You do not need going through a course in order to be tested and obtaining a key. If you know sailing, joining the Thursday practices and internal regattas will allow you getting the keys you desire. See chapters 5 and 7 of the club rules to make an informed decision about courses and keys.
Courses
The YCC organises practical and theory courses delivered by experienced members. As the practical courses are oversubscribed, participants are selected through a lottery open to YCC members only. If you are not yet a member, please consider that it may take up to 10 working days to process your YCC enrolment request and do not submit it the day before the lottery closes.
If you know sailing, you probably do not need taking our courses, at least not the level 1 ones. To get keys (i.e. the right to book a boat in an autonomous way and be a skipper), join on Thursday outings, internal regattas and subscribe to the Level 0 What'sApp group run by Anastazja Sedzicka, where skippers recruit crews for club outings.
After an outing, be sure that your skipper writes down your name in the electronic logbook, as we request a minimum number of outings before testing you for a key. Outings on boats not belonging to the YCC do not count towards a key.
The YCC courses do not lead to officially recognised licenses.
Tests and licenses
To skipper our boats, you must have a key. There are the following ones: dinghy (D), advanced dinghy (ED), catamaran (C), advanced catamaran (EC), Yngling (Y), Surprise and J's (SU), GibSea (GS) and Dynamic 3000 (D3), each giving access to the corresponding boat category. There is a specific test for each key.
Experience shows that it takes more than the 5-8 classes of a course to be ready for a test. My 3 pieces of advice: practice, practice and practice.
Going through a course does not grant you a key. You must take a test to get a key, but you do not need to take a course to request a test and get a key.
Holding an official license may be legally needed to sail our bigger boats, but holding such a license does not exempt you from passing the YCC internal test. The exact requirements for sailing our bigger boats depend on your country of residence, according to the specific agreement between France and Switzerland regarding sailing on Lake Geneva.
Switzerland recognizes the Austrian and German licenses, but you must change them for a Swiss one if you stay more than 12 months in Switzerland. France recognizes licenses issued by most European countries, but you must convert them into a French one. Please check the Documentation page for details.
Read carefully the pages dedicated to the various tests.
After you have passed your test, your license will be awarded once you have performed three helper sessions. These can be a contribution to the maintenance, cleaning, moving of the boats, helping with the organization of a club activity, helping in an administrative task or participation in a surveillance session on the Q-boat. Helping in a regatta can in some cases count as a double session.
Only a session validated by its organizer will be counted. We encourage you taking these steps as early as possible in the sailing season, even before any test appointment.
Lottery
The lottery is now closed and you can find the results there.If you didn't get a place yet don't be disappointed. Indeed each year, some of the winners renounce to their course and some attendees on the waiting list will ultimately make it into a course.
However, the Level 0 course is an introduction to sailing and is open to all members without restriction. You can register by writing to Anastazja Sedzicka.
Miscellaneous
Keelboats courses run from late April to late June; dinghy and catamaran courses run from mid-late May to late June. The courses are taught in French and English.
Courses are not refundable once they have started, unless you are prevented to attend for medical reasons. In this case, wei'll refund the courses in proportion of the remaining lessons, after deduction of 30 CHF for administrative fees.
Yet, if you have to drop the course you won in the lottery and paid, we'll always try to find a solution by offering your place to the first person on the waiting list.
There is no right of replacement of the lessons you did not attend.
You are welcome to offer a drink to your teacher after the course.
Courses Offered in 2024
- Theory: see table.
- Level 0: You are new in the club, this is your introduction to sailing.
- Level 1:
- Dinghies are fun and fast boats, that are low on the water and may capsize. They are sporty, they bring you in contact with the water and require you wear a wetsuit to keep your body warm.
- Yngling are the smallest of the club keelboats. They are very stable and secure. They offer a good way to discover sailing if dinghies are not for you.
- The Competent Crew course offers an introduction to the large keelboats and the role of the crew members.
- Level 2:
- Advanced Catamaran is meant for sailors looking for sensations, as catamarans are the fastest YCC boats.
- Surprise and Cabin Keelboat courses will make you proficient on the club's more demanding boats.
- The Spinnaker course aims at teaching to be Nr1 in a crew and trim correctly symmetrical and asymmetrical spinnakers. It is taught on SU and Js. This course is not connected to a key.
- Level 3:
- The Advanced Cabin Keelboat course unveils the mysteries of our flagship boat with its running backstays and inboard engine.
| Course Name | Level | Available Places | Course Fee | Description> |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level-Zero | 0 | 60 | Free for members | First sailing experience, dinghy rigging, Knots and equipment. Perfect way to start, meet club members and start sailing. |
| Dinghy | 1 | 15 | 170 CHF | A one-to-one course, the teacher is with you on the boat. |
| Yngling | 1 | 24 | 170 CHF | One teacher for 2 students on the boat. |
| Competent Crew | 1 | 8 | 170 CHF | One teacher for 4 students. The course is targeted at beginners as well as Y key holders. |
| Advanced Catamaran | 2 | 6 | 170 CHF | One teacher for 2 students. This course is open to members who have one key and want to learn skippering fast catamarans. |
| Surprise, J/80, J/70 | 2 | 16 | 170 CHF | One teacher for 4 students. Thorough discovery of our most coveted boats. |
| Spinnaker | 2 | 8 | 170 CHF | One teacher for 4 students. Learn to trim a spi, gybe under spi and be Nr 1 during a regatta. |
| Cabin Keelboat | 2 | 8 | 170 CHF | One teacher for 4 students. The course in given on our GibSea, with inboard engine. |
| Advanced Cabin Keelboat | 3 | 4 | 170 CHF | One teacher for 4 students. The Advanced Keelboat course is intended for seasoned sailors. You will get to know our Dynamic3000 from bow to stern and from mast-top to keel, to practise a wealth of manoeuvres and have ample opportunity to exercise. Some experience on yachts with inboard engines is highly desirable. This can be either some seasons on the GibSea or acquaintance with sea-going vessels. |
Except for the Level 0 course, all figures for places are given under condition that the relevant number of teachers is available.
You can also have a look at the following links, for interesting reading and recommended books:
- YCC Sailing Course for Beginners in English, a free booklet.
- Cours de voile pour débutants, version française.
- Sailing and Maneuvering for the YCC, Luigi Gallerani's sailing notes (Luigi is a former YCC president).
- YCC Theory – Catamarans and Multihulls, Luigi Gallerani's catamarans theory course given in 2020 (Luigi is a former YCC president).
- RYA sailing books, a large collection of English-language sailing manuals and books.
- Les cours des Glénans, a reference, the original is in French. Translations in English and other languages are available too.
- Laser sailing guide, Learning to Sail by Vladislav J. Mikulich of UCLA Marina Aquatic Center.
Theory Classes
| Title | Date - Place | Convenor | Content | Delivery Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome to YCC video record | March 20, 6:30pm Room 40/S2-A01 – Salle Anderson, CERN | Paul Smith and al. | Learn about the club offering, functioning and what is expected from members. | On site and remotely. Course Informations. |
| Introduction to Sailing – part 1 video record | April 17, 6:30pm Room 40/S2-C01 – Salle Curie, CERN | Sebastian Lopienski | How a boat is built, why does it move, basic terminology, sailing courses, safety, practicing knots... | On site and remotely. Course Informations. |
| Introduction to Sailing – part 2 video record | April 24, 6:30pm Room 40/S2-C01 – Salle Curie, CERN | Sebastian Lopienski | Why and how to adjust sails, using the spinnaker, trapeze work; manoeuvres: tacking, gybing, man overboard, leaving and entering the port, priority rules etc. | On site and remotely. Course Informations. |
| Regatta tactics | TBC | Emmet Ryan | An experienced competitor shares his knowledge! | TBC |
Test Rules and Requirements
The table below lists the coordinators for the specific sailing courses and tests:
| License | Boats | Test Coordinators |
|---|---|---|
| Dinghy | RS500, RS400, Melges 15, Laser | Stefan Biereigel |
| Advanced Dinghy | 29er | Stefan Biereigel |
| Advanced Catamaran | Hobie Tiger, SL16, Nacra15 | Gonzalo Penacoba |
| Yngling | Yngling | Michael van Eck |
| Competent Crew | Surprise, GibSea, J70 and J80 | Marco Silari |
| Surprise, J/80, J/70 | Surprise, J80, J70 | Torsten Layda |
| Spinnaker | No key is linked to this course, yet, it is important mentioning that you did it when registering for a regatta. | Michel Chevallier |
| Cabin Keelboat | GibSea | Gijs de Rijk |
| Advanced Cabin Keelboat | Dynamic 3000 | Torsten Layda |
| Q-Boat, RIB | Boston Whaler, Bombard, RIB | Marcel Arditi |
| Theory | Boats requiring a Swiss official license. This test, internal to the club, is needed if you are not a Swiss resident and want to validate a SU, GS or motor-boat key. It is similar to the Swiss official theory test. | Michel Chevallier |
License Expiration and Renewal
A YCC member who has not renewed his membership for 4 or more consecutive years will be asked to reactivate his keys, as they are frozen at the end of the 4th year of inactivity.
The process to reactivate a key is:
- The candidate writes to the committee member in charge of courses and test coordination asking to reactivate one or more keys.
- The tests coordinator will decide on the number and type of refreshers' outings that are needed to reinstate the key(s).
- Following the report on the refresher outing(s) the test coordinator will take the decision on reinstating the relevant key(s). Typically, the YCC will request one refresher outing per type of boat.
Tests and Coordinators
Link to create a new test report (for examiners only).
For further questions please email the coordinator of the YCC courses: Michel Chevallier
The Club Nautique de Versoix (CNV) is offering special conditions to the YCC members taking its dinghy courses:
- YCC members can subscribe to the weekly dinghy courses for 510 CHF instead of the regular 630 CHF.
- A dinghy advanced course is organised on Fridays. For this course too, YCC members pay only 510 CHF instead of 630 CHF.
- For the summer dinghy course, YCC members pay only 315 CHF instead of 395 CHF.
- The parents/children course is offered at 320 CHF instead of 370 for 4 sessions and 520 CHF instead of 630 for 8 sessions.
- Finally, the autumn course is offered at 450 CHF instead of 550 CHF.
Our partner school, the Geneva Sailing School, conveniently located quai du Mont-Blanc next to the Bains des Pâquis, is offering a 10% discount to the YCC members and their family taking its keelboat courses. The school is offering single and group courses on its Beneteau First Class 7.5 and its Surprise. This document gives you all the details and a code that will identify you as YCC when registering online for the courses.
Last updated April 2024 by MCH