Heir Island sailing School is an Irish Sailing Association Training Centre

Our courses generally are those set up and recognised by the Irish Sailing Association.

Below is the description of our main courses, this is an outline of what we can organise for individuals and families.

We will answer to any group request (10 to 13 persons) and tailor a special programme, whether the group wishes an intensive training or a more relaxed approach of sailing.

Week Sailing Courses

Junior and adults mixed ability courses

Dates : July and August

Duration : 5 days Monday to Friday

Participants : Junior, adults, families

Fleet : Topaz, Mermaids

Adults & families courses

Dates : May June & September

Duration : 5 days Monday to Friday

Participants : Adults, families

Fleet : Topaz, Mermaids & Heir Island Lobster Boat

Junior Language and Sail Course

Dates : 4,11 & 18 July, 8 & 15 August

Duration : 5 days Monday to Friday

Participants : continental children aged 14/17

Fleet : Topaz, Mermaids

Full board, sailing tuition and English language instruction half time

Weekend sailing courses

Adult Sailing weekends

Dates : Easter to end of September

Duration : Saturday & Sunday (+ Monday on Bank Holiday Weekends)

Participants : Adults

Fleet : Mermaids, Heir Island Lobster Boat

Weekend courses Specials

"Friends" weekend

Dates : Easter to Halloween weekends

Duration : Saturday & Sunday (+ Monday on Bank Holiday Weekends)

Participants : group 10 to 13

Fleet : Topaz, Mermaids, Heir island Lobster Boat, kayaks

The whole residence and sailing school is for the group

"Ladies who launch" weekend

Dates : 14/15 August

Duration : Saturday & Sunday

Participants : beginners female adults

Fleet : Mermaids, Heir Island Lobster Boat

Only for female beginners - €200 full board

"Father’s day" weekend

Dates : 19/20 June

Duration : Saturday & Sunday

Participants : parent(s) with children

Fleet : Mermaids, Heir Island Lobster Boat

Half price for children (€125 full board)

Personalised Private Coaching

Dates : all year except July & August

Personalised private tuition is provided to skippers (with or without crew) who would like to learn more about getting the most from their sailing yacht. Samples of sessions : Moorings and harbour manoeuvres, man over board, boat handling and tuning, pilotage on local waters, skipper their boat on a coastal passage. The programme will meet the client's requirements.

IRISH SAILING ASSOCIATION

Small Boat Sailing Scheme

The Irish Sailing Association has recently introduced a new syllabus which after basic training branches out in to two streams, the adventure stream which is very suited to our facilities in Roaringwater Bay with all its exploratory attributes and the racing stream for those who wish to race competitively. It is of course open to all sailors to do both streams.
The new syllabus will enable sailors to have new courses and awards for 7 years and up to 11 years if each module is completed, this ensures that a sailor who starts at 9 years of age does not need to take a gap year and will have an exciting new syllabus and award up to 17 or 18 years of age and enter the instructor regime if they wish.

The ISA courses are as follows:

The ISA courses are as follows:

In the diagram hereunder you will see what modules have to be completed before advancing.

We now detail the broad contents of each module, your log book will contain more detailed information on the contents, when booking please refer to each module by its code as detailed above.

Taste of sailing:  (TOS)
A short introduction to the thrills and spills of sailing, this course will provide you with a flavour of the sport in a controlled, safe environment.
Aim.
The aim of this brief introductory course is to give you a positive introduction to the thrill of sailing.
Experience.
No prior experience or knowledge is required, we suggest that 9 years is a reasonable starting age, all sailors must be able to swim. Where time allows, this course may be linked straight into Start Sailing which is the next module you should complete.
Duration.
2-3 days.
Boat Used.
Topaz Uno.
Assessment:
Continuous throughout the course.

Start sailing. (SS)
Aim.
By the end of this course you will be sailing in light wind conditions with assistance from your instructor.
Previous experience.
You should be able to demonstrate the skills and knowledge learned in Taste Of Sailing.
Boat Used.
Topaz Uno.
Assessment:
Assessment is continuous throughout the course. However, your instructor may also choose to use a formal practical assessment of boat handling skills and a short written paper or oral interview in assessing your level of background knowledge.

Basic skills.  (BS)
Aim.
By the end of this course you will be sailing on your own in light winds without assistance from your instructor.
Experience.
You will be expected to demonstrate the skills learned in the start sailing course.
Duration.
4-10 days
Boat Used.
Topaz Uno
Assessment.
Continuous throughout the course. However, your instructor may choose to use a formal practical assessment of boat handling skills and a short written paper or oral interview to assess your level of background knowledge.

Improving skills.  (IS)
Aim
To develop the skills and knowledge you need in order to set up and sail the boat more effectively in moderate conditions. This module will also prepare you for the specialist modules ahead.
Previous experience.
You will be expected to have completed, or have experience equivalent to the basis skills course and have been sailing regularly.If you have not been regularly practising these skills you will need to do so prior to this module or extend the length of the course to allow you to do so.
Boats.
Topaz Uno or Mermaids
Duration
4-10 days.
Assessment.
Continuous throughout the module. Your instructor may, however, choose to use a formal practical session of boat handling skills and a short written paper or oral interview to assess your level of background knowledge.

Advanced boat handling.  (ABH)
Aim.
To develop advanced boat handling and tuning skills and prepare you to sail flat out in strong winds.
Previous knowledge/experience.
You must have completed the Improving Skills module and been sailing regularly. If not you will need to practise prior to the course or extend its duration.
Duration.
4-10 days.
Boat Used.
Mermaids

Adventure 1.  (ADV1)
Aim.
To introduce you to the skills and knowledge you will need in order to undertake longer trips and to sail in stronger winds.
Previous knowledge/experience.
You will be expected to have completed or have experience equivalent to the Improviving Skills module and have been sailing regularly, as with other modules lack of regular sailing will necessitate pre module practice or longer course duration.
Duration.
4-10 days.
Boat Used.
Mermaids.
Assessment.
Continuous, however, your instructor may also choose to use a formal practice session for boat handling skills and a short written paper or oral interview to assess background knowledge.

Adventure 2.  (ADV2)
Aim
To develop the skills and knowledge you will need to become an independent sailor capable of undertaking extended trips and making correct decisions in adverse conditions.
Previous knowledge experience.
You will be expected to have completed or have experience equivalent to those covered in Adventure 1 and one other module at that level. (see chart above).
Duration.
4-10 days.
Boats Used.
Mermaids.
Assessment.
Continuous with practical assessment  of boat handling skills option at instructors discretion with short written paper or oral interview to demonstrate background knowledge.

Kites and wires 1. (KW1)
Aim.
To introduce you to the thrills and spills of sailing with spinnakers and trapezes.
Previous knowledge
You will be expected to have completed or have experience equivalent to the Improving Skills Module.
Duration.
4-10 days.
Boats Used.
Mermaids.
Assessment.
Continuous, practical assessment at instructors discretion, short written paper or oral interview to determine level of background knowledge.

Kites and wires 2. (KW2)
Aim.
To experience the thrills and spills of using trapezes and spinnakers in challenging conditions.
Previous knowledge/ experience.
You will be expected to have completed Kites and Wires 1 and one other module from that level, (see chart above). Regular practice required or extended course in its absence.
Duration
4-10 days.
Boats Used.
Mermaids.
Assessment.
Continuous, practical session at instructors discretion, short written paper or oral interview to determine background knowledge.

Racing 1 and Racing 2.
We do not currently provide tuition for these modules,  we can certainly accommodate a group who wish to pursue these modules as a separate programme.

Ladies who Launch:
The Irish Sailing Association has a Women on Water  (WOW) programme which is supported by the Government and encourages Women to participate in sport, they contributed by the past  €50 towards each course that women participate in. They have now stopped and this contribution €50 is now supported by us.

We have enhanced this offering by making the course a weekend course which includes  gourmet picnic lunches on one of our wonderful Islands and a dinner in Roaringwater Lodge on the Saturday night prepared by Ballymaloe Cook Sharon O’Reilly.

Sailing is conducted in the Heir Island lobster boats skippered by Nigel Towse and Hugues Traonmilin and our three skippered Mermaids. We can tailor a programme to suit our male sailors if they wish to put together a group of a maximum of 14 sailors