G'day fellas,

I'm looking at doing a year or two overseas instructing windsurfing (and kitesurfing possibly as well) in the near future and I'm really having problems finding a provider for RYA instructor qualifications. Due to pretty much all of the windsurfing centres overseas being RYA-accredited and wanting their instructors to be.. does this simply mean I'm going to have to travel overseas?

I know Simon at GoWindSurfing offers YA (Yachting Aus) instructor courses but from what I have heard most companies will not hire instructors with this award. The only possible way to gain an RYA instructors award appears to be to pay huge amounts of money for month long courses overseas, or with Flying Fish (who is equally as expensive).

Any ideas guys?

Hi Sean,

The situation at the moment in Australia in regrads to YA and RYA qualifications is this.

There are only two RYA centres in Australia, being Flying Fish in Sydney and UKSA in Queensland. They only offer extended courses (4-6 weeks long ) and so are very expensive. The RYA will not allow any Australian schools to become RYA due to some pretty stupid policies, so there will not be much change there for a while.
In the mean time, if you do a YA Instructor course(we should be doing one next spring in Safety Bay) then when you arrive in the UK you can have a one day assement by an RYA trainer to convert .
The other option is to go to the UK and do the course there. There are plenty of centres offering them, and once you have them you will have no problem geting a job in the med etc. Mark Warner employ over 1000 temp staff each summer season so unless you are a complete muppet you get a job.

check out

www.braylake.com
These guys run heaps of instructor courses, and also wrote the new Fast Forward scheme.

Good luck,


Simon Cunningham

Go Windsurfing

Hi Sean,

You have no choice but to do the first level (start windsurfing) and then build up your hours. I think , once you have approx 100 hours logged you can move up to Fast Forward and then another 100 hours the Advanced(level 4/5) .Each time you upgrade you have to attend a week long course, which are well worth it.
When you first apply for a job, the level 1 instructor will secure you a place, and most employers will then pay for your upgrade over the season. The higher the qulification, the better the location you get sent to. Remember , some of the resorts in the med rarely get wind over 12 knots, so you get quite frustrated if you want to sail heaps. My first season was on an island called Paxos. Amazing place, really friendly, beutiful beaches but no wind .Ever!!!!!
As an aussie, play up on the stereo type that you must be a **** hot sailor(you my well be anyway) as most instructors being employed now in the Uk and the med in their first seasons are complete muppets and can hardly beach start!!!

As for the YA course, it is the eqivalent of the level 1 (start windsurfing) and YA in their wisdom offers no other instructor courses.

Hope this answers all your questions .

If you do choose to go to Bray, Frosty who owns the place is easily the best coach in UK at instructor level so you will not be sorry, and you will save a heap than doing it with FF or UKSA.

Cheers


Simon

www.gowindsurfing.com

[email protected]

How much does it cost?? To get through the first stage of training, so as to be qualified to start teaching internationally?? Can someone give a ballpark figure for the courses based in Australia??

hi wet Willey,
To find the price that Flying fish or UKSA are charging go on to their website, as they offer so many different courses it is hard to give an exact amount. We will be charging approx $700 for the next 5 day instructor course we run (next spring) but also offered a 6 week course last season for approx $5000 including accomadation.
Once you have this qualification (YA) you would need to do a conversion course in the UK (aprox £50-£100) before you could teach. Some UK companys (ie Mark Warner )will only employ UK citizens in some of their resorts.

Hope this helps

Simon

www.gowinsurfing.com