I recently completed my Competent Crew course on Mohawk and my Day Skipper course on Kayami with Mainstay Sailing, and I could not have chosen a better place to start my sailing journey. I arrived with zero experience and left feeling confident, capable, and completely hooked on sailing. Terence, our instructor for the Competent Crew course, was incredibly patient, calm, and knowledgeable as was instructor Nick for Day Skipper. They explained everything clearly, never made anyone feel rushed, and created an environment where learning felt exciting and achievable. The food on board was a huge highlight—fresh, healthy, and delicious every single day. Between training sessions we explored the Whitsunday Islands, snorkelled in crystal-clear water, and hiked some breathtaking trails. Learning to sail in one of the most beautiful locations in the world felt almost unreal. The islands were magical and the perfect backdrop for gaining new skills. Whether you’re brand new to sailing or wanting to take your skills to the next level, I cannot recommend Mainstay Sailing highly enough. This was an unforgettable experience and the best place to start my sailing journey!

Great quality sailing training in the best sailing location in Australia. These guys don’t take shortcuts and left us feeling confident in our ability across all qualifications. For the price of a Whitsundays sailing holiday we got to see all of the best places while also learning to sail confidently and competently. The meals were amazing, instructors were top notch and we even had free access to the resort pool on the day we got back to harbour. This is by far the best value for money in any sailing courses in Australia, cannot recommend high enough.

What an amazing experience - skillfully delivered hands-on education that is vital knowledge for staying alive, being safe, and feeling at the end confident about taking to the ocean and handling a sailing yacht. All delivered in one of the most beautiful places on earth, guided by a professional and very competent instructor. Just do it!

Just completed the Day Skipper course with Mainstay Sailing and had a fantastic sailing experience combined with balanced learning. For someone wanting to learn or improve their sailing knowledge this course offers a great sailing location which allows the practical skills to be demonstrated and practiced while receiving thorough instruction. Course content was presented in a way that allowed students at all levels to achieve great learning outcomes. Combine this with delicious meals and tropical destinations, looking forward to my next course.

Thank you to Nick at Mainstay sailing for your expert guidance and patience for our very first sailing course. My husband and I were feeling very confident to take out our own catamaran after our 2 half days of sailing with you. Nick was very patient, never stressed and made us feel confident, safe & capable every step of the way. Highly recommend Mainstay sailing and we can’t wait to come back to complete our skippers course.

We recently completed a one-day basic sailing course with Mainstay Sailing, and it was exceptional. Our instructor, Nick—a former commercial pilot—brought a calm, measured, and quietly confident presence to the day that immediately put us at ease. Despite facing a bit of swell and wind, Nick’s unshakable composure gave us both the confidence to push past our nerves. While I was wide-eyed as the boat heeled over in one-metre waves, Nick remained completely unbothered—clearly trusting in our abilities before we even did ourselves. Over the course, we covered an impressive amount: sailing fundamentals, safety, rights of way, and even a man overboard drill (which turned out to be one of the highlights). When the weather turned unfavourable, Nick didn’t skip a beat—he simply split the course over two half days to make sure we got the most from the experience. Mainstay Sailing delivers top-notch, practical training with a personal touch. Highly recommended for anyone looking to dip their toes into sailing or brush up on the basics. Five stars, without hesitation.