RS400 Initial Training

I have recently bought an RS400 as a first ever dinghy. I'm very inexperianced in sailing anything other than windsurf boards, and my crew is not much better either, coming down from large yachts. I'm worried that I'm going to cause some serious injury to either one of us, or to other water users and really don't want to do so.

So, I'm looking for some instruction. I'm prepared to pay, and want to get on with it ASAP. A couple of full days would (I think) get me pretty competent at handling safely. So What does anyone suggest? I'm based in Bath, so there is my local club, Chew, but there is a waiting list to join the waiting list (no joke, there really is!) or there is pretty much anywhere between Weymouth and Portsmouth on the south coast. Weymouth is the obvious place, but there will be no instuctors back until late spring, and I really don't want to wait that long.

Anyone who owns sa 400 and wants to earn some money at the weekend, then I'm sure we could come to an arrangement!!

Join the RS class asscoiation and they will be able to put in touch with one of the 40 odd coaches that they have trained up. Usually the association prefer to teach in groups as the learning scope of all attending increases but I'm sure they will point you in the right direction. They have on-line boat coaching including tacking, Gybing, windward and leeward mark rounding plus boat set up. You can play these over abe over again to study what yo bother should be doing.

Failing that ask the RYA of instructors in your area and pay one of them for a weekend of coaching to get you started on the basics.  Did you not think of doing a basic dinghy course prior to the capital outlay? A course won't have to be on a 400. Any boat will do as the principles are the same, the 400 will just be a bit quicker and more sensitve to boat trim. Then later on do some training on the 400 to hone the techniques that are 400 specific. 

Have fun

Originally posted by Wes there will be no instuctors back until late spring, and I really don't want to wait that long.

On the other hand, the water will be warmer by spring, and maybe those centres are closed for a reason. If your other half is less committed than you are, you might put them off for good trying to learn at this time of water, with the swimming sessions this is likely to involve. Maybe best to keep it fun at a warmer time of year. Just a thought. 

Edited by Stefan Lloyd

Unless you both have a very good sense of humour, and decent dryuits...I'd wait. The 400 isn't the hardest boat to sail, but if you're learning then a swim is more than likely, and in the winter that can rapidly turn unpleasant.

Probably the best next step would be to get some high performance sailing DVDs so you can get your head around asymmetric sailing (did you do that on your course?) and then take yourselves off to Menorca sailing as soon as they open in May and get some quality instruction in warmer waters...they have 400s there.

You can awlays leave your wife at home and crew for someone with a 400 if your keen over the winter. You'd learn loads and the when the spring arrives you would have built up a good knowledge base of the boat!