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Port Solent Course Joining Instructions



Welcome to Sunsail
Thank you for choosing to sail with us. To help you prepare for your course we have put together some useful information and recommend you read it through a couple of weeks before your course commences. Please do not hesitate to call our office if you have any further queries.

Sunsail sales office opening hours:
The Sunsail office is open from 0900 to 1900 Monday to Friday and 0900 to 1730 Saturdays, and 1000 to 1600 Sundays all year round.

Sunsail base opening hours:
The Sunsail base is open from 0900 to 2000 Monday to Thursdays, 0900 to 2100 Fridays all year round and 0800 to 1000 Saturdays and 1500 to 2100 Sundays when a course is running.

Contact numbers:

Reservations    023 9222 2224
Aftersales    023 9222 2894
Reception for delayed Arrival    023 9222 2336
(Within base opening hours)
Emergency Sunsail UK Operations    023 9222 2336
(Outside base opening hours only)

Base Address    
The Port House
Port Solent
Portsmouth
PO6 4TH

Yacht Course Start Times
Please note that all courses will commence promptly at the start times stated.

Practical courses

7 days     Sunday start 1900       Sunday finish 1700
5 days     Sunday start 1900       Friday finish 1700
2+3         Friday start 1900          Sunday finish 1700 days (1st weekend)
              Friday start 1900          Monday finish 1700 (2nd weekend)
2 days     Friday start 1900          Sunday finish 1700
1 day      Saturday start 0900     Saturday finish 1700
Teenage
Sailing     Sunday start 1800       Friday finish 1600


Shore based courses

5 days     Monday start 0900       Friday finish 1700
1 days     Saturday start 0900     Saturday finish 1700
or           Sunday start 0900        Sunday finish 1700

Yacht Course Information

What to bring?
We suggest you pack the following:

For practical courses
• Fleece top, gloves, hat, scarf, thick socks, comfortable trousers / tracksuit, deck shoes / sailing boots or white soled trainers, neck towel or small towel to stop drips. We do not recommend jeans as they take a long time to dry.
• It is much warmer to wear multiple thin layers than one thick layer. Hopefully you will have good weather and if you do get sunshine we advise you have a hat, sun cream, shorts and T-shirts.
• Please note that all personal items are brought at your own risk. You may also what to bring your own waterproofs or hire some from us at £6 per day. For hygiene reasons, we do not hire out sailing footwear.
• PLEASE NOTE Sunsail only provide life jackets suitable for adults or older teenagers.  Waterproofs for hire come in a range of adult sizes. 
• For people on Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Practical courses, you will need two passport sized photographs for your examination. Please ensure you bring the correct exam fees for each course. These are payable direct to the RYA examiner, not Sunsail.

For shore based courses
• Please bring pens, pencils, eraser, calculator, dividers, Bretton Plotter.
• The working day is usually divided into two halves:
0900 - 1300 and 1400 - 1700. These hours may be altered at the Instructor’s discretion. There will be breaks for coffee through the day and there are plenty of places to dine locally.
• For people on GMDSS radio courses you will need to bring a £22* cheque made payable to the RYA for the exam, together with two passport sized photographs.
* Fee’s are subject to change

Accommodation

For practical courses
• You will be sleeping on board in shared cabins.
PLEASE NOTE - We do not provide bedding so please bring your own sleeping bags, pillows and towels.
• Please bring your things in a soft holdall as there is no storage on board the yacht.

For shore based courses
• You will need to arrange your own accommodation locally.

Catering Arrangements

Practical courses
• Breakfast, lunch and non-alcoholic beverages are provided on board together with one evening meal. You are welcome to bring any extra nibbles you may require!
• We do not specifically cater for vegetarian or other dietary needs and we therefore suggest you bring alternative provisions as required.
• Evening meals are at your own expense. Your skipper can recommend good restaurants at each overnight stop.
• Please note that you will be expected to help with the cooking, washing up and general housekeeping of the yacht.

Shore based courses
• Refreshments will be provided on arrival and at morning and afternoon break. Lunch is available at own cost on site in Quayside, or there is a large selection of places to dine locally.

Log book
• You will require RYA logbook G15 for your course. If you have not already ordered a log book you can purchase one from our office. If you ordered one when you made your booking it will be sent out to you.

Recommended Reading
• RYA Practical and/or Theory Course books. These can be
purchased in advance direct from the sales team at the Sunsail Port Solent office or the RYA.
Marina Fees
• Mooring/marina fees are NOT included in the course fees. Any costs incurred for berthing will be spilt between the crew.

Children on courses
• Children aged 13+ - Sunsail welcome your older
children on any of our courses at any time of year as long as they are accompanied by at least one adult. Under 16s can get qualified as Comp Crew, over 16s can become Day Skipper.
• Shorebased – over 16s are welcome on our courses, but need to be accompanied by an adult if they are under 18 yrs.

How to find Port Solent Marina


Driving from the West
Leave the M27 at Junction 12. As you approach the traffic lights ahead stay in the left hand lane. Go through these lights to the left and a further four straight ahead. Pass under a bridge and filter into the left hand lane and follow road round into the Port Solent Marina complex.

Driving from the East
Join the A27 and continue heading west. Filter left down to the Hilsea roundabout when you see sign for Copnor, Hilsea. Take the second exit off the Hilsea roundabout and continue until you reach the Marriott Hotel traffic lights. Filter into the right hand lane and follow the road over and through the various sets of lights. Pass through four sets of traffic lights and under a bridge. Filter into the left hand lane and follow road round into the Port Solent Marina complex.

Driving from London
Travel towards Portsmouth on the A3 and continue on the A3(M). Take the right hand fork at the bottom of the A3(M) for the A27, marked Portsmouth & Southampton. Take the westbound A27 and follow the "From the East" directions.

By Train
The nearest main line station is Portsmouth & Southsea with regular connections to Chichester, Brighton, London and Southampton. However, if a bus service to Port Solent is required you will need to get off the train at Fratton railway station, Portsmouth. The nearest local station to Port Solent is Portchester and the station at Havant is conveniently placed on the Network South East, London to Portsmouth Harbour Service.
For information on local and national train times and fares telephone: 08457 484950 (24 hour service)

On arrival at Port Solent
Follow the main road going straight across the first roundabout. At the next roundabout, bear right (the only way). At the third roundabout, take the second exit. Then drive over two "sleeping policemen" and take the next right. The Port House building is directly ahead of you. Parking is free.

From the main Port House entrance, go left along the board walk and follow this round to the back of the building. You’ll see signs for the Quayside Bar. Enter through the main door and you will see Sunsail UK Yachts Reception directly on your right.

Photography
• An essential part of the success of our brochures is using photography that gives clients a true idea of the product, rather than using models. During the course of the season, we have photographers on site at our bases. If a photographer is on site at any time during your holiday we will advise you on your arrival at the base. If you have strong objections to close up photography of yourself and party, please indicate your feelings to the photographer at the time.

Sunsail – Respecting Destinations
Sunsail remains committed to looking after the environment and supporting the cultures where we operate. Over many years our clients have helped us to ensure that our presence does not negatively impact these areas. Please continue to assist us to leave these areas
‘As good or better than we found them’ i.e.
• Sewerage management. Always use pump out facilities
in marinas where available. Otherwise, please avoid discharge in busy anchorages and marinas and prevent contamination to humans and bottom sediments/coral reef inhabitants by pumping out as far as possible offshore.
• Avoid pumping oily bilge water or other hazardous
substances into the sea.
• Be litter conscious - never throw rubbish overboard and
minimize the use of plastics and non biodegradable products.
• Observe the laws that govern fish catch sizes, and the
touching or handling of marine wildlife.
• Keep a safe distance when viewing marine life, approach
side on and stopping with propellers in neutral.
• Identify dark water areas as possible important shallow
ecosystems.
• Use mooring buoys where available over coral reefs. If
anchoring, drop anchors in sand, away from living reefs.
• Take care not to crush and break corals and reef
dwellings with body parts, fins and equipment when snorkelling or swimming.
• Avoid purchase of marine ornamental souvenirs and the
harvest of endangered fish.

We hope that these notes will help you make the most of your course and your time spent in Port Solent. Please read through carefully and contact the Aftersales Team on 023 9222 2894 if you have any queries.

We hope that you have a great time and thank you for booking with Sunsail.

Course joining instructions correct at time of publication, but are subject to change without prior notice.  Last updated 20.07.07
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