Online Booking Form
Please complete the form below FOR EACH PERSON and click Submit, or download a printable version of the form HERE.
Terms and Conditions
Payments – A deposit of £100 or agreed fee is required before a booking can be confirmed. The outstanding course fee must be paid one month before the course start date. If the course is booked within one month of the start of the course, the full course fee is due with the booking. If final payment is not received, the booking may be deemed cancelled and Shearwater Sailing School reserves the right to resell the booking. If the client wishes to change a booking within one month of the course start date Shearwater Sailing School will not be liable for the return of the deposit or any other payments.
Payments and deposits will only be refunded if the course place is resold, or the cancellation request is received from the client two months prior to the course start date. In the event of any cancellation by the client Shearwater Sailing School reserves the right to make an administration charge of up to 5% of the course value fee.
Age Limits – Clients under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Clients between 16 and 18 must have their booking form countersigned by a parent or guardian.
Insurance – Shearwater Sailing School vessels, buildings and equipment are insured. The insurance does not cover negligence, nor does it cover the clients’ personal belongings, motorcars, injury or disablement however caused.
Clients’ responsibilities – Clients have the following responsibilities: To ensure that they do not take any action which jeopardises the safety of fellow clients, skippers or vessels. To observe the rules of Customs and Excise and any other authorities to which they may become subject. To observe standards of personal conduct which will not be considered offensive by fellow crewmembers or neighbouring vessels. In the event of unacceptable behaviour Shearwater Sailing School reserves the right to terminate the offending client’s course. Under such circumstances fees will not be refunded.
RYA Certificates – Shearwater Sailing School has high standards of instruction and applies RYA guidelines on the issue of certificates. Certificates will not be issued if, in the opinion of the instructor, the client has not reached the necessary standard. In such circumstances the instructor will work with the client to develop an action plan to help the client meet the required standard in the future.
Health – Sailing and Powerboating are activity sports and it is the responsibility of students to ensure that they are healthy and fit to take part. Please check with your doctor if you are in any doubt. If for whatever reason, the skipper has to put a student ashore or administer medical aid Shearwater Sailing School, or its skippers or other employees accept no liabilities. If a health condition arises that prevents a client from taking part in a course this shall be regarded as cancellation by the client and the cancellation procedure above will apply.
Cancellation - If a course or event were cancelled by some unforeseen circumstance by Shearwater Sailing School then an offer to re course at a later date would be offered. A full refund is also an option. Shearwater would have no liability for other costs such as travel or flights connected with the booked sailing course.
Late Arrivals – Shearwater Sailing School will make every effort to revise sailing timetables to accommodate late arrivals. However, if such delays affect other clients’ courses, the skipper may decide to sail without the delayed client. In such cases, no refund will be given.
Own Boat Instruction – In addition to the above conditions, owners will be required to: Ensure that the vessel is equipped to minimum RYA standards and is maintained in proper and seamanlike condition for the intended sailing area. Ensure that the vessel is fully insured for the duration of the instruction. Provide all travelling and out of pocket expenses for the instructor from their home, whichever is the least. Retain responsibility for the safety of the vessel throughout. The instructor will not take on the skipper’s responsibilities, he will however advise the owner on all safety matters. Shearwater Sailing School will make every effort to ensure that courses take place as planned. However, if in the instructor’s opinion weather conditions, safety, or any other consideration renders it imprudent to continue, then the instructor’s decision of Shearwater Sailing School is final and Shearwater Sailing School does not accept liability for the consequence of delay or cancellation in such circumstances.
Force Majeure – In the event of non-performance, partial performance or Shearwater Sailing School delay resulting wholly or partly from any force majeure or occurrence or any circumstances whatever beyond the control of including (without limitation) the acts or omissions of third parties, labour difficulties, weather conditions, technical breakdown or accident to any vessel or any part of it, natural disaster or the act of any authority, then Shearwater Sailing School shall use reasonable endeavours to continue to perform the booking but otherwise shall have no liability to the client. The client shall be liable to pay such part of the price as applicable to that part of the booking which has been performed (if any), and all expenses connected with it, and anything in excess already paid by the client shall be refunded. Shearwater Sailing School determination of the applicable part of the price and the connected expenses shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.
Mark Lewis
Principal Yachtmaster Instructor
Shearwater Sailing School
Additional Useful Information from the RYA