Instructing

We have a long history of teaching sailing at Bardowie Loch, and as an Royal Yachting Association (RYA) approved training centre all our instructors must be appropriately certified to deliver training.

If you want to become an instructor we will help you get the training and qualifications you need: our principal instructor learned to sail here, starting at 8 years old.

The structure of our instructor team is:

• Principal Instructor - Scott Smith
• Chief Instructor - Miriam Fisher
• Senior Instructors (SI) - oversee all sailing training sessions
• Dinghy Instructors (DI) - as RYA Instructors they lead training of individual sailing classes
• Powerboat Instructors (PBI) - teach the RYA powerboat qualifications needed to become an instructor or steward
• Assistant Instructors (AI) - approved by the club to help with entry-level sailing courses
• Trainee Assistant instructors (TAI) - shadow instructors during teaching to help prepare for their AI assessment

Instructors are expected to attend the training day provided each year before the season starts (typically late March). They are also expected to be familiar with the CCCDS standard operating procedures for training at Bardowie.

When blocks of teaching are being planned, an email will be sent out asking instructors to register their availability to help, so they can be allocated to specific days for Evening Classes or weeks for Summer School. There is a Bardowie Instructors community on WhatsApp so make sure you are added to the appropriate groups for your classes.  

RYA instructors (SI, DI, PBI) can request payment but must commit to the CCCDS Instructor Charter. An AI who has volunteered for at least two years will have their DI course paid for by the club.