You do not need to complete Start Yachting before joining Competent Crew. Phuket Sea School’s RYA Start Yachting course and RYA Competent Crew course both accept students without previous sailing experience. The real decision is how much time and immersion you want from your first practical commitment.
Choose Start Yachting for a two-day, non-residential introduction. Choose Competent Crew if you are ready for a five-day liveaboard course and want a broader introduction to practical crewing and life aboard.
What the courses share
Both are practical beginner courses taught aboard a sailing yacht. The official RYA Start Yachting and RYA Competent Crew descriptions identify each as suitable for people with no previous experience.
Whichever option you choose, you join as an active student rather than a sightseeing passenger. Steering, sail handling, ropework and onboard safety form part of Phuket Sea School’s published Start Yachting programme, while Competent Crew provides five days of practical tuition within a liveaboard course.
Start Yachting: a shorter introduction
Phuket Sea School’s RYA Start Yachting is a two-day practical introduction. It is non-residential: overnight accommodation is not included, so students need to arrange suitable accommodation ashore.
This course is likely to be the better fit if:
you want to try yacht sailing before committing most of a week;
you prefer a daytime course without accommodation aboard;
your immediate aim is a structured introduction to practical sailing;
work, family or travel plans limit the time you can commit.
The published course includes two days of tuition, use of the yacht’s safety and training equipment, simple lunch on both days and specified drinks. Accommodation, transport to Phuket, breakfast and dinner are among the exclusions. Students under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Review the current course page for the complete participation, inclusion and exclusion information.
Competent Crew: a deeper liveaboard commitment
Phuket Sea School’s RYA Competent Crew is a five-day liveaboard introduction. The longer format places practical tuition within the routines of living and working aboard a cruising yacht.
Competent Crew is likely to suit you if:
you already know that you want a substantial first sailing course;
you want accommodation aboard to be part of the experience;
you value more time to participate in practical crewing under tuition;
you intend to keep sailing and want a broader foundation from your first course.
The published Competent Crew package includes accommodation aboard during the course, prepared bedding, one onboard towel, simple breakfasts and lunches, and specified drinks. It also includes provisions for one simple onboard dinner if the itinerary requires an evening at anchor. Dinner ashore, extra personal provisions and accommodation before or after the course are not included.
Competent Crew requires reasonable mobility and fitness for moving safely around a yacht. If you have questions about mobility, health, diet or accommodation aboard, raise them with the school before choosing a course.
Consider the liveaboard element, not just the duration
The difference between two and five days is important, but accommodation can be just as decisive. Start Yachting does not include overnight accommodation. Competent Crew includes accommodation aboard as part of the course.
Before selecting Competent Crew, consider whether you are comfortable sleeping aboard and spending several consecutive days on a training yacht. Accommodation arrangements can be vessel-specific, so ask the school about any needs or concerns rather than assuming a particular cabin or facility arrangement.
Think about what you want to do afterwards
These are introductory practical sailing and crewing courses. They should not be treated as confirmation that a student is ready to take charge of a yacht independently. If your longer-term aim is skippering, chartering or progressing to theory and further practical training, explain that goal when you enquire. Phuket Sea School’s course-selection guidance outlines the broader training pathway.
A completion certificate should not be assumed from attendance alone. The Start Yachting product states that its certificate is awarded when the required standard is achieved, while the Competent Crew product refers to successful course completion. Ask the school if you need clarification about assessment or how either course relates to a later qualification.
What practical training in Phuket involves
Phuket Sea School is based at Phuket Yacht Haven Marina in northern Phuket. Practical training uses the Andaman Sea sailing area, but a course is a training programme rather than a guaranteed sightseeing itinerary. The school’s sailing-area guidance explains the local context.
Routes, timing and training activity are adjusted around the course objectives, crew experience, weather, sea state and safe operating limits. The instructor or skipper has final authority over operational decisions, so no named island, anchorage or passage should be treated as guaranteed.
The simplest way to decide
Choose Start Yachting if you want a shorter, non-residential introduction and are still testing your interest in sailing. Choose Competent Crew if you are ready for five days aboard and want a more sustained introduction to the work and routines of a yacht crew.
The longer course is not automatically the better choice. The best first commitment is the one that matches your available time, readiness for accommodation aboard and plans after the course.
Check the course pages and current calendar
Dates and availability can change. Use the live course calendar rather than relying on a saved departure or older article. A calendar listing does not itself mean that a place has been reserved.
When enquiring, state any previous experience, your longer-term sailing goal, whether you are comfortable with accommodation aboard and your preferred dates. The school can then help you compare the two commitments without assuming that one format suits every beginner.
