Solent RYA Powerboat, Sailing, Motorboat, Radio & Theory Courses

Welcome to Solent Boat Training - Your gateway to unrivalled adventures on the open water, offering expert training in Sailing, Motorboating and Powerboating

RYA Powerboat Training Courses-ExD3AU.jpg

Solent Boat Training runs the full range of RYA Powerboat courses including the popular RYA Powerboat Level 2 ICC from as little as £199 per person.

RYA-Sailing-Courses

Solent Boat Training runs the full RYA sailing courses scheme including the popular RYA Competent Crew & Day Skipper Courses.

RYAMotorboatCruisingCourses-SolentBoatTraining.jpg

Solent Boat Training offer the full range of RYA motorboat courses including RYA Motorboat Helmsman & RYA Day Skipper.

Solent Shorebased Courses

Solent Boat Training runs a wide range of shorebased courses including RYA VHF Radio, RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance & RYA First Aid at Sea from £49 per person.

gift vouchers

Solent Boat Training Special Offers & Gift Vouchers

RYA Navigation Course

Solent Boat Training runs all the RYA Navigation & Theory Courses including the popular RYA Day Skipper Theory.

Solent Day Sailing Courses

Our Solent Day Sailing Experiences are perfect for both absolute beginners with no sailing experience through to Qualified sailors looking for a day out on the water.

Sailing-Yacht-Marina-Skills

Close quarter handling in the marina and sail trim are taught in these one day courses.

Cross-Channel-Sailing

Sailing mile builders in the Solent and the West Country. Available for groups or individuals from £199pp

About Solent Boat Training - RYA Advanced Training Centre

Solent Boat Training (SBT) is a leading National RYA boat training centre, providing expert marine training to both the general public and the maritime industry.  Based within the famous English Solent and offering 20 years of experience, we pride ourselves in delivering Low Student Ratio and Competitively Priced Training.

Our courses cover a wide range of water and classroom skills, catering to leisure boaters looking to enhance their knowledge and expertise on the water.

We have students traveling from all over the UK, Europe and even the USA, to train with our approved RYA, HSE & MCA instructors.  All the courses and events found on our website are run by fully qualified instructors and skippers from our own training centre.

Our highly qualified instructors and state-of-the-art facilities allow us to offer comprehensive training programs, designed to meet the needs of boating enthusiasts of all levels. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned sailor, Solent Boat Training is committed to helping you achieve your maritime goals efficiently and safely.
 
We Specialise in Low Student to Instructor ratio training, at amazing competitive prices, because we believe in offering the best value for money.

 

Our Fleet of Boats are based in Southampton, allowing us to offer courses & events all over the Solent.

With our large assortment of yachts, motorboats & rigid inflatables, we have the complete flexibility to run courses for private individuals, companies and organisations alike. We offer training for all, from an absolute beginner to aspiring Yachtmaster Ocean Skippers. We also work alongside and are the training provider for Solent Boat Charters, a large local sailing events company. We have 6 classrooms, including a training workshop, all within the marina.  Together with free accommodation, included with all sailing courses, this means your training will be to the highest standard. We offer RYA courses from our Training Centre in Southampton, as well as own boat tuition all around the Solent area including, Yarmouth, Hamble, Lymington & Cowes.

RYA Powerboat Courses Inc Level 2 & ICC

We run the RYA Powerboat Level 2 courses throughout the year, on our own fleet of 6m training ribs, with Intermediate level training courses run on either of our 7.2m XS Ribs from our base in Southampton.

In addition, we also run MCA & SBT advanced powerboat training courses & events on our 7.5m XS Ribs. 

Many of these boats are MCA commercially coded vessels for day and night use up to 20 miles from land, far more than we actually require for these RYA powerboat courses.

We run a complete range of training courses including the RYA Intermediate Powerboat course and the RYA Advanced Powerboat course, with MCA commercial exam (by arrangement).

RYA courses are run from our Southampton based training centre, as well as own boat tuition all around the Solent including, Yarmouth, Hamble, Lymington & Cowes.

RYA Sail Cruising Courses Inc Competent Crew & Day Skipper

With our own fleet of Bavaria 37 cruising sailing yachts moored in Sharock Quay marina in Southampton offering the full range of RYA sail cruising courses from "Start Yachting", "RYA Competent Crew Course" the popular "RYA Day Skipper Practical Course" through to the Yachtmaster preparation course.

Their 3 double cabins and large saloon area make sailing the Solent, visiting new harbours and learning new skills a very pleasant experience indeed. We specialise in low ratio student to instructor courses as we feel this offers a more complete experience for very little extra expense.  We also offer our own SBT skills days, mileage builders and specialist events that fit perfectly in between the range of RYA sailing courses offered.

At SBT we believe in offering amazing value for money, compared to many local competitors, with most running courses a higher ratio of students per instructor on each course, while also charging more.

We offer our RYA courses from Southampton, as well as own boat tuition all around the Solent including, Yarmouth, Hamble, Lymington & Cowes.

Sailing Mile Building & Experience Sailing Days

With our yachts based in centrally in Southampton, we are able to offer a vast range of sailing mile builders and sailing experience days.  This allows our past present and future students the chance to increase their knowledge and experience, whilst putting in to practice, previously learnt skills.


Sailing Experience Days Sailing Mile Builders

RYA Motor Cruising Courses

We have a fantastic Flybridge Motorboat called 'Kingfisher', a Rodman 1040 Adv.She is perfect for the entire range of RYA motorboat courses. ' RYA Motor Cruising Training Courses' run from our fleets base in Southampton's Shamrock Quay. 

SBT courses offer complete flexibility to train you in many aspects of motorboat handling and fits in between the RYA motorboat courses.

We can run motorboat courses from our Southampton base as well as own boat tuition all around the Solent including, Yarmouth, Hamble, Lymington & Cowes.

RYA & SBT - Shore Based & Theory Courses

Our classroom overlooks Shamrock Quay Marina in Southampton and is only 50 yards from the water's edge.

Our classrooms are a warm and safe environment for all of our shore based courses, including; RYA VHF Radio, Marine Radar, First Aid, Day Skipper Theory, Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Theory courses.

Our own SBT Outboard Petrol Engine Maintenance course and the RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance courses have become increasingly popular.

HSE First Aid Training Courses

SBT are a fully certified HSE first aid training centre offering the popular First Aid Courses including;

  • Emergency first aid at work
  • Paediatric First Aid
  • Activity First Aid.

Own Boat Tuition

Our RYA instructors are able to travel to any venue in the Solent area and offer the full range of RYA courses on your vessel or at your premise. We call this own boat tuition.

 

Own Boat Tuition

Check out our Google Reviews

327 Total Reviews
PB Level 2.. I wondered if the best value training centre I had seen on line would deliver with a quality experience....and the answer in absolutely all departments was an emphatic YES! From informative easy booking on line, to arrival at easily accessible location, easy parking and then a friendly warm welcome from our instructor Alex was very refreshing. Alex's always calm measured manner made the whole 2 day course hugely informative and enjoyable...a credit to the company. In short, a great company, clearly well drilled, professional and fun ...great course structure with loads of practical time on water as well as concise theory. boats and equipment all great , good premises..and great staff.. I will definitely use again and would recommend to anyone thinking of training to not hesitate or worry at all about booking with SBT .. you won't regret it and you'll come away having learnt so much.. Many thanks SBT ????⛵????️
Jonathan Holdcroft
04/08/2025
Superb experience start to finish. Simon was extremely knowledgeable and went above and beyond to explain everything in great detail. We all had ample opportunity to learn and demonstrate the required skills both theory and practical. I left feeling very confident and also had a really enjoyable week on the water. Thanks
Philip Overend
04/08/2025
We had an exceptional two day powerboat 2 course that was both exhilarating and expertly delivered. Alex, our instructor, was simply outstanding. Very patient, deeply knowledgeable and effortlessly clear in his instructions. He created a calm, confidence building atmosphere that made learning both enjoyable and rewarding. The boat was in pristine condition, powerful, responsive and surprisingly comfortable, making every moment on the water a pleasure. They have provided us all with proper clothing for any weather conditions. We also completed the online VHF radio course and then Alex organised the exam on the last day. Special thanks also to Kallan, who was organising all admin and answering all my questions promptly… and I had quite a few ;) It was a thoroughly memorable experience from start to finish. We are already recommending it to everyone we know. Huge thanks to the whole team!
Monika
01/08/2025
Highly recommend SBT the instructors are great, the location is lovely. And I always meet lots of interesting people, learn loads and feel much more confident with my boat. A very good way to spend some time I always feel motivated after going on a training course they are worth every penny ????
Anouska Sherwin
28/07/2025
Anouska, Thank you for your review and recommendation. We are glad you've enjoyed your time with us so far and we hope to see you again soon. SBT Team 29/07/2025
I did my powerboat level 2 and VHF course with Solent boat training. The staff are very funny, friendly and very knowledgeable. I would 100% recommend this to anyone wanting to start/develop their boating skills. Many thanks to Nick, Sean and Bryan.
Jamie Conway
28/07/2025
Hi Jamie, We are grateful for your review and recommendation. look forward to meeting you again in the future. SBT Team 29/07/2025
I had an excellent experience doing my Day Skipper Practical with a new team member, Tim. He was outstanding—extremely knowledgeable and patient with us throughout. A true expert of the sea, with a wealth of knowledge. I only wish I had done my Day Skipper Theory with him as well. David
Bob Fish
28/07/2025
David, Thanks for your review and encouraging comments for your instructor, Tim. Hopefully we will see you again for further training in the future. SBT Team 29/07/2025
I can highly recommend the tuition at Solent Boat Training. I did both the SRC for VHF and the Powerboat Level 2 courses, with instruction from Bryan. He was excellent and pragmatic in his tuition, gave brilliant useful tips drawn from deep experience, and ensured we not only gained the knowledge and practical skills but also made it a fun experience too. The staff are friendly, and Bryan and the SBT team went the extra mile to process my certificates quickly to ensure I could apply at short notice for the ICC with RYA Fast Track. All equipment is well maintained, and I will be going back for the next level up.
Ben Mein
23/07/2025
Hi Ben, Thank you for your kind words and we are grateful for your review. We look forward to meeting you again for your next course with SBT. Until then, safe and enjoyable boating. SBT Team 29/07/2025
Just completed my Powerboat Level 2 and had a fantastic couple of days down in Southampton! Bryan our instructor was fantastic throughout the entire weekend, he was clear, informative and a great laugh to be around. Would highly recommend!
Hamish Hall
21/07/2025
Hi Hamish, Thank you for your high praise and recommendation. We hope to see you again for any further training you might like to undertake. SBT Team 29/07/2025
My daughter (12) and I did a powerboat 2 training. Our Instructor was Bryan, who was absolutely amazing. Super helpful, knowledgeable, extremely calm and funny. Neither I nor my daughter felt confident before the course. However Bryan made it so much fun, yet we have learned a great deal. He is a credit to the company. I even discovered that my daughter is a daredevil, I think she surprised herself. We came from a complete novices to much more confident crew in just two days. Thank you for a super weekend.
Jana D
20/07/2025
Hi Jana, We are delighted that both you and your new found 'Daredevil' enjoyed your time with Bryan, whilst attending your Powerboat Level 2 with SBT. Hopefully you both have the confidence to enjoy your boating and we look forward to meeting you again soon. Safe and Happy Boating. SBT Team 29/07/2025
Me and my 12 year old daughter did the Powerboat Level 2 course with the legendary Nick and Magnus. This course was brilliant fun, we got to do so much time on the water, and learnt so many new skills. My daughter loved it. I also want to share just how incredible Nick and Magnus were - fantastic, patient teachers, and also absolute gentleman. Highly recommend them both! Also, all of the staff we encountered inside the building were friendly and kind, really recommend this place!! Thank you from Kate and Sorcha! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kate Napier
15/07/2025
Hi Kate, Thank you for your review and encouraging comments for our instructors, Nick & Magnus. We hope that Sorcha and yourself, will have many hours of safe and enjoyable boating. Hopefully we will see you both again soon for more training, to further enhance your skills and confidence. SBT Team 29/07/2025