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RYA Multihull Advanced Sailing
Stronger winds, a kite, and a hull out of the water on purpose.
Advanced Sailing is the top of the RYA multihull scheme.
It covers:
Australia has a deep beach-catamaran culture and a strong Hobie fleet, so this is one of the few advanced dinghy-scheme modules where local club sailing will take you further than the certificate does.
- Who it suits
- Experienced catamaran sailors moving into fast classes or club racing.
- What it is not
- Not a foiling course, and not a cruising-catamaran qualification.
Primary source: RYA training. Course structures and prerequisites can change; confirm the current version with the training body and school.
The course in context
Further multihull training develops particular skills beyond basic small-boat control. Depending on the course and boat, the focus may be seamanship, performance, spinnakers or racing. These are different learning goals, so a useful booking description should name the actual module rather than promise everything under “advanced”.
Before you start
You need dependable basic multihull handling before adding more power or complexity. Ask about any required trapeze, spinnaker or racing experience. Do not infer prerequisites from the course title alone.
Skills you will develop
Refined coordination
Improve the timing between helm, sail controls and crew movement. On a responsive boat, small delays or misunderstandings can have noticeable consequences.
Specialist systems
Learn the equipment relevant to the chosen module. Understanding preparation and recovery is as important as the moment a new sail or technique works well.
Judgement and feedback
Recognise when conditions exceed a useful learning challenge. Performance training should improve control, not encourage continuing merely to prove confidence.
Training and assessment
Confirm the named syllabus, boat and teaching arrangement. Skills learned on a beach catamaran do not replace the berthing, navigation and systems training needed for a cruising catamaran.
Questions to ask the school
- Which module is actually taught?
- What equipment experience is required?
- How are unsuitable conditions handled?
Related learning
Before and after
Other RYA courses
RYA Sailing Pathway
The whole RYA cruising route in order, and where you are allowed to skip a step.
RYA Cruising Level 1: Start Sailing
A short introduction aboard a small cruising yacht — the shortest way to find out whether yachting suits you.
RYA Cruising Level 2: Basic Skills
The follow-on from Level 1, adding real boat handling on a small cruising yacht.
RYA Start Yachting
Two days aboard a cruising yacht, for complete beginners who want a genuine taste of yachting.
RYA Day Skipper Theory
The classroom half of Day Skipper: charts, tides, buoyage, collision regulations and passage planning.
RYA Day Skipper Practical Sailing
Five days in which you stop being crew and start being the person responsible for the boat.
RYA Coastal Skipper Practical
Skippering beyond familiar water and beyond daylight — longer passages, night pilotage, heavier weather.
RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory
The advanced shorebased course: tidal work, passage planning, meteorology and collision regulations at Yachtmaster depth.
Australian schools using RYA
These schools advertise training under the RYA system. This does not confirm that every school currently runs RYA Multihull Advanced Sailing; check the current course list directly.
Which course should you actually book?
Three questions — your experience, the boat you want to sail, and your goal — give you a starting course and the schools that teach it near you.