---

Why did we choose Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens as our training ground? ​

We want to provide the best possible arena in Australia for your training. Nowhere else can you receive this sort of valuable experience and relevant training.

Lake Macquarie:

• The tidal height characteristics at the bar present world class training opportunities.  You will receive tuition on bar crossings to give you confidence and knowledge for your future cruising.
• The entrance of Lake Macquarie offers the best usable tidal flow on our coast for tuition. You will gain skills such as ferry gliding to dock your boat in current, picking up a buoy and manoeuvring in current. 
• The RYA syllabus has an extensive number of exercises for trainees to hone their skills in tidal flow.
• The Lake is 5 times the size of Sydney Harbour and is entirely navigable. It is a beautiful open space to practice manoeuvres, sail tuning and the full range of the RYA syllabus in any course.

 
Newcastle Harbour:

• Newcastle Harbour offers all the assets of a busy, major, working port. These include navigation aids such as buoys, unique leads, transits, depth changes and radio requirements. 
• Students gain first-hand experience dealing with the wide range of different vessels as they use the Port.
• Pilotage exercises are a very important part of the RYA YachtMaster syllabus. We give you as many opportunities as we can to practise your newly learnt skills.
• Newcastle gives world class training opportunities as an exciting, bustling, busy, port. Plus there is a wonderful, youthful cafe / restaurant and night-life scene that is part of Newcastle being a student town.

 
Port Stephens:

• This stunningly beautiful cruising ground offers great tidal flow opportunities for training in pilotage and boat handling. These are the hallmark of the RYA syllabus.
• Port Stephens is just 26 Nautical Miles from Newcastle which in a typical SE or NW breeze can be less than a 4 hour passage.