WHY OCEAN STAR SAILING ACADEMY?

1. Quality: RYA instruction by fully qualified RYA Instructors on great boats.
2. Location. Location. Location: Cape Town is one of the world’s truly great cosmopolitan cities and the surrounding waters offer some of the most challenging conditions available.
3. Adventure: Shark Cage Diving, paragliding and safaris are a few of the experiences available to our students.

WHERE DO I FIND OCEAN STAR SAILING ACADEMY?

Ocean Star Sailing Academy is located in the historic V&A Waterfront District of Cape Town, South Africa. You can find us at Shop 7, Quay5 next to the Waterfront Boat Company.

DO I NEED INSURANCE?

If you are a visitor to South Africa you should get some sort of medical coverage in case of emergencies. South African students should make sure that their medical insurance policies are up to date. Otherwise we are fully insured for the rest.

DO WE GET TIME OFF?

Sail training is pretty intense and is designed to get the most out of a short amount of time. On our multi-module career courses there may be a day off here and there depending on the schedule and weather.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME FOR THE COURSE?

No matter what course you take make sure you bring the right clothes. You need to be prepared for the bad and the good so I recommend: T-shirts and shorts, a sweater/fleece, pair of pants for cold nights (jeans are fine), hat and towel. In addition you’re going to need some boat oriented clothing like: foul weather gear to keep the elements out (You don’t have to buy sailing specific offshore ‘foulies’ but you won’t regret it!) and NON-MARKING shoes/trainers/sandals please. Bring a sleeping bag. Sunglasses are necessary as is sun screen (SPF 30 will still leave you with a tan after a long day on the water). As for toiletries – you’re going sailing not out to a night club, so keep it basic. You don’t need a lot – if it takes up more than 30L of bag space then you probably have too much – even for the longer courses. And no, you don’t need a blazer and tie for the yacht club!

ARE THE COURSES MALE ORIENTED?

Some of the best sailors in the world are female. Ellen MacArthur is a legendary sailor - having sailed a massive trimaran (3 hulls) around the world in record time by herself. So is Dee Cafari. There is a lot of physical work involved in sailing, but brains are better than brawn when it comes to being a good sailor, so while there tend to be more males than females on course the training is a rewarding experience regardless.

WHERE DO I STAY?

On the practical (sailing) courses you will stay on the boat. Students only taking a theory course will have to make arrangements for accommodation. We have a number of options available for you that are close by, affordable and fun.

DO I HAVE TO FEED MYSELF DURING THE COURSE?

Food is fully inclusive. To put that in perspective, we budget R30 per day per student for all our practical (sailing) courses. Part of learning to sail is learning to victual (shop for) the boat. We will give you some good guidance here, but you have to do this as a crew (team). Cooking on the boat is an adventure at the best of times so if you don’t know how to cook then find a recipe or two and practice before you start the course – a good cook is always popular! Those taking theory courses will get lunch every day – don’t expect anything fancy! If you are a vegetarian or only eat meat then let us know in advance – we’ll make a plan. You don’t have to eat on the boat all the time, but budget wisely.

DO I NEED A VISA?

If you are South African then skip this question. If not then you need to investigate getting a student visa if you anticipate being on course or staying in South Africa for more than 3 months. We can help a bit with the visas but this is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!

HOW MUCH SPENDING MONEY DO I NEED?

What you choose to do in your free time is up to you – so budget accordingly. You will probably want to have a meal off the boat once in a while or buy some gear in the chandler’s (yacht shop). For non South African students it may help to know that a beer costs about R15 and a steak dinner can be had for about R80. A bottle of red wine can run you anywhere from R25 to R225. A Chocolate Bar is about R8. South Africa is very affordable when it comes to a reasonable standard of living which is another reason to do your training here.

I’M ALLERGIC TO…

Stop right there! If you have any special needs, ANY, then let us know before the course begins. Forgetting your special medication when we are out to sea can be more than a problem – we have instructor’s that are trained in First Aid which is not the same as being a nurse or doctor!

WILL I GET SEA SICK?

Maybe! Unless you know the answer to this question already then you have to assume it’s possible. For most people this passes (some are slower than others!) but for some it can be chronic and really uncomfortable. Look into sea sickness pills if you want to be prepared or talk to the instructor and they’ll give you some good tips. You’re trying to get your sea legs and this is part of the process.

WILL I GET A JOB AFTER I COMPLETE MY CAREER COURSE?

There are no guarantees that taking a course or courses at any sailing school will get you a job in the yachting industry – no matter what they may advertise! However, getting a job in the yachting industry without good qualifications (and the RYA IS the most accepted) is very difficult. Like any other industry the more qualified and experienced you are the more employable you are.

CAN I BUY THE INSTRUCTOR A BEER?

No amount of bribery…um wait a second, YES!