Learn to sail in the Caribbean

• Competent Crew
• Day Skipper

Sunsail’s first RYA sailing school in the Caribbean is located in the beautiful British Virgin Islands – perfect for sailing at any time of year. The school yacht - a Sun Odyssey 42.2 - is limited to five places on each course so book early to avoid disappointment if this is your dream destination. You can fly direct to Antigua with First Choice Airways’ Friday flight service  then hop on a short inter-island transfer to Tortola, just in time for sundowner cocktails on board in the warm evening breeze.

The sailing area
Located in the northeast Caribbean, 60 miles east of Puerto Rico, the BVI stretch more than 30 miles around the Sir Francis Drake Channel – one of the finest and most protected sailing areas in the world. Year-round balmy temperatures and line-of-sight sailing make the BVI the perfect choice for cruising and especially suited to learning or improving your skills. Course itinerary stops could include world-famous sites such as the breathtaking Baths at Virgin Gorda, the Caves at Norman Island and the wonderful white sandy beaches of Jost Van Dyke.

Tortola and the islands
The new sailing school in the heart of the BVI joins a well-established base of around 180 Sunsail charter yachts in the protected harbour of Wickham's Cay II marina. There is a hotel with a fresh water swimming pool, shops, a restaurant and a bar.

Wherever you go there’s always a safe, secluded anchorage nearby with lots of room to practice manoeuvres and stop for a nice lunch on board or beach picnic in the shade. The warm, clear waters boast superb snorkelling and one of the world’s most famous dive sites at the Wreck of the Rhone.

Jost Van Dyke, named after a Dutch pirate, has some amazing sandy beaches. White Bay is a yachting favourite where the Painkiller cocktail originated at The Soggy Dollar Bar. Take time out in a hammock here to let all your new sailing skills and facts sink in!

Evenings are your own to enjoy food and drink ashore at unforgettable locations such as Foxy’s and the Willy T converted sailing ship anchored up at The Bight on Norman Island. Famous for live music, wild nights and party games these are two of the livelier evenings in store, but you might rather have a quiet BBQ on board with your crewmates – the choice is yours.

With your course completed by 5pm on Wednesday, there’s a whole day free to enjoy before you fly home. We can arrange deep sea fishing, kayaking, jeep rental, island tours, a discover scuba diving day or a shopping trip to the neighbouring US Virgin Island capital of Charlotte Amalie on St.Thomas. If you and four friends want to take a course together, you can hire the yacht to yourselves for the week.

You might like to put your new Day Skipper qualification to the test and charter a yacht to St.Martin on a one-way cruise.

Stay & Sail
If you would like to spend an extra few days exploring the local area we can arrange your hotel accommodation for you. For as long or as little as you want, either at the beginning or end of your charter, based directly in Wickhams Cay  marina it’s the perfect opportunity to see the sights on land.