Ricky discovered the thrill of sailing relatively late in his life after booking a sailing holiday on a whim for his family. He then signed up for a Round-The-World yacht race, billed as the "Worlds Toughest Yacht Race" - the Global Challenge 2004-5.

That experience decided Ricky's future - he gave up his high powered career in Information Technology.Wind forward fifteen years and Ricky has now clocked up 260,000 sea miles, completed another Round-The-World-Race, this time as skipper in 2007-8, six trans Atlantic ARC races, six Fastnet Races, and sixteen Atlantic crossings as well as sailing as far North as the Lofoton Islands in the Arctic Circle and as far South as 62 degrees South, 120 miles further South of Cape Horn. 

He is the Principle of his own RYA Sailing School, instructs and examines for a number of other sailing schools including First Class Sailing.

First Class Sailing talk to Paul Pilsworth about the practical courses he runs for us and what to expect when you get on board for a weekend of week with him. Upon retirement Paul sailed across the Atlantic, before relocating to Cowes where he bought a yacht. He then realised his long held dream of sailing round Britain before becoming a cruising instructor! 

He's enjoyed teaching both novice and experienced sailors for First Class Sailing now for nearly 10 years. As many of my students say about him "Paul really is really living the dream!” 

To find out how you could take the helm on board one of First Class Sailing yachts just visit https://www.firstclasssailing.com/ fulfilment of a long held dream of arriving at a favourite destination on our round Britain sail.

Alex Eyre talks to First Class Sailing's podcaster Ceri Hurford-Jones about her sailing experiences to date and her plans for the future. At the age of 7 Alex discovered sailing, mucking around in old wooden wayfarers in the Devon estuaries. But is wasn't until University that she really got the sailing bug as she joined the yachting team race training and exploring the Clyde, spending nights at anchor in remote Scottish villages and towns including Tarbet and Holy Loch.

In 2013 she ended up working on some ex Whitbread yachts in the Whitsundays taking backpackers on 3 day trips, followed by a life changing experience that saw her taking part in the Fastnet yacht race,In 2017 she decided to fulfill a life long dream and cross the Atlantic, at trip that really followed in her mother’s foot steps. 

And that is where First Class Sailing came in........

RNLI crew member Rebecca Miller talks to Ceri about taking part on the 2019 ARC yacht race and how in the middle of a night watch she was visited by a butterfly, whilst whales played in the wake of their 72ft craft. 

You could experience this for yourself by clicking here https://www.firstclasssailing.com

Clive Morgan tells Ceri how he moved from racing a dingy to helming a 72ft racing yacht across the Atlantic from the Canaries to the Caribbean in the ARC Rally. Sailing across the Atlantic is a pretty special experience, let alone racing across. Ocean racing is not for the faint hearted. It might be at times quite physically demanding, certainly exhilarating, and definitely fun. You could experience this for yourself by clicking here........

https://www.firstclasssailing.com

In this special 'live' edition Hugo talks to fellow candidate Ceri Hurford-Jones about his sailing experiences to date and his three days of yachtmaster prep as he gets ready to face the examiner. 

To talk to the First Class Sailing team about improving your own sailing skills visit https://www.firstclasssailing.com/

First Class Sailings podcaster Ceri Hurford-Jones continues to meet up with people who take up the challenges to improve their sailing skills and become more competent RYA qualified Day Skippers. Today he meets up with Julian Roberts to discover more about getting qualified. 

To book your own course just go to https://www.firstclasssailing.com/

Kate Hattersley explains how an on line theory course she is taking really helped her to get the knowledge she needed for the next step on her sailing journey with First Class Sailing. 

To find out how to expand your sailing knowledge via an online course, with a live instructor just visit https://www.firstclasssailing.com/rya-courses/yachtmaster-ocean-theory-course

Nigel Rennie started sailing in 1984 whilst serving in the Army (REME). He qualified as a Yachtmaster Instructor in 1990 becoming an RYA Examiner a few years later. He’s skippered large sail training yachts worldwide, crossing most of the oceans and venturing south as far as the Falkland Islands.

Presently Rear Commodore Sailing for Warsash Sailing Club, Nigel splits his sailing time between instructing and examining Yachtmasters, teaching Celestial Navigation, offshore racing safety and boat handling skills. Recreational sailing includes supporting club sailing and family chartering

Here he share with First Class Sailing some of the wealth of experience he has built up as to what makes a Ocean Yachtmaster.

For more information on how to improve your boating skills just visit https://www.firstclasssailing.com/

Nigel Rennie started sailing in 1984 whilst serving in the Army (REME). He qualified as a Yachtmaster Instructor in 1990 becoming an RYA Examiner a few years later. He’s skippered large sail training yachts worldwide, crossing most of the oceans and venturing south as far as the Falkland Islands.

Presently Rear Commodore Sailing for Warsash Sailing Club, Nigel splits his sailing time between instructing and examining Yachtmasters, teaching Celestial Navigation, offshore racing safety and boat handling skills. Recreational sailing includes supporting club sailing and family chartering

Here he share with First Class Sailing some of hints and tips that could help you become a qualified RYA Yachtmaster.

For more information on how to improve your boating skills just visit https://www.firstclasssailing.com/