# SailingSchools.com.au > Australia's independent guide to sailing schools, sailing courses and sailing > qualifications. Not affiliated with Australian Sailing, the RYA, IYT, American Sailing > or AMSA. Schools cannot pay for placement or ranking. The site is organised around learning intent rather than school names, and answers three questions: where can I learn to sail in Australia, which sailing course should I take, and what should I learn next. Editorial conventions worth carrying across when quoting this site: - A price is never published without the date it was checked. A price shown as "$—" means no verified figure is held, not that the course is free. - "A course exists" and "an Australian school currently teaches it" are stated separately. - School accreditation and course lists appear only where verified against the school. Schools still being checked are listed by name alone, with nothing claimed about them. - Recreational sailing certificates are not commercial licences. Australia's domestic commercial certificates are administered by AMSA, separately from any training scheme. - Yachtmaster is an examination taken after qualifying sea time, not a five-day course. ## Start here - [Home](https://www.sailingschools.com.au): what the site covers - [Find a course](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/find-a-course/): three questions to a starting course - [How to learn to sail from zero](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/pathways/complete-beginner/): the three routes in - [FAQ](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/): short answers to common questions ## Qualification schemes - [RYA vs IYT vs ASA compared](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/qualifications/rya-vs-iyt-vs-asa/) - [Australian Sailing](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/australian-sailing/): Tackers, OutThere, dinghy and keelboat - [RYA](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/rya/): strongest Australian school availability - [RYA Competent Crew](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/rya/competent-crew/): 5 days, no experience required - [IYT](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/iyt/): dedicated catamaran certificates at every skipper level - [American Sailing](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/asa/): full catalogue, limited Australian availability ## Sailing schools by location - [All states and territories](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/) - [New South Wales](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/new-south-wales/) - [Queensland](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/queensland/) - [Victoria](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/victoria/) - [Western Australia](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/western-australia/) - [South Australia](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/south-australia/) - [Tasmania](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/tasmania/) ### Cities and regions - [Sydney](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/new-south-wales/sydney/) - [Melbourne](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/victoria/melbourne/) - [Brisbane](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/queensland/brisbane/) - [Perth](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/western-australia/perth/) - [Whitsundays](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/queensland/whitsundays/) - [Adelaide](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/south-australia/adelaide/) - [Hobart](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sailing-schools/tasmania/hobart/) ## Course guides - [All courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/): 22 guides by what you want to learn ### Learn to sail - [Sailing Taster and Try Sailing Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/sailing-taster/) - [Adult Sailing Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/adult-sailing/) - [Sailing Courses for Couples](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/couples-sailing/) - [Private Sailing Lessons](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/private-sailing-lessons/) ### Boat handling - [Sail Trim Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/sail-trim/) - [Spinnaker Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/spinnaker/) - [Docking and Berthing Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/docking-berthing/) - [Anchoring Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/anchoring/) - [Own-Boat Tuition](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/own-boat-tuition/) ### Cruising & passages - [Catamaran Sailing Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/catamaran-sailing/) - [Mile Building Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/mile-building/) - [Passage-Making Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/passage-making/) - [Night Sailing Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/night-sailing/) - [Offshore Sailing Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/offshore-sailing/) ### Charter - [Yacht Charter Preparation Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/charter-preparation/) ### Navigation & weather - [Radar Courses for Sailors](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/radar/) - [Marine Weather Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/weather/) ### Safety & radio - [Marine First Aid Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/marine-first-aid/) - [Marine Radio Courses in Australia](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/marine-radio/) ### Technical - [Marine Diesel Engine Courses for Sailors](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/diesel-engine/) - [Marine Electrical Courses for Sailors](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/marine-electrics/) - [Yacht Maintenance Courses](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/courses/yacht-maintenance/) ## Questions answered in full - [Can I learn to sail with no experience?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/learn-to-sail-with-no-experience/): Yes. Australian Sailing, RYA, IYT and ASA all run courses designed for complete beginners. - [Do I have to start in a dinghy?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/do-i-have-to-start-in-a-dinghy/): No. Starting in a dinghy is useful, but it has never been a requirement. - [Is Competent Crew for complete beginners?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/is-competent-crew-for-complete-beginners/): Yes. RYA currently lists no previous experience requirement. - [Which is better, RYA or IYT?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/rya-or-iyt-which-is-better/): Neither is automatically better. The right one depends on your goal, your boat and what is taught near you. - [Is RYA Day Skipper a boat licence?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/is-day-skipper-a-boat-licence/): No. It is a training certificate, not a licence issued by any government. - [Is Yachtmaster a five-day course?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/is-yachtmaster-a-five-day-course/): No. Yachtmaster is an examination against a standard, taken after qualifying sea time. - [Do I need an ICC?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/do-i-need-an-icc/): It depends entirely on your destination, your eligibility and the charter operator. - [What qualification do I need to charter in the Whitsundays?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/qualification-to-charter-whitsundays/): It varies by company, and your logged experience is usually assessed alongside any certificate. - [Should I take a catamaran course before chartering a catamaran?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/catamaran-course-before-chartering/): Strongly advisable, particularly if all your experience is on monohulls. - [What is Safety & Sea Survival?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/what-is-safety-and-sea-survival/): Specialist training for managing serious emergencies at sea — and not only for racers. - [Should both partners learn to skipper?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/should-both-partners-learn-to-skipper/): At minimum, both should be able to handle an emergency and take control of the boat. - [Is Yachtmaster automatically an Australian commercial qualification?](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/faq/is-yachtmaster-an-australian-commercial-qualification/): No. Australia’s domestic commercial certificates are administered by AMSA, separately. ## Site information - [Site map](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/sitemap/) - [Privacy policy](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/privacy-policy/) - [Terms and conditions](https://www.sailingschools.com.au/terms-and-conditions/) ## Contact hello@sailingschools.com.au — corrections to a school listing are welcome and acted on.