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Location
  • Greece
Length
4 - 12 weeks
Program Tags
Adventure Travel Hands-On Learning Jobs Sports Coaching Teach Abroad Working Holiday

Program Details

Timeframe
Summer
Housing
Hotel
Primary Language
English
Age Min.
16

Pricing

Starting Price
3335
Price Details
This is the early booking price based upon flights from the UK
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airfare Airport Transfers Equipment Some Meals Tour Guide Wifi
What's Not Included
Travel Insurance Visa
Aug 14, 2019
Jan 05, 2018
Wishlist
30 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Our fast-track RYA Dinghy Instructor course is designed for ambitious, energetic and enthusiastic people of all ages and all abilities who want the best introduction to the industry. The only prerequisites to joining are a moderate swimming ability and a passion to learn new skills, although we also offer 4 and 2 week options for those with previous sailing experience.

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Video and Photos

RS800
Teaching
SUP
Dart 16
Powerboat
Picos

View All Photos

Program Highlights

  • Learn to Sail in the Greek Islands
  • Become an RYA Dinghy Instructor
  • Spend the summer working on a beach
  • Amazing way to spend a Gap Year

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Program Reviews

8.5 Rating
based on 2 reviews
Leave a Review
  • 9-10 rating 50%
  • 7-8 rating 50%
  • 5-6 rating 0%
  • 3-4 rating 0%
  • 1-2 rating 0%
  • Housing 6.5
  • Support 8
  • Fun 9.5
  • Value 9
  • Safety 9
Showing 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Laura
Female
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program

2015 Academy- Hightly recommend

Jan 5, 2018

I had a great time on the Academy. It was very interesting and educational. I also got to meet lots of lovely people, the staff are very friendly and you get to make great friends with the people on the course with you. The accommodation and food is very basic but does the job! The instructors were very knowledgeable and passionate about their sports and the location is beautiful. Highly recommended!

What would you improve about this program?
More optional evening activities and more of a choice in meals-particularly breakfast.
8 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
George
Male
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Instructor Academy 2015 Review

Jan 5, 2018

My time at Nikiana on the Instructor Academy was incredibly rewarding. The staff and atmosphere were great, and I felt like I settled in there immediately.

The first week was predominantly getting to know the 4 others that were on the course. This clearly worked, as some of my life’s greatest memories come from the 5 week’s I shared with my friends on the Academy. After this, our sailing skills were honed from the ground-up. I learnt an unbelievable amount on this course, and these are skills I will take with me forever- not just sailing, but first aid, teaching skills, communication, the list goes on.

After these 5 weeks, I enjoyed it so much that I returned to Nikiana to do two summer seasons there. These were both brilliant, and I met great people on both seasons. The two years were different from eachother as well, so I could practice the skills I have learned on the Academy in different ways.

I plan to sail for the rest of my life, and so there is no better way to practice and improve the sport you love than to learn how to teach it. I thoroughly recommend this experience to everybody that enjoys sailing or wants to learn.

What would you improve about this program?
The accommodation of the hotel is rather basic, but this isn’t too much of an issue.
8 people found this review helpful.
Helpful

Questions & Answers

Do I need a visa for the sailing/windsurfing course?

There are no visa requirements for visits of 90 days or less on a tourist passport, but check your passport for validity dates.

By Izzy Weisz on April 9, 2019
How likely are you to succeed with helping someone with a Russian passport?

Hi You would need a Greek Visa which covered at least 6 weeks. Following the course, you would need a visa or work permit for any country you wished to work in. Joe

By Joe Snowdon on October 23, 2018

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Joe Snowdon

Program
Sailing Instructor Course with Work Experience in Greece
Job Title
Academy Manager
Thumbnail

Joe is a London-based sailing and cycling enthusiast with many years spent traveling and working abroad. He is interested in history, cooking, and photography.

What is your favorite travel memory?

That's a tricky question although one story has stuck in my mind. Getting on a train in Kiev, Ukraine we were joined in the 4 person sleeper cabin by a huge Russian man who insisted we share the huge bottle of Vodka he had brought for the 16-hour journey.

The other two people were Ukrainians who spoke some English and after many shots and celebrating everything we could think of (I remember David Beckham for some reason). We all fell asleep and woke up in the Crimea.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One of our students who did the course in 2015 said hello at the Southampton Boat show and was telling me all about working in Dubai for an RYA Centre. For two weeks they were teaching sailing to the sons of a rich Sheik from a 50m Motor Yacht stopping in bays to take them sailing in Hobie Catamarans and Open Bic Dinghies. Each evening they ate dinner with the owner of the yacht.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Although I already have the qualifications our programs offer if I was to go back gain I would love to learn to sail and become an instructor in the sunny and warm waters of Greece.

Learning to sail and become an instructor in the cold grey waters of South West England was great but somehow isn't quite the same as learning in the crystal clear waters of the Greek Islands.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

As Seafarer is a small company we are able to be very personable with all our guests and create a lovely atmosphere for both holidays and courses. We can also be flexible to create tailormade packages that suit everyone.

Using these values, we have built a great team of people who love what they do and represent all different parts of the sailing industry. Amongst our staff in 2018, we have the former Mirror European Champion and the Greek Yacht Racing National Champion.

Location

Location:
Greece
Currency:
Euro
Weather:
Jan-Mar
61 F / 27 F
Apr-Jun
88 F / 41 F
Jul-Sep
91 F / 54 F
Oct-Dec
75 F / 30 F
Airports:
Athens
( ATH )
Heraklion
( HER )
Thessaloniki
( SKG )

If pastitsio and gyros aren't enough of a reason for you to go to Greece; then the stunningly blue waters, the medieval cities, and picturesque white houses with blue roofs should do the trick. Every island has a different vibe and will be well suited for a variety of travelers.

About Seafarer Academy

Our fast-track Dinghy Sailing and Windsurf Instructor courses are designed for ambitious, energetic and enthusiastic people of all ages and all abilities who want the best introduction to the industry. The only prerequisites to joining one of our Professional Instructor Training Courses are a moderate swimming ability and a passion to learn new...
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