CISC Race Academy

CISC Race Academy

Learn to work in a racing crew

Master a sport keelboat and race in real CISC regattas. No previous experience, licence or team required. Come on your own — we build the crews from course participants.

By the end you get more than knowledge — you get verified practice: every session, race, hour on the water and nautical mile goes into your personal logbook.

Programme

How the course runs

Lesson 1

Introduction to sport sailing

Meet the FE28R, your crew and the basics of boat handling. Theory and first on-the-water practice.

  • boat layout and systems
  • sails and rigging
  • safety rules
  • preparing the boat for a sail
  • crew roles
  • core sailing terminology
  • how a sail works and how wind drives the boat
  • points of sail
  • helming
  • mainsail and jib trim
  • helm and trimmer teamwork
  • holding speed and course
  • rotating roles on board

Lesson 2

Manoeuvres and teamwork

The goal is a crew that moves as one — everyone knows their job and the job of the person next to them.

  • tacking
  • gybing
  • accelerating after a manoeuvre
  • synchronised crew work
  • task and call allocation on board
  • setting up for the next manoeuvre

Lesson 3

Racing fundamentals

Course layout, start procedure and the rules you actually use.

  • how a race course is set
  • the starting sequence
  • finding the favoured end of the line
  • positioning before the start
  • rounding the windward and leeward marks
  • basic right-of-way rules
  • what to do after a rules incident
  • crew workload during a race

Lesson 4

Starts and race practice

As close to a real regatta as training gets.

  • pre-start manoeuvring
  • multiple practice starts
  • fighting for position
  • time and distance to the line
  • short training races
  • debrief after every start

Graduation regatta

Graduation regatta

A real race series: the crew runs the boat, the instructor supports, keeps it safe and coaches.

  • briefing
  • boat prep
  • crew or boat draw
  • several short races
  • results debrief
  • prize giving
  • photos and video

After the graduation regatta you are officially a CISC Race Academy graduate and can continue with club training and racing programmes.

Outcome

What you get

The real result: you stop being a passenger or a spectator and become a full member of a racing team.

Training follows the internationally recognised competence scale for keelboats. The Race Academy course covers level 1 and most of level 2; level 3 is built up through further club training and racing. No prior experience or certificates are required to start.

Level 1

Light winds, under instruction

  • rigging and reefing the boat
  • winch work and trim on all points of sail
  • stopping the boat on a reach, close-hauled and from a run
  • picking up a mooring and coming alongside a jetty
  • anchoring and preparing for a tow
  • figure of eight and bowline
  • sources of weather forecasts, sail aerodynamics
  • man overboard procedure

Level 2

Moderate winds, more independence

  • sailing a compass course
  • collision regulations
  • pilotage information and how to use it
  • beating within a corridor
  • reefing afloat
  • interpreting weather forecasts
  • tides and local tidal calculations
  • buoyage, lee shores, power lines, anchors, boat maintenance
  • emergency procedures and first aid afloat
  • gybing reach to reach with spinnaker (optional)

Level 3

Strong winds, racing maturity

  • sailing confidently in strong winds
  • crew organisation and polished manoeuvres
  • detecting wind shifts
  • equipping and maintaining a keelboat
  • what to do in the event of a stranding
  • passage planning
  • alternative means of propulsion
  • accurate mark rounding and choosing the correct end of the line
  • covering and lee-bowing another boat
  • local weather patterns and wind strategy
  • sailing instructions and the Racing Rules of Sailing

The levels are written as competences and serve as guidance: they make training programmes comparable and set a common standard for teaching and safety.

Pricing & dates

Course cost & upcoming intakes

October intake

3, 4, 10, 11October

Graduation regatta

18 October

November intake

7, 8, 14, 15November

Graduation regatta

6 December

Each intake includes four practical weekend sessions and a graduation regatta. Sessions take place in Limassol on FE28R sport keelboats with a CISC instructor.

Full course price

€1,000

for 5 days on the water

Includes all sessions, boat rental, instructor and course materials. Food and travel are not included.

Book your place

25% prepayment

Choose your intake at checkout — the deposit secures your place on those exact dates. The balance is due before the course starts.

Ask a question →

As a gift

Gift certificate

Valid for one year for any CISC Race Academy intake.

Ask a question →
Prepping the boat before the startYacht under gennakerSailors in the marina after racingRegatta medals

Format

Course format

Logbook

Personal logbook and verified experience

Every graduate gets a personal sailing logbook. It records:

  • training and regatta dates
  • boat and sailing area
  • duration of every session
  • nautical miles sailed
  • roles performed on board
  • races taken part in
  • instructor or skipper signature

You finish with more than a certificate — you finish with a documented history of time on the water. That matters if you later want to helm or take an international skipper qualification.

Practice logged at CISC training and regattas can count as verified sea time for further training. Exactly which hours and miles are accepted depends on the certification programme you choose.

You are not just learning — you are starting your own sailing record.

See the logbook

Who it's for

Who this course is for

This course is for you if you:

  • have never sailed before
  • have sailed a bit but want structured knowledge
  • want to race
  • don't know how to find a crew
  • want to own a specific position on board
  • plan to train as a skipper later
  • want to build verified experience and miles
  • are looking for an active hobby and a strong community

No athletic background or special fitness required. All you need is the will to learn, work with a team and show up on the water.

No team needed

Come on your own

You don't need to find a crew yourself. We build crews from course participants, assign roles and introduce you to people at a similar level.

Often the training crew becomes a permanent team that keeps training and racing together after the course.

Crew during training

Next

What happens after the course

Training doesn't stop at the graduation regatta. Graduates get access to:

After completing the course, you receive one year of club membership with all club privileges: free seminars, training at special rates, crew invitations, discounts at the club and with club partners, invitations to club offline events. Your entry into sailing.

Next step

NoPro League

The NoPro League is built for amateurs and beginners: apply what you learned in a real race series, keep coaching on board and move from a training crew to your own team. Race Academy graduates get priority when club crews are formed.

NoPro Series

Summary

What you walk away with

  • 01structured knowledge of a sport keelboat
  • 02hands-on sail trim skills
  • 03experience across several positions
  • 04understanding of racing rules and tactics
  • 05real starting-line experience
  • 06your first regatta
  • 07new people and a potential team
  • 08a CISC Race Academy graduate certificate
  • 09a personal logbook
  • 10verified hours and nautical miles
  • 11a clear path to further training and skipper courses
Crew with medals at the prize giving

Don't wait until you feel “ready” to race.

We'll get you there — from your first training session to your first starting line.

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