UK Sailing Academy (UKSA)

With over 35 years of experience, UK Sailing Academy (UKSA) is a maritime youth charity with a vision to inspire and support young people to broaden their horizons through life enhancing water-based adventures, education, and pathways for training for careers at sea. Based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, UKSA’s large 4-acre watersports base is perfectly situated to deliver fun-packed watersports and team building programmes, and training for careers in maritime.

More than a school trip

Every year UKSA welcomes over 6,000 beneficiaries from schools and groups on a residential or non-residential basis. From day visits to 3-day or 5-day residential trips there is something for all. Fun-packed watersports and team building programmes offer the perfect options for year 6 transition breaks, year 7 and 8 team building visits or career insights for 14-17 year olds. With everything you need onsite, UKSA offers fun, safe, and engaging experiences ensuring everyone has a great time.

Programmes are tailored to your aspirations and young people’s needs. Learn to sail, kayak, windsurf or paddleboard. Or choose raft building and on-the-water team building activities. Visits can be tailored to include RYA and BC qualifications. Evening activities can include indoor pool games, sea survival in the pool, archery, crabbing, games by the sea or in the park, cinema, disco, climbing wall and indoor football.

Residential programmes include:

• Ratio of 1:6 for on-the-water activities
• Sole-occupancy dormitory-style rooms with coded door access to each block
• Separate leader rooms in the same block as students
• Full board – home cooked healthy food (breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal)
• Return ferry travel to and from the Isle of Wight (from Portsmouth or Southampton)
• Daily watersports and team-building activities
• Fully supervised evening entertainment
• Wetsuits and safety equipment
• One free leader place per 10 participants
• Access to a dedicated chill-out area for children
• CCTV perimeter fences and secure front gates

UKSA defines skills for life as being the six steps to success and measure young people’s perception of their communication, decision making, participation, self-belief, determination, and resilience at the end of their residential stay. Outcomes achieved and insights gathered are shared with schools to measure the impact of the experience on students’ personal development.

UKSA welcomes individuals with special educational and disabled needs, all on and off the water activities are adaptable and inclusive with suitably adapted accommodation blocks with flexible bedrooms.

With the generous support of individuals and donors, UKSA has funding available for those children who do not have the financial support to join their classmates on a residential trip – leave no child behind. Complimentary teacher familiarisation trips with no obligation to book are available.

Training for careers at sea

UKSA, one of the world’s leading suppliers of maritime training, provides residential vocational courses for 16 to 25-year-olds looking to combine academic study and practical work for a long-term career in the growing maritime industry. The watersports and yachting industries have hundreds of opportunities for professional employment, providing you have the right training and qualifications. Working in the professional yachting and superyacht industry can open the doors to worldwide travel, excellent rates of pay and the chance to work on some of the world's most beautiful vessels. As the largest RYA training centre in the world, UKSA can help you get there.

UKSA’s fully-funded Further Education courses are a great alternative to school or college. Foundation and Advanced programmes are available for 16-18-year-olds.

Superyacht Cadetship - structured 4-year programmed designed to train future officers of the superyacht industry. It combines academic study, practical paid work and experience on-board superyachts enabling students to often graduate debt free.

Professional Yachtmaster Offshore - a bespoke, comprehensive 16-week training programme that provides you with the essential credentials that you need to start your career in the maritime industry.

Superyacht Deckhand Training - a concentrated training programme ensures you are ready to jump on board as a junior deckhand after just 19 days at UKSA.

Superyacht Stewardess & Steward Training - provides you with the knowledge and skills over 5-weeks that you need to work as a steward/stewardess expected onboard 7-star luxury vessels.

Expert tuition, purpose-built site and all-inclusive, intensive training packages ensure that you start your career in the yachting and superyacht industry armed with all the skills and qualifications you need. Students benefit from specialist careers and industry guidance, mental health training, and an all-inclusive waterfront campus. Funding opportunities and monthly open days are available.