Why Choose Mustang Sailing?The Mustang DifferenceRight from the start we believed that quality training and a straightforward approach would be well received. Steady growth through difficult times has proved this to be true. So what makes for quality training?Quality training is effective training without the distractions of discomfort, over crowding or a tight schedule - not luxury for the sake of it. 40’ boats Space to Live, Space to LearnWe have a matched pair of 40’ yachts with good sailing performance and spacious accommodation. More room to learn, to cook, to prepare passage plans, to socialise and to sleep! Rigorous on-going maintenance and attention to detail means our boats look more like privately owned yachts rather than the typically hard worked school boats. 4 Students, More Time Doing, Less Time WatchingBeing one of four students, rather than the usual 5, gives you 20% more one-to-one time with the instructor, 20% more time at the wheel. Lots more learnt every day. The Mustang 'Double Whammy'Bigger boat + smaller crew = better training + a better time. Food, What Lovely Food!And what great food it is. Home-made frozen evening meals plus everything else required for healthy breakfast and lunch, plus (slightly) less healthy snacks to keep you buzzing along. Furthermore the instructor carries a float to top up the food stores during the week, you need never run out of fresh bread and salad. And the wine helps the evening revision sessions, apparently. We supply all the food not just so you have a lovely time but also to ensure your time table is not dictated by pub/restaurant opening hours. Your instructor can then maximise your sailing experience throughout the course, and you can choose if and when to eat ashore. No Extra Costs – No Nasty SurprisesYou pay once only with Mustang. No unexpected charges for anything. Not for oilskins, food, moorings, fuel etc. You only pay for meals you choose to eat ashore at a pub or restaurant. This is with the exception of Mile Building trips. Inspiring InstructorsWe choose our instructors with knowledge and personality in mind, not economy. We could write all sorts of things about our instructors. If you have been trawling the internet no doubt you will have reached the conclusion that there isn’t a bad instructor out there... Please read the feedback to see what real students thought of our people. Our instructors help you become capable, competent and confident. Print this comparison Sailing School Comparison - RYA Practical Courses
Mustang Sailing - an introduction and background from Paul Stringer the Principal: When I started Mustang Sailing my initial aim was to provide top-quality RYA theory courses to sailors in the South East. I wanted to save students in the area from having to travel all the way to the Solent just to sit in a classroom for a few hours. Later, demand from theory students wanting to do their practical courses with us as well led to Mustang offering RYA practical courses, too. In the early days we chartered yachts but now we run a matched pair of very good condition Bavarias out of Universal Marina on the Hamble. This two-centre approach may make us different from the rest but we at Mustang believe that that is what makes us special. Two events from the past have dictated the philosophy behind the development of the school and led to the mission I believe in, which is that Mustang Sailing is to provide the best available training and support to all people at all levels who wish to enjoy sailing while keeping themselves and those with them safe. The first event was the death of a relative on a delivery trip in the Mediterranean, which reinforced my belief in the principle of “safety first”. The second was the poor standard of instruction I received on my Day Skipper practical course many years ago. Learning from these two events has led to a school in Mustang that offers effective, safe training in a nice atmosphere. We have great surroundings, excellent instructors and all the information we give is correct, practical and understandable. We believe learning to sail should be fun; a boot camp it should not be. As the school’s principal, when I have the opportunity I still run some navigation theory classes and diesel engine courses. I grew up on a Thames barge and, having been around these subjects forever,I pretty much soaked them up by osmosis and I find teaching these subjects very enjoyable. At Mustang Sailing we always keep classes to a small number of students. This ensures everyone has plenty of time with and individual attention from the instructors, which makes study more effective. Our greatest asset is our instructors and we 'cherry pick' specialists to deliver both the theory and the practical courses. For example, our Offshore Safety teacher is the Royal Navy’s chief sea survival instructor. Our instructors are at the top of their game, both as teachers and as sociable people who can help students learn and, what’s more, enjoy it, even if they are initially worried about being among a group of people on a course that they have never met before. With years of experience and fully competent in what they do, all of our instructors are people that I enjoy spending time with - on or off the water. Shorebased theory is taught at our permanent training centre at Ringmer near Lewes in Sussex. We are based on a farm and it can feel a little incongruous to be studying sailing here! But the relaxed nature of the place and the peace and quiet make training and studying easier. Our small class sizes mean there is plenty of room to study and we have special facilities you would be hard pushed to find elsewhere, such as our working rigs of diesel engines. The good road and rail links for national or international students don't hurt, either. On the water, courses take part on the Solent. Famed as the birthplace of yachting, it is a huge, rich and diverse training aid. From a navigation and seamanship perspective everything is here to see and gain experience of (except for direct access to the English Channel but we offer mile-building trips to people who want to get out there). We offer courses in all seasons. This being Britain, perfect weather can’t always be guaranteed but in the Solent we can always find somewhere to hide from the worst of the conditions and practise doing something useful. If strong easterly winds and a long fetch have built up an uncomfortable chop in the western Solent, for example, it’s no problem we can head into the sheltered Southampton Water to practise tacking or picking up a man overboard. There are also great places to visit, such as Cowes, Yarmouth and Lymington. At Mustang Sailing we understand that deciding to take part in a course, let alone choosing which school to go with, is a big decision. Not everyone is comfortable in a classroom, especially if it has been a while. Likewise, joining a boatful of strangers for a week’s sailing can be daunting. People always have questions like ‘Where do I sleep?’ ‘ How do the heads work?’ and the simplest of things on land can seem like scary stuff at sea at first! We are very conscious of this (we've all been there, too) and that’s why the instructors and I make every effort to support you in a way that is second to none. They, and I, want you to achieve your aims, to enjoy your course, to recommend us and then to come back again - and again. We have a fantastic record that speaks for itself when it comes to word of mouth recommendation and repeat bookings. Also, we often find that students who meet on Mustang Sailing courses become good friends. Please take time to look through the website. If you would like to know more you can use the contact form or, best of all, call us. We want to talk to you, to find out who you are and where you want to get to. All of our advice is free and impartial. Enjoy your sailing and keep safe Paul Stringer Principal Mustang Sailing |
|
