Trafalgar Sailing Instructors and Shore Based Crew
Principal RYA Yachtmaster Instructor and Examiner
Read more about Jim
Jim teaches the Competent crew, Day Skipper and Yachtmaster RYA courses and charters. He has sailed as race crew together with Team New Zealand on the famous J class yacht Velsheda for 15 years, sailing at Antigua Race week, The Rolex Cup Sardinia, Voile de St Tropez and Cowes week. For 20 years he was a Saturation Diver working at depths of 200m. He is now Principal of Trafalgar Sailing, an RYA examiner and RYA Cruising Instructor. He is totally enthusiastic about sailing and an excellent RYA Instructor.
Clients’ comments:
RYA Yachtmaster Cruising Instructor
Read more about Rob
Rob is so enthusiastic about the outdoors, he is an inspiration. When not teaching sailing he is racing his sigma 33, rock-climbing, or doing the 3 peaks race. He is modest, but a bit of a navigation brain on the quiet. Having studied Maritime Hydrographic Survey, Ship Design and Navigation Systems he worked as a seismic navigator aboard the Oceanic Champion. He has taught sailing to young offenders so knows all about patience. Loves the sea.
Clients’ comments:
Trafalgar Sailing offers both an authentic sailing experience as well as a good training. The area of Gibraltar is great for sailing and we had the chance to discovered a part of it while progressing in our skipper training. The instructor, Wim, was taking pleasure in teaching and he made sure we spend as much time as needed on sea in order for us to learn while enjoying the sailing. The boat is properly maintained and it has on board everything the crew needs. Communication with Cathy was really great from the begining, she was always available to answer questions and give information.
I booked a week’s charter with Trafalgar Sailing, during the October half term, so that I could bring my two daughters to complete their competent crew course. Cathy, the owner, was very helpful throughout the booking process, and she provided me with all the information I needed to make sure that we were well prepared for the week. She even provided some extra wet weather gear for the few days that we encountered the unseasonal conditions, and brought us delicious soup to warm us through after a rainy day of sailing. The sunshine was provided by our instructor, Wim, who was so encouraging to my girls. I was so proud to see how they dealt with some difficult conditions and made great progress under his tutelage. His easy style, patient approach, and wealth of experience enabled them to gain such a lot of confidence in an activity they have never before attempted. Not only that, but he kept us entertained with great stories and gave us superb recommendations for places to refuel on tasty food. Thank you to Cathy, Wim and all the team at Trafalgar Sailing for making this such a memorable, enjoyable and character building week for all of us.
Amazing week doing our courses. We learnt heaps with our fantastic instructor, Wim. A big thank you to Trafalgar Sailing. Loved the dolphins 🐬 in the bay….. 😀
As not much more than a novice at sailing on the high seas, I can attest to what a fantastic experience with Trafalgar Sailing (undertaking the Competent Crew course) was. Lovely clean, comfortable sailing boat, fully stocked with food (plus home made soup delivered end route), and a really terrific instructor in Wim. Wim was all the things an excellent teacher should be: extremely knowledgeable, patient, humorous and great fun to be with. I would heartily recommend.
Had a great week doing the confident crew course with Wim. Visiting great marinas in a sailing distance. Instructions were clear and Wim answered all questions. Has made me want to pursue further training with Trafalgar Sailing. Hope to organise soon.
RYA Yachtmaster Instructor
Read more about Drew
Drew retired from the RAF to teach RYA sailing courses. He has a gentle and calm approach, especially good for those who want to learn to sail for the first time. His is an excellent communicator, with clear concise explanations for the task in hand. His students love him.
Clients’ comments:
I did the Coastal Skipper practical course together with my GF which was doing her competent crew course. We had an awesome week with lots of winds a great and experienced instructor. The Gib Bay is an awesome place for sailing courses because you can do skills and drills in sheltered waters while still getting that offshore feeling crossing the strait to the african continent.
I can highly recommend Trafalgar sailing, we spent 2 weeks doing the competent crew and day skipper practical courses. Week one was spent with our instructor Simon on Brodie Girl who was fantastic, patient, really knowledgeable and made us feel very welcome. Towards the end of week one we asked Cathy (the owner) if we could spend week 2 on Brodie Boy as it’s rigged slightly differently to Brodie Girl and we wanted to experience both boats which she gladly let us do. Week 2 was spent with our instructor Drew who like Simon was also fabulous, he pushed us really hard and quizzed us quite frequently to see if we could remember our day skipper theory all done with a smile and a joke. He really explained things patiently if we got things wrong and left us with great ways to remember things that we’d forgotten. He was also great company in the evenings and took us to some fabulous places for food. We would like to thank Cathy, Simon, Drew and the other friendly students that made up the crews for the 2 weeks we were there. We are already thinking of booking for later in the year to do some mile builders and are looking forward to returning to Gibraltar.
I’ve just got back to the UK after passing my Day Skipper with Trafalgar, and what a fantastic week it was! Challenging, exciting and fun. Our instructor, Drew, was excellent. Very knowledgeable and patient, and always ready to keep us smiling. The pre-course logistics were handled very efficiently by Cathy and the course was conducted in a highly professional manner by all concerned at Trafalgar. The night sail across the straights of Gibraltar was a particular highlight for me. I would definitely recommend Trafalgar Sailing.
Just finished my Competent Crew Course and I absolutely loved it!
This was my first time sailing and it opened a whole new world to me.
Our instructor was Drew and he proved to be a true professional giving us useful information and guidance for best result. I felt very confident and safe with him on board. He has a very good sense of humor and remarkable personality.
The combination of the boat, instructor and the crew made this course very enjoyable.
Will definitely come back for Day Skipper Course.
Totally recommend.
I recently completed the Day Skipper course with Trafalgar Sailing and had a fantastic experience. Our instructor, Drew, was exceptional—knowledgeable, patient, and passionate about sailing.
He really made the experience that much more meaningful and sweet.
The communication with Cathy who runs the school was really great aswell.
I would highly recommend Trafalgar interested.
Great weeks sailing was had, fantastic weather too luckily,
From arranging to getting back to the uk with certification all was arranged well and we were looked after and advised on all steps.
Communication was very easy throughout,
The boats available were well maintained comfortable and of a very high standard.
On the boat the tuition from Drew was second to none and progressed at a speed appropriate for the class, his parables from over a decade working on the water made this all the better, and his knowledge of the surrounding areas ensured a good evening in the nearby marinas was had after a day of learning.
A brilliant outfit to holiday/learn with and I look forward to returning for my yachtmaster in the future.
I did both my RYA Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses with Trafalgar Sailing a couple of weeks ago, by mid-August. I had a wonderful time sailing across the strait and I’ve learnt so much after spending two weeks at sea!
Drew was my Day Skipper instructor and thanks to his persistance and aim for detail, I was able to boost my learning curve and push my sailing skills to a new level. Drew has a deep understanding of the Day Skipper syllabus and always finds a way to help his students integrate theory with practice, transmitting his knowledge with a unique sense of humour that makes it unforgettable. We kissed Margaret Thatcher so many times that it’s impossible to forget my week onboard Brodie Girl! 😉
All in all, I had a great experience with Trafalgar Sailing, learnt as much as I could, and I’d totally recommend it to do your RYA courses in Gibraltar.
I have just finished my Day Skipper training with Trafalgar Sailing- What an amazing week!
Great boat, fantastic learning environment and all the while safe and enjoyable.
I look forward to practicing and progressing my new skills. Drew was an excellent instructor. He was patient and knowledgeable in all aspects of sailing. He took the time to go through all the elements the course requires, plenty of theory and practical questions , making valuable use of all the time we had on the boat.
Also great office team, nothing was too much trouble and Cathy answered any questions and organised all the booking effortlessly.
Can’t recommend highly enough.
I had a fantastic week, just such a good experience. Our instructor Drew was brilliant. He’s a fantastic teacher, patient, generous with his knowledge, kind and really clear explanations and expectations. I felt relaxed and safe the whole time and he was brilliant company, he had us laughing all week and created a real team environment. Gibraltar is a fantastic location to sail from, the group were lovely and the course completely exceeded my expectations!
I had a fantastic week doing my Day Skipper practical course with my daughter. We both had a great time and learned a lot! We visited different marinas and crossed the Gibraltar straights to Ceuta. The instructor Drew was great. Very knowledgeable and kind. The boat (Bavaria 38)was great to sail, very comfortable to sleep on and stable in some quite gusty winds. Gibraltar is a great place to sail from and a great change of scenery. I strongly recommend Trafalgar Sailing!
I’ve just got back to the UK after passing my Day Skipper with Trafalgar, and what a fantastic week it was! Challenging, exciting and fun. Our instructor, Drew, was excellent. Very knowledgeable and patient, and always ready to keep us smiling. The pre-course logistics were handled very efficiently by Cathy and the course was conducted in a highly professional manner by all concerned at Trafalgar. The night sail across the straights of Gibraltar was a particular highlight for me. I would definitely recommend Trafalgar Sailing.
I had a really great week. I learned a lot from Drew who I think is an excellent instructor, and I had a really fun holiday as well. The boat sails very well and is obviously well equipped for the course.
Shore Based Crew
Read more about Cathy
Cathy has been running the RYA school in Gibraltar for over 21 years. She knows the most important factors for a successful sailing course; Excellent RYA Instructors, well maintained and comfortable yachts, good home-made food and wine onboard and the personal care a family business can give. She studied Travel & Tourism and worked in America organising educational tours for American students in Europe. She returned to Spain to work on corporate events and started Trafalgar Sailing at 21.
Clients’ comments:
Just wanted to thank you and Jim for a fantastic week of sailing. The boat was great and your food was brilliant. Can’t tell you how good Tom was, great instructor and all round nice guy. Shall make sure I mention you to my friends and look forward to seeing you all again.
Just wanted to send my thanks and appreciation to you, Jim and Tom for a superb weeks sailing on Jambo last week. Tom was an excellent instructor who gave us some really useful tips and pointers, he is a credit to you and your team, his manner and way of conveying sailing was very much appreciated, nothing was too much trouble and he certainly made the entire week very enjoyable for all on board.
We also shouldn’t forget to say that the boat was very stocked well and the meals provided were superb once we had got over the novelty of eating in Tapas bars along the coast.
We will certainly be planning a return trip next year and look forward to seeing you then. Once again thanks for all your help.
Eric recommended you to me, I have always wanted to come to Gibraltar and it is definitely warmer than the U.K. The course was brilliant and despite the weather, I learned a lot, Charlie was amazing, so cool and confident, I am a very nervous sailor and he inspired me with confidence.
I don’t know much about marketing, you could definitely say that “whatever the weather you get the maximum sailing experience on a fantastic boat”. You could also push the home cooked food and excellent facilities in most marinas
The food was good, can you send me the recipe for the last veggie meal you did please it was fabulous.
I hope to see you again maybe next year
I had a great week sailing, here’s my response to your survey:
The information provided on the site and the opportunity to speak with you about the course convinced me. The course was perfect. I feel I have a very strong foundation of practical knowledge and methods to grow from. Tom is great guy who had a good structure to his teaching starting from the ground up with rope work, docking and house-keeping before actually sailing. He had loads of little practical tips and explained the methodology behind why certain things are done. These gems keep coming up all week on the various aspects of sailing. Most importantly he was patient with a good sense of humour.
The food was fine. I usually have cereal for breakfast so the boat was perfectly stocked for me. Lunch was a big hearty baguette sandwich which was perfect as it could be eaten on the go. The evening meals were great too. Great pillows too. Even in hotels I struggle to sleep well with 2 decent pillows. I slept better on the boat than in many hotels.
The course itself was perfect as it was, 5 days of practical sailing. The waters around the tip Gib are challenging and with the constant westerly. No need to change anything. Cathy, I had a great time sailing and I’m certainly interested in doing my day skipper with you, probably in a couple of months.
I found you on the internet.
I booked with you as you were better priced.
The course was very informative.
Our instructor was great very informative very knowledgeable even down to spending time showing us around engine far superior to course I did in UK.
The food was exceptional and we were give fresh bread and cakes, fruit etc without asking each day, she thought she was feeding the 5000, she was lovely.
The bedding was clean fresh as were the heads and the rest of the boat.
I think the course is fine as it is and after watching a couple of other schools working and mooring beside us I am so happy we sailed with you.
RYA Yachtmaster Cruising Instructor
Read more about Ian
Ian has been teaching RYA courses for years and has a great way of bringing the best out of his students. He has a good balance of encouraging them while making it challenging enough to build confidence, and at the same time making it fun. He has a lot of patience and stays calm.
Clients’ comments:
“Life affirming” Fantastic week learnt loads and had a great time. Trafalgar Sailing looked after me from start to finish. Cathy met us on the night before the course started and showed us onto the boat. ‘Brody Boy’ was very well presented and stocked up with plenty of food for the week. Ian our instructor was amazing throughout the whole week. He was patient and thorough and put us through our paces whilst making it fun. I was doing the day skipper course and my two two crew mates were doing the competent crew certificate. This was the perfect ratio although the boat can easily accommodate more. The course is quite intensive so I would recommend no more than two day skippers at a time to allow plenty of helm time. You can reduce the number of people on the boat by booking your own double cabin and (selfishly) blocking a crew space. Gibraltar is a great place to learn with both Atlantic and Med sailing and the opportunity to sail to another continent (which was on my bucket list). Where else can you see wild dolphins, pilot whales, Tuna, Flying and Sun fish (and monkeys) in one week. The winds are changeable which keeps you on your toes, and the temperature is always warm. I flew home yesterday and I’m already planning my next Trafalgar Adventure !
Just got back from a fantastic week sailing with my family. Booked a skippered charter a bit last minute. Cathy was super helpful with all the arrangements and settling us on our yacht, Brodie Girl when we arrived. 5 days sailing out of Gib, across the straights to Ceuta and back in a force 7 gale via Duquesa. Doing the trip as a refresher of Day Skipper and Comp Crew done previously. We had a wonderful skipper, Ian, who was a great teacher with a mix of sailors with a variety of experience. I am now much more confident I can park, sorry moor, the boat in a variety of ways in a variety of wind conditions. Ian was also a fantastic host, introducing us to great local restaurants etc.
Thank you Trafalgar Sailing. Hope to see you again soon!!
Dan
Had an amazing week. Felt challenged in a safe environment thanks to the expert skills of Ian. He had the perfect mix of supporting, encouraging and challenging at the same time together with having fun. I would thoroughly recommend Trafalgar Sailing. Thank you!
Just a quick email to say how much we all enjoyed the Competent Crew course last week with Ian. We had a great time and it was very pleasing for us all to walk away with our certificates. We enjoyed a few drinks on Friday evening with Ian, Johnny and a few instructors from other schools, and we even managed to have a quick chat with Jim before leaving on Saturday lunchtime. Ian was a very good instructor, with a good sense of humour and much patience, and certainly showed me and the others a few ‘day skipper’ routines that will certainly come in very handy for me in the future.
Hopefully Maria and I will be back next May for me to take my day skipper course and for Maria to act as a member of my competent crew!
Many thanks once again for a very enjoyable week.
All my experience with Trafalgar was great! Cathy was super responsive at all times (since my first email asking for information). My flights were cancelled last minute and she was responsive even on a Sunday! I did the Competent crew course which was fantastic – the instructor Ian was great – very patient and didactic! Looking forward to do the Day Skipper course now! 🙂
I had the most enjoyable week sailing with Trafalgar sail as a solo traveller. Ian was our instructor and couldn’t be faulted. The attention to detail, communication before arrival and generally catering to everyone on boards needs was exceptional and the boat was perfect. Thanks Cathy!
I was new to sailing before the trip, choosing to do the RYA competent crew course and get a taste of sailing to see if it was for me. I came away knowing that my instincts were right and loved every minute, and came away with new friends. If the stars align, I hope to go back later this year to do my RYA day skipper course and hopefully bring the “crew” together back at Trafalgar sailing with Ian as instructor.
Cannot thank the team at Trafalgar sailing enough. From the joining instructions and support for our Day Skipper sailing course before we came out from Cathy, to our absolutely patient and brilliant instructor, Ian, I would recommend this sailing school to anyone. We encountered all conditions at sea from no wind to too much. Ian gave us all ample opportunities to practice the manoeuvres we found challenging and lots of pneumonic to remember the order of sorting things out. We laughed, we had our moments, but we nailed it. Lasso kings and queens and with new found confidence that we could cope in most situations if we keep things slow. Honestly Ian you made this a fabulous course. Thank you!!
We had such a good week. Ian was extremely patient and managed to demonstrate everything to us in a calm manner even when we were being thick sometimes. We’ve all come away buzzing!
I think you have a very good system in place and it was nice to meet you as we arrived for a welcome.
We had a great week sailing with Ian – and the rest of the boat. He was great fun on and off the boat and we learned loads.
RYA Yachtmaster Instructor
Read more about Charlie
Charles enjoys teaching Competent crew and Day Skipper RYA sailing courses and family charters. He was manager of a yacht charter fleet in the Greek islands before joining Trafalgar Sailing. Charles is a natural sailor and teacher. He is calm, patient and has a great sense of humour. He has been teaching RYA courses for Trafalgar Sailing for years and we hope he stays for many more.
Clients’ comments:
Dear Cathy,
From the outset I have been thoroughly impressed with Trafalgar Sailing, both yourself, Charlie and Brodie Boy far exceeded my expectations of what the week could have been. Trafalgar Sailing’s location was ideal for myself, Alex and Steve who is now looking forward to his future sailing trips, there is no doubt in my mind that his enthusiasm for the sport was helped by the kind, calming, funny and helpful nature of our instructor Charlie.
Charlie’s clear knowledge and relaxed approach to the week was fundamental for us enjoying ourselves. He constantly challenged us at every opportunity providing the perfect atmosphere to complete both the Day Skipper and Competent Crew course. Alex and I left the course with the confidence and knowledge that we can now charter a yacht safely with our friends and family. Steve is now confident with turning the kettle on whilst at 30 degrees heel 😉
Once again thanks for a fantastic experience, I will be recommending Trafalgar Sailing to all who ask, I hope to see you soon and safe sailing.
Kind Regards,
Matt Dickenson
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! Charlie has excellent coaching skills and the ability to encourage the best from his students, without having to adopt an officious approach. He has a friendly, pleasant manner and maintained a calm persona, during even the most difficult of situations. I would wholeheartedly recommend Charlie to any potential students and would gladly sail with him on any future course I might consider.
I would like to thank Charlie for his efforts throughout the week, he made everybody feel at ease.He is a asset to Trafalgar Sailing. My wife was quiet nervous about completing the course and he handled it in a very professional and confidant way. We both enjoyed the time sailing with you and would personally recommend anybody to use Trafalgar sailing. So a big thank you to yourself, your team and especially Charlie. I hope Trafalgar sailing goes from strength to strength.
Many thanks again for all your help with our joining in and especially great help for mum, we all had fantastic time with Trafalgar, great experience with Charlie, he is a very good instructor and easy to get on with.
Just a quick note to say thanks so much. I really enjoyed my course with Trafalgar. It was a windy old week, we made the most of it & I am absolutely delighted to have my Day Skipper badge! Jambo was perfect, Charles is an excellent instructor, the other crew good company – all in all, I can’t think how it could have been any better. We must now get our boat fixed, then back in the water for lots of practice, but feel I have the confidence to do so.
The week went really well – so much so I want to repeat the experience in the near future. Charlie is a good instructor – I was particularly impressed by his man-management and leadership. I also need to mention that his seamanship was of a high order – he is a high value asset. Good luck.
Family all liked Charlie, very knowledgeable and easy company.
Just a few words to thank you for a very enjoyable and educational week . Charlie is an excellent instructor, one of the best I have ever come across, with his patience and knowledge he is a credit to your company and I will not hesitate to recommend you to anyone. Thanks again
RYA Yachtmaster Instructor
Read more about Dave
Two words come to mind when describing Dave, calm and kind. As well as that he is a good teacher and an experienced sailor having sailed in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand on a 100ft sailing yacht. He has also sailed The Balearics, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy, Greece and Spain. Sweden to U.K. via Dutch inland waterways and more recently an Atlantic crossing to St. Lucia and onto Bahamas and the East Coast of U.S.A. Now he is a Dad settled in Europe, and we are lucky to have him on the team.
Clients’ comments:
RYA Yachtmaster Instructor
Read more about Tom
Tom teaches Competent crew and Day Skipper RYA sailing courses. He was an RYA windsurfer Instructor and met Jim while doing his RYA Yachtmaster in Gibraltar. They made friends and sailed a Spirit yacht to Croatia where he worked for a yacht charter company. Jim saw he had all the characteristics of a great RYA Instructor and asked him to join our RYA sailing school. He now teaches RYA Sailing Courses in Gibraltar. He is passionate about sailing and our clients’ love him,
Clients’ comments:
If you would like to speak to an RYA Instructor about your RYA sailing course please send us your tel number.
Send me an email or call me on: +34 699 411 194
Cathy O’Hanlon
Trafalgar Sailing – RYA Sailing Courses in Gibraltar
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Telephone: +34 699 411 194
E-mail: cathy@trafalgarsailing.co.uk
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