How about a voucher for RYA Courses for a gift?

Struggling for present ideas for a keen or wannabe sailor?  How about one of our RYA Courses?

Do you know someone who has a secret hankering to do any RYA Courses? Well why not buy them a vouchertowards a RYA Course?

At Universal Sailing School we run a number of different courses, all of which would make an ideal gift for somebody who would like to get qualified in sailing.

Start Yachting Courses

We can offer the following courses for which you can buy gift vouchers for;

Start Yachting Courses – perfect for the complete beginner or for someone you know who would love to start yachting, but doesn’t know where to begin.

RYA Competent Crew – for those who want to learn how to be a useful and competent member of the crew

RYA Day Skipper – Learn how to safely take charge of a sailing yacht for a days charter.

RYA Competent Crew

RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster qualifications – for the experienced yachtsmen, who wants to get even more qualified and has plenty of miles already.

Yacht Charter and Sailing Activities – If they don’t like the idea of a training course then they can join one of our sailing activity weekends.

- See more at: http://www.universalsailingschool.co.uk/rya-courses-vouchers-gift/

RYA Sailing School – Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble

Universal Sailing School – How to find our RYA Sailing School in Mercury Yacht Harbour

Mercury Yacht Harbour in Hamble

If you are planning to join us on one of our RYA sailing courses, we thought you would be interested in where we are actually based in the Solent, how to get here and what you will find when you arrive!

About Mercury Yacht Harbour in Hamble

You will find us at MDL Mercury Yacht Harbour which is situated in a sheltered rural location on the River Hamble. We are just a short twenty minute walk (1 mile) from Hamble village. The Marina was originally built by Sir Robin Knox Johnston and can offer berthing for up to 360 boats, it also enjoys deep water at all states of tide and easy access into the Solent (20 mins).

What facilities do we have?

Mercury Yacht Harbour in Hamble

There are many excellent facilities, including….

• Plentiful free parking
• The Waters Edge Bar and Restaurant
• Yacht Chandlery
• Superb showers and toilets
• Laundry room
• 24 hour security
• Free WiFi

The surrounding area and what’s nearby

As mentioned Hamble Village itself is only 1 mile away and within the village you will find a local Co-Op a handful off other shops as well as a great selection of pubs and restaurants.

For a little more detail on Hamble please read our guide HERE.

Access into the Solent

The marina itself is a very peaceful and scenic spot and with it’s easy access to Southampton Water, the Solent and the Isle of Wight. It is an ideal base from which to visit some of the other marinas in the Southampton area or further afield, such as Poole Harbour or Chichester Harbour to the east.

Visit our Cruising Guide for more detailed information on our sailing area.

How to reach us by road

The full postal address is:-
Mercury Yacht Harbour
Satchell Lane
Hamble
Southampton
Hampshire
SO31 4HQ

From the M27 take junction 8 and follow the signs for Hamble on the B3397 (Hamble Lane). You will pass a large Tesco’s if any provisioning is required. After the entrance to Tesco’s continue straight over the next round roundabout through a set of traffic lights and you will arrive at another roundabout. Carry straight on at this roundabout but immediately afterwards turn left into Satchell Lane and follow this road round past Hamble School until you see the clear signs for Mercury Yacht Harbour on your left (Note there is also a caravan / camping site sharing the road entrance to the marina).

By Train

There is a main line station at Southampton from which you can either jump in a taxi or change trains to a local service to Hamble station. If arriving at Hamble railway station there is a local bus service into Hamble Village itself. Then it is approximately 1 mile further up Satchell Lane to Mercury Yacht Harbour.

The alternative is to arrive at Southampton Parkway and get a taxi to the Marina it is about 8.5 miles and 15 mins in the taxi.

There are a number of taxi companies

Radio Taxis – 023 8066 6666
Viking Cars – 023 8040 6633
Phoenix Taxis – 023 8064 2321

- See more at: http://www.universalsailingschool.co.uk/rya-sailing-school-mercury-yacht-harbour-hamble/

Solent Cruising Area

The Solent encompass a large area of protected water and is probably one of the busiest and most famous sailing areas in the world.It is an area steeped in history and natural beauty, with pretty fishing ports, islands and a wealth of activities. Just outside of the Solent are other great cruising locations, including  Chichester Harbour, Poole Harbour, Cowes, Yarmouth, Lymington, Beaulieu River, Newtown River, Hamble River and Portsmouth Harbour. 

 Chichester Harbour

Chichester Harbour comprise an area of some twenty-seven square miles of navigable water set against the backdrop of the Sussex Downs. It provides some of the most rewarding scenery in the south of England.There are plenty of places to visit within the harbour comprising of a mixture of marina’s, buoys and anchorages.This vast natural harbour is an ornithologist’s delight, popular with bird watchers and walkers alike.

The beautiful waterside village of Bosham is a magnet for artists. It is steeped in history, most famously as the place from which King Harold II set out on his ill-fated expedition to Normandy. This scene is depicted on the Bayeaux Tapestry. Legend has it that it was here that King Canute attempted to stop the tide approaching.

Poole Harbour

Poole Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world, Poole offers endless possibilities for sailing enthusiasts. Whether you are after a lively night on the quay or a quiet night at anchor, you are bound to find the perfect spot.

Either side of Poole Harbour entrance are two very different stretches of beach. To the west, Studland Bay is pretty and fringed by sand dunes. To the east of the harbour entrance, multi million pound properties line Sandbanks beach, becoming high rise apartments all the way to Bournemouth.

Poole Quay is the hub of the town. The front is lined with pubs, bars, restaurants and shops and in the summer is heaving with tourists.

Cowes

Cowes harbour offers all tide access, and berths are relatively easy to obtain and reasonably priced. Although during peak events including Cowes Week and Round The Island Race it can become very crowded.

There are two main marina’s in West Cowes, Cowes Yacht Haven and Shepherds Wharf. Cowes Yacht Haven can get quite rolly especially on the outside berths.

East Cowes Marina offers excellent facilities and is noticeably more relaxed and friendly with a superb on site restaurant & bar.

Yarmouth

Yarmouth is a picturesque fishing, ferry and yachting port widely regarded as one of the jewels of the South Coast.

Yarmouth Harbour has been updated over recent years and now hosts walk ashore pontoon and great facilities. As such it can get very popular at peal times and will attract many yachts and motor cruisers.

A few of the berths are available to book on line the rest and majority of berths are available on a first come first served basis. There are also a number of buoys located outside the harbour which are served by a water taxi should not wish to row ashore.

Lymington

Lymington is a bustling & attractive Georgian market town with a wide variety of shops & picturesque boutiques.

The Georgian and Victorian architecture and the varied and colourful history helps to create a distinctive quaintness drawing visitors back time and again. The restaurants and hostelries are too numerous to mention!

There are two marinas Lymington Yacht Haven and Lymington Marina both of which are within walking distance of the town centre and provide all the facilities and services one would expect of a leading yacht centre.

Beaulieu 

Sailing to Beaulieu is one of those magical trips that you will want to repeat again and again. Within the heart of the New Forest the Beaulieu River and a few miles upstream the 18th century shipbuilding village of Buckler’s Hard occupy a superb location surrounded by oak woodland within the Beaulieu Estate.

Everyone has heard of the Motor Museum at Beaulieu but few will have seen just how beautiful the river is leading from the Solent, past Buckler’s Hard and ending up at Palace House. The Master Builder’s House hotel and pub is a favourite meeting place for yachtsmen.

The most convenient berths are at Bucklers Hard Yacht Harbour. You will pay for convenience of being able to stroll ashore and it does get busy at peak times.

Newtown Creek

Newtown Creek is a delightful natural harbour where you can anchor or pick up one of the visitor buoys.

Newtown Creek provides the perfect setting for a barbeque (weather permitting), either aboard or on the Western entrance spit, below the high water line.

There is public landing on the East side of the river at Newtown Quay. From Newtown Quay you can walk across the boardwalk to the historic Newtown village, make use of the reserve’s two hides, or follow one of the two nature trails.

From Shalfleet Quay a path leads across the meadows alongside the river to the village of Shalfleet, a typical English village with thatched cottages, a village shop, church, manor house and water mill.

Hamble River

The River Hamble is a major centre for all types of recreational boating, home to thousands of sailing yachts and motorboats and the heart of the south coasts sailing scene. Recognised as the home of British Yachting, there are several major marinas on the Hamble River which offer extensive facilities for visiting yachtsmen and these are supplemented by Harbour Authority midstream pontoon berths. All marinas offer good restaurant facilities, or you can venture into Hamble village to the delights of the village pubs & restaurants.

Portsmouth Harbour

A city surrounded by the sea, Portsmouth’s history is strongly linked with the Royal Navy and is home to almost two-thirds of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet.

The city houses some superb military and maritime museums including Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery, and the Royal Marines Museum.

The Historic Dockyard is the jewel in Portsmouth’s crown, home to the world famous historic ships The Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860. Together with interactive Action Stations, The Royal Naval Museum and Harbour Tours, there truly is something for all ages.

There are many marina such as Port Solent Marina , Gosport Marina, Gunwharf Quays, Haslar Marina which offer good restaurant facilities and fashion shops to visit.

The Solent and Isle of Wight is world famous as being one of the premier yachting and cruising areas in the world with many beautiful locations and pictureseque harbours, marinas, rivers, creeks and beaches to explore.

- See more at: http://www.universalsailingschool.co.uk/solent-cruising-area/

A Day on a RYA Coastal Skipper course

See howCarol Letten (Manager of Hayling Island Sailing Club) fared, when she took her RYA Coastal Skipper course with Universal Sailing School in “A Day in the Life…on a RYA Coastal Skipper Course”

Arrival and Pick of the Cabins!

So first night arrive at 5pm in the marina, a fit young man called Jamie, our instructor for the course, appears and carries my bag to the yacht Saleana, which will be home for the next 5 days.

Being the first to arrive I get the pick of the cabins so I naturally pick the best one – in the forepeak with its own loo! I knew the others were all chaps , so having my own cabin took away a lot of the stress of “who will I be sharing with”.

Ed from London was next, he was also doing his Coastal skipper course and had a share in a yacht in Gosport. Malcolm arrived from Cheltenham, he was doing his Competent Crew having been inspired to learn to sail after reading an autobiography by someone who had sailed the world.

Off we all went to dinner in the marina restaurant , a few glasses of wine and a nice supper and it was time for bed. Visit The Waters Edge Bar and Restaurant 

Tea Drinking and Man Overboard!

In the morning, breakfast was sorted from the provisions on board. Cereal and tea all round, safety briefings and we were all set to work.

I was given the first Skippering task of pilotage out of the Hamble, organising the crew and passage plan to our first stop. Lunch on board in Osbourne Bay. I managed to get us there on the course that was set and in the time estimated , not bad I thought! Jamie thought differently, he wanted me getting the sails up quicker, communicating more assertively (not something anyone has ever said to me before) and being more accurate with the tidal curve. It was made very clear that this was no Day Skippers course and if we wanted to be Coastal Skippers we had to earn it!

Malcolm , who was just brilliant at keeping us all topped up with tea, made us a lovely lunch. Cheese, ham or cheese and ham sandwiches with more tea. In the drizzle it was just what we needed. On a boat in the rain you can never have enough tea.

Then it was Ed’s turn to take the helm, he had to take us from Osborne Bay to Newtown Creek. Tides were calculated , course was set and off we set. As we got into Newtown Creek Jamie looked at the depth gauge and quickly took over the helm , steering us back out of the shallows. Fortunately it was just a misunderstanding on where the depth gauge was reading from the yacht, Jamie being accustomed to it being from the water line and the yacht being set up from the bottom of the keel. Anyway a little bit of excitement does us all good and off we go below to get out of the rain and to make some more tea.

Making Friends

From Osborne Bay we headed to Lymington. A quick vote on board and it was agreed that we would go into the marina, in order to get the heating on, on the yacht and get all our wet gear dry. Dinner at the Ship pub on the dock with a few glasses of wine and we felt that we were falling into a nice steady routine. The Crew all got to know each other very quickly , and whilst maybe not the people you would meet in your everyday life, we all got on very well. Conversation was varied and interesting and we laughed a lot! If you were to randomly pick three people, whose day jobs were; a sailing club manager , an investment banker and a software developer, you might have been worried about how they would all get on but somehow it just works. The sailing, tasks, catering, cleaning, mooring and tea making all happened. Everyone took their turn and not one sharp word was heard, even when things went wrong noone blamed anyone we just got on and sorted it out, truly amazing.

Jamie was no easy task master, he put us all through our paces with no excuses permitted. I struggled with the man over board under sail task, I would have just given up, but Jamie wasn’t having any of it. We did that man over board until I could do it. It was a bit like goldilocks – the first was too fast , the second was too slow, the third I went the wrong way but by the fourth time it was good , not perfect but good ! This was no 9-5 course, we were learning and being tested constantly. Jamie had so much time for us all, even when I quizzed him about the tools I would need for my yacht he happily furnished me with a comprehensive shopping list. By the end of the week I was preparing to leave the mooring buoy at night from Fareham creek. “Let’s put the main sail up before we leave” I said. Jamie looked at me and replied “ You would never have done that at the start of the week”. Which was true.

Rain, Rain and some more Rain!

We had rain, more rain, wind, and just a little sunshine. We coped , we laughed and we got wet. You were always dry and the weather doesn’t spoil the sailing in the way you think it might when you are sat at home contemplating going for a sail. I knew I liked fair weather sailing, I now like any weather sailing.

Success!

We all passed and were awarded our certificates, said our goodbyes and went on our way. I am sure we will all meet up again on the water around the Solent. If you are thinking about learning to sail or improving your skills then I would recommend Universal Yachting. They truly deliver a great experience.