Thank you to Terence, Amanda, and Ron for taking me out over Easter on the RYA Competent Crew course. Terence is a dedicated, knowledgeable, and thoughtful skipper, who also happens to be an excellent teacher - this a rare and valuable combination. Having recently been out on the water again since the trip, I surprised myself with my own confidence. Especially as everything I know about sailing was gained by being out with Terence for only five days, my first time on a sailboat! The breadth and depth of learning that Terence conveys is immense. The practical experience to reinforce new skills was carefully and generously planned out by Terence, who is invested in every person getting the most out of the trip. I now feel very prepared to take the next steps in growing my sailing abilities as a result. In addition to the delivery of the course, I found the Whitsundays both interesting and challenging to navigate as a beginner sailor, which ultimately made the journey very rewarding. By boat, you are able to reach special parts of the islands in a way that not many people do. Each day was well planned, with flexibility to see and explore the islands, all tied together by delicious food and vibrant conversation. The boat, Mohawk, is also kept in extremely good condition, which made both boat handling and the journey really enjoyable.

We spent 3 nights on board Kayami with Nick and Sue. It was an unforgetable experience . Nick is a talented skipper with good knowledge of the best beaches and snorkling spots in the Whitsundays. Sue should be chef in a top restuarnt , the food was amazing. All in all it was a fantastic experience..........we will be back Thanks The Baldwins

ICC Accreditation

I recently completed my ICC accreditation with Terence at Mainstay Sailing in Airlie Beach and came away really impressed with the whole experience. The boat itself—a Beneteau First 40.7—was excellent. Very well maintained, responsive, and genuinely a joy to sail. It made a big difference having a boat that’s both capable and fun, especially in assessment conditions. Terence was a knowledgeable and highly capable assessor. What stood out was his recent, first-hand charter experience in Croatia (where I’ll be using my ICC), which meant the advice he gave was practical, relevant, and immediately useful. He shared plenty of real-world tips that you just don’t get from textbooks. He also created a really relaxed and comfortable environment. From early on, he was able to gauge my skill level and tailor the assessment accordingly, which helped us both get the most out of the time. It never felt rigid or overly formal—just well structured and purposeful. Conditions were a bit gusty on the day, which actually worked in our favour. Terence set up thoughtful, realistic scenarios and gave me opportunities to demonstrate skills in a meaningful way. The boat’s responsiveness made it ideal for this—great feedback through the helm and very engaging to handle. Overall, I was really impressed—both with Terence’s experience and approach, and the quality of the boat used. Highly recommend for anyone looking to gain their ICC in a practical, enjoyable, and professional setting.

I live in Thailand, had never sailed before and wanted to complete RYA Competent Crew, Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper courses over a relatively compressed time period . Finding an RYA accredited sailing school best suited to my needs required extensive and careful research. After much deliberation I chose Mainstay and I'm very happy I did. My positive experience essentially bolis down to three key factors PEOPLE, PASSION & PLACE. To ensure a successful outcome, I knew that I had to find the right people. Mainstay's team (Ron, Terrance, Nick & Dylan) demonstrated the perfect blend of experience, knowledge and values. Not only were they extremely talented instructors they were people I enjoyed getting to know and spending time with (important when on a boat and living with someone at close quarters). While each instructor had a different teaching style they all possessed an incredible passion for sailing and keeping people safe while teaching the art of seamanship. They worked tirelessly, answering my endless questions, demonstrating sailing techniques and constantly providing feedback and valuable guidance. During the course we maintained a healthy balance of work and play (downtime activities included some incredible snorkelling, nature hikes, and sundowners on the beach). Finally, sailing in the Whitsundays was idyllic - a dream come true. Beautiful weather, panoramic views and consistent South East winds allowed us to test our newly aquired skills daily. I had a life changing experience with Mainstay and cannot recommend them more highly. Five Stars!

We had an amazing day exploring the Whitsundays with Mainstay sailing - we booked for 2 people and effectively had a private charter, we went to 2 great snorkel sites along beautiful empty beaches, away from other touristic boats. The captain and crew were really welcoming and knowledgeable and it was nice to observe their skills from up close

I recently completed a course with mainstay, it was the most fantastic 5 days on board the boat. The experience was invaluable! I highly recommend mainstay for anyone interested in leaning how to sail, Terence was an excellent instructor. We enjoyed an amazing time at Palm Bay resort, this made it so special! And the excellent food was definitely a highlight.