we offer both dinghy and power boat RYA
courses taught in a safe environment by fully qualified RYA Instructors.
Our RYA instructors are all club members - volunteers who love teaching
sailing or powerboating. The atmosphere is friendly and by relying on
volunteers we can keep the costs low and offer great value for money. Fees
for RYA courses include use of club boats, buoyancy aids, logbook and
certificate.
Courses are available for both adults and juniors, but some have age
restrictions; please see the course details for further information.
For safeguarding reasons, if the participant is aged 16 or under, they must
have a parent, guardian or other nominated adult acting as ‘in loco parentis’
present on site throughout their course.
To take part in any course you need to be a
member of TSSC or CGSC. Details about
membership can be found on the Join TSSC or
GCSC pages of this website.
We offer "Taster sails" for non-members during our
annual Discover Sailing Open Day. See the Events
page for this year’s date and more details.
Dates for coaching sessions and RYA training courses can also be found on the
Events page.
Training & Courses
Dinghy Sailing Courses
We run various approved RYA certificated courses, primarily to teach
new members how to sail and then to develop skills and confidence.
Sailing is great for both mind and body and we want newcomers to enjoy
what could be the start of a lifelong passion. All our RYA sailing courses
are taught by qualified RYA Dinghy Instructors who hold the RYA First Aid
certificate and have completed the RYA Safe and Fun Safeguarding course
for working with children and/or vulnerable adults.
Adults and older teenagers
The key RYA courses which we run for adults and older teenagers are the
National Sailing Scheme:
Level 1 Start Sailing - An introduction to sailing dinghies for complete
beginners, covering everything you need to know to get afloat under
supervision.
Level 2 Basic Skills - Build your confidence and develop your skills. By
the end of this course, you'll be a competent sailor in light winds.
Each level usually takes 2 days to complete and is run over 1 or multiple
weekends. Beginners are strongly recommended to complete both
courses in a season to equip themselves with the
core skills you’ll need to start boating
independently.
Level 1 and 2 courses are usually taught in
larger dinghies (Wanderers) with a ratio of 1
instructor to 2 trainees, with trainees taking
turns to helm or crew in the boat and the
instructor either stays with you in the boat or
provides close supervision from a powerboat or
the shore. Depending on numbers, these courses
may alternatively be taught in single-hander dinghies (Fusions) which
you will sail on your own under close supervision in a group of up to 6
per instructor.
Other RYA Courses
The following RYA courses can be offered on a demand-led basis:
Level 3: Better Sailing
Dinghy Seamanship Skills
Dinghy Sailing with Spinnakers
Dinghy Start Racing
Youth Sailing Scheme Start Racing
Supplementary coaching sessions:
Kickstart sessions: Aimed at encouraging both juniors and adults to
become involved in our active racing scene, ‘Kickstart Racing’ sessions
will run on selected Race days from April to September.
Starting before the first race of the day, the sessions will provide a
welcoming environment for newcomers to racing
through, providing guidance, tips and
opportunities for practice before joining in the
first race of the day.
If you can already sail independently and get
around a triangular course why not give racing a
go?
It’s the best way to hone your skills, challenge
yourself (and hopefully other racers!) and you’ll
find the racing scene at TSSC is friendly,
welcoming and not at all intimidating. Topics
will include starts, tactics, boat handling and rules. Sessions will be
available throughout the sailing season….Check the event calendar for
specific dates.
Power boat Courses
Power boats are used by TSSC and CGSC to provide Safety cover at
scheduled times and to support training activities. All adult members
are required to carry out at least 2 Safety boat duties per year as a
condition of membership.
Our team of Power Boat Instructors are focussed on upskilling members
to become competent power boat helms so they can carry out Safety
boat duties effectively and safely.
Key to this is the RYA Power Boat Level 2 course, which can be
completed in 1 or 2 days. Instructors also provide
‘Safety Boat familiarisation’ days to introduce
members to basic handling of TSSC’s Rigiflex
powerboats and provide a pre-cursor to
completing the Powerboat Level 2 course.
All adult members are required to complete the
Safety Boat Familiarisation course and it is an
ambition to then progress to full PB2 Status.
RYA Powerboat Level 2
This course provides the skills and background
knowledge needed by the competent powerboat
driver and is the basis of the International
Certificate of Competence. It aims to teach boat
handling and seamanship in powerboats. It focuses
on low-speed close quarters handling, man
overboard recovery, an introduction to driving at
planing speed, and collision regulations. As the course may be
conducted in a variety of boat types, both planing and displacement,
the certificate issued will be endorsed to show the type of boat in which
the training took place.
Safety Boat Familiarisation Courses
These taster sessions are designed to give members a flavour of how the
safety boat and equipment operates at Thornton Steward and to entice
new members into becoming trained and capable of handling our craft.
Download our on line video Safety Boat training session here.
Juniors & Youth training
We offer courses from the RYA Youth Sailing Scheme for younger
members (8-16 years):
Stage 1 Start Sailing (beginner) - An introduction to the parts of the boat
and the basic principles of how to get a boat sailing.
Stage 2 Start Sailing (beginner, intermediate) - Develop the skills
needed to sail around a course and understand the basic principles
needed to become a confident sailor.
Stage 3 Start Sailing (beginner, intermediate) - Build your confidence
and develop the skills needed to sail in different directions in moderate
conditions.
Stage 4 Start Sailing (beginner, intermediate, advanced) - Learn how to
sail a double-handed boat as crew or helm and solve a variety of problems
afloat.
Youth courses are typically run using the club fleet of Fusion single-
hander dinghies. These stable, easily handled boats are ideal for
beginners and help newcomers build confidence and skills quickly.
All courses available to book
and pay for on line
See event calendar or book
through our on line portal
