Five strangers, 40ft yacht, 5 days, strong winds, what can go wrong? It was a fantastic learning experience doing my RYA Dayskipper with them. The Mainstay crew's many years of knowledge shines thru in every aspect of the week. A really professional operation. Oh, and the food, wow, wow, wow. Never eaten so well at sea. Thank you Ron and Terrence.
Fantastic experience! Even though I managed to jam the propellor only 30 seconds after leaving the dock, Terence didn't bat an eye, took control, fixed the problem and never looked back! An amazing Captain, great instructor, awesome chef, and plenty of stories too! We had a great time and learnt so much. Thanks Terence and Ron. We'll be back for our Day Skipper soon!
I had an amazing time! Terrance is an excellent instructor! And chef!! One of the best experience ever!
A life changing experience :) you will fall in love with sailing and boat life after this trip. We have learnt so much about sailing with our instructor Terrence and for sure we want to continue with other courses. Thank you so much Terrence and all mainstay family. Marta & francesco
Incredible course and such a good experience, learnt so much. Food was fantastic and sunsets even better. Terrance and Ron are really passionate and helpful. They are incredibly generous people. I can’t recommend enough.
Terence Smith of Mainstay Sailing is legend. His knowledge, deep experience and ability to communicate and impart his knowledge is second to none. If you are interested in learning or improving your knowledge about sailing, there is no one better, and to do it in the beautiful Whitsundays makes it a very special experience.
We had an absolutely spectacular experience with Mainstay Sailing! Terrance was incredibly knowledgeable and a fantastic teacher. My two young girls, aged 11 and 8, had a wonderful time and learned so much. The food was exceptional, a pleasant surprise that made our experience even better. Despite this being our first sailing adventure and the weather not being on our side the whole week, Terrance took every opportunity to teach with patience and make us all feel safe and comfortable. Highly recommended for anyone looking to learn how to sail in a supportive and fun environment!
What a professional group! A Grade holistic training. Terrence and Ron are honestly awesome and really take care of you. The food was gourmet too and a lovely surprise. I will be back for more training!
"SIMPLY THE BEST"- Teaching; Experience; Food; Sailing; Weather; Crew and companionship. Terence knows how to mix his wealth of sailing and cooking experience with great teaching skills and relaxation, to create a wonderful learning environment. This is all backed up with the amazingly personable Ron on admin!
Day skipper / Competent Crew Course 25-30 January 2021 From the moment Sheree and I arrived, Terence and Ron were friendly, welcoming, funny and encouraging. Terence’s vast experience and knowledge was reassuring, and his advice, tips and tricks really helped throughout the course. The food was above and beyond expectations. We all left wanting to replicate the menu and flavours that Terence seemed to produce effortlessly. Mohawk is a handsome boat and very comfortable to live and sail in. Under the expert guidance of Terence, his calm, steady manner, sage advice and humour relaxed our nerves and created a great learning environment. I can think of no better place to learn to sail than the Whitsundays, it was simply stunning. I highly recommend Mainstay Sailing. Terence and Ron are not just teaching people to sail, they are creating community through a shared love of sailing and the sea. I look forward to dropping by again to further my experience and am sure will stay in contact with fellow course crew mates; Fred and Catrin. We were a happy crew and became friends through shared experience. ‘If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea’ - The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Terence (the instructor) and Ron were just the Men. Terence is a very dedicated, attentive, patient and super experienced Mentor. I did my RYA Competent Crew course with him in January 2021, and it was a blast. It was amazing to discover many different places I had never been to on the Whitsundays, sail under a storm, learn lots and lots of theory and practice, eat Terence's amazing food (that paella....!) and listen to everyone's stories. What an inspiring trip with only great people! I'm strongly thinking about keeping up with the courses to become a proper Sailor. It's definitely a must for everyone who is considering learning about the Sea and all the amazing things it brings with it. These guys have you.
I completed my Coastal Skipper course with Terrence during August 2020. Whilst the world is in uncertain times, Terrence remained flexible around the border restrictions and dates of the course. When we made it up to QLD, Terrence made us feel very welcome and comfortable in his presence. This carried on through the week where the sailing was awesome, food was even better and the whole experience was 10/10. As an extremely experienced instructor Terrence shared a lot of insights into what blue water cruising is really about, and how we should look to make preparations above and beyond the RYA syllabus. I will be keeping my eye peeled for more opportunities to do some mile builders with Terrence in the near future.Thanks for an awesome week!
I arrived in Airlie with no previous experience in sailing - I came away competent and qualified and loved the experience! Terence is an incredibly patient and thorough teacher (despite a few of my wobbles). I would recommend this to anyone looking to learn something new whilst adventuring around one of the most beautiful spots around! We will be back to flex our new skills - thanks Terence & the Mainstay team!
I cannot say enough about how great an experience I’ve had with Terence and Mohawk!!! I completed the Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper and LROCP courses with Mainstay and I will do more!! Terence is fun, funny, professional and most of all, patient. His teaching style is easy going, but super thorough. Mohawk is an exceptional sailing vessel, very well equipped and safe beyond measure. You cannot do better than learning to sail with Terence at Mainstay Sailing!!!
Words cannot do justice to the joy, experience and wisdom that Terence gives through his love of sailing, or his superb level of teaching and training with Mainstay Sailing. With his expert guidance, I have been able to realise my own dreams through the RYA Dayskipper, and also share this amazing learning experience with my 13 year old daughter, who Terence coached with great compassion and patience as she grew through her fears. This shared sailing adventure has created a beautiful bond and sense of adventure that has made our lives so much richer-I’m eternally grateful! I can’t wait to continue sailing and learning with Mainstay all the way to Yachtmaster level, out of the rat race and onto the seven seas, ahoy!
Can't recommend Terence and Mainstay highly enough. I want to thank Terence for his patience and encouragement with my Day Skipper course which I now have under my belt. I hope to continue and do Coastal next. Thanks for all the great meals and company on "Mohawk" too!
Last year I did my RYA Day Skipper Course with Terrence and Mainstay Sailing. Over the course of one year spent in Australia, this was one of the highlights. I’m sure I won’t be able to articulate all the details that made it such a great experience, but I’ll give it a go. 1. Terrence is a great instructor. He has many years of experience on the water and this shows. As well as being able to answer very specific questions about seamanship and navigation, his answer usually comes with a good story too. 2. Terrence is also very generous with his time, and the use of his yacht. His passion for getting people on the water, enjoying sailing, really shines through. Therefore, he will go above and beyond to offer you the time and experience that you need. 3. The sailing area around Gold Coast is beautiful, with lots of interesting nooks and crannies to explore. We were also lucky enough to go to Tasmania, which was amazing. 4. You’d never think you’d be able to eat so well on a yacht. Terrence is an excellent cook and he makes sure you are well filled while you are on your trip. I’m sure there is more that I’ve missed out. However, the general gist is that I couldn’t recommend this enough.
The experience was a perfect mix between learning and fun. Terence and Dylan were so helpful and patient when showing me the ropes (literally). I learnt so much and want to learn more! I HIGHLY recommend Mainstay Sailing! Such great people and a brilliant experience overall. Excited to do it again!
From the moment I started at mainstay sailing I was amazed at how much more I could learn on top of what I thought I already knew. Terence has a heart of gold. I took my RYA Dayskipper, Coastal skipper and Yachtmaster offshore course at Mainstay. Some great memories with Mainstay and Mohawk! We were even able to do a week of training in Tasmania on the Southern Ocean. From beginners to seasoned veterans I highly recommend Terence and Mainstay sailing! Also the food is amazing!
I had taken sailing courses in the Solent in UK before and was looking for a RYA school to help me progressing. With Mainstay Sailing I found the best address. I was on-board of Mohawk for mile builders and a day skipper course as well as following the Instructor on an adventure to Tasmania. I also passed my theory exam as well as VHF and Sea Survival and Safety with them. 5 stars for knowledge, fun and last but not least delicious food. See you soon for more adventures.
Best weekend EVER! Terence is very knowledgeable with everything to do with sailing. He is very patient and you can clearly see he has a passion for what he does. The food is exceptional and it is safe to safe i am well and truly hooked on sailing. Thank you for such an incredible experience
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RYA Training (internationally recognised)
Whether you have never been on a yacht, or you just want to learn a bit more, we offer professionally run courses which will give you internationally recognised qualifications.
If you are planning to charter locally or internationally, we can offer courses which will give you the knowledge and ability to make it safe and enjoyable, as well as the certificate to present to the charter company.
Our practical courses are run on “Mohawk” a Bennetau 40.7, which is ideal for training in a safe and comfortable environment. Our training ground is the Whitsunday region in Queensland. All courses are run from our base at Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach.
Your instructors are RYA qualified and will ensure your learning experience is fun, and exciting. We adapt the courses to suit all learning styles and personal preferences. The accommodation and food will set the ideal learning environment to ensure that you have a fantastic week with us.
The Royal Yachting Association is the national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.
Our internationally renowned training schemes steer 250,000 yacht sailors, power boaters, small craft leisure boaters, windsurfers and canal boaters towards confident and successful boating every year.
So whether your end goal is to spend more quality down time on the water, to travel, to compete, to work, or to advance your career; there’s a course for you.
Our escapades bring you back to the fundamentals of life. Spending a few days on a boat brings out the best in human nature. Living and working together we talk a lot, laugh a lot, and put the world to rights. It is more than an escape from the complexity of life ashore; the fresh air, natural adrenalin and outdoor activity give your body a good physical detox too.
We have the knowledge and skills to safely deliver your boat to its new port.
We respect the trust owners place on us. Years of blue water sailing experience has ensured that careful preparation, regular watch keeping and making sure the boat is safe at all times is essential for the safety of the people on board and the yacht.
At the same time we can provide tuition for you and your crew during the planning of the passage and the actual delivery itself. Extra crew can be arranged if required.There are four stages to a delivery exercise – preparation, leaving port, passage making and arrival with debrief
The ultimate getaway for 2! Yacht charters and sailing cruises are one of the best ways to experience beauty of the Whitsundays. Choose from romantic overnight yacht charters for two, sailing cruises with meals and drinks, hands-on sailing trips or something with a touch of luxury. Once out on the glittering waves you'll see why we think yacht charters and sailing cruises are such a treat!
Payments are taken prior to course or charter start. We have payments plans to make it easier for you.