Frequently asked questions

Professional trainers
Challenging cruising area
Tropical climate
Broad range of yachts
Affordable prices

What sort of qualification will I be awarded

A: IYT Passport and Certificate

International Yacht Training Inc. is an internationally recognized training organization that instructs both recreational and professional sailors. The Professional qualification is recognized by 29 countries worldwide including the UK, USA and Australia. Gulf Charters Thailand is an approved sailing school licensed by IYT to teach its recreational sailing courses. All Gulf Charters IYT students are issued with and IYT International passport which is a lifetime record of the courses they have undertaken and a log of their sailing experience. As each course is completed the school stamps and seals the appropriate IYT modules so the record can be examined by any skipper or sailing school to testify to your training.

In addition successful candidates will be awarded an IYT numbered Certificate with is a document produced by IYT in the USA which proves the student has successfully completed the course. IYT passports and certificates are accepted by all major charter companies world wide as proof of your competence in the subjects covered.

B: Registration with IYT

On completion of the course all essential information contained in the passport and certificate is sent to IYT headquarters in Florida so that the information can be verified in the future by any responsible school or skipper who wished to confirm the information presented.

What Boats will I learn on?

Gulf Charters has at its disposal a fleet of 10 sailing boats any of which will be used by the instructors depending on the student numbers and the type of training to be undertaken. You will certainly be sailing on both keelboats and catamarans that can vary in size from 32ft to 52ft.

Who will be my fellow students?

Gulf Charters students come from all over the world but they all speak the English language and are of all ages and backgrounds but are typically between 30 and 50 years old with some sailing experience.

How many students are there on my course?

Gulf Charters restricts each course to a maximum of 6 students but it is not at all unusual to be in a group of 3 or 4 students.

What about accommodation?

If the course you are on is at Ocean Marina in Pattaya then you will stay in an Ocean Marina bungalow equipped with air conditioning and clean bathroom. It is a single bedroom with two comfortable beds. If you prefer we can arrange accommodation in the Ocean Marine 5 star hotel at an additional fee of 10,000 baht per room per course.

In Koh Chang we stay in new hotel type rooms built on the pier which overlook the bay. Each room is air conditioned, has its own balcony space, dining area and clean bathroom.

And the dining experience?

Thailand is justly famous for its wonderful cuisine and we ensure that all students are able to take full advantage of that fact at the restaurants in both Ocean Marina and Ko Chang. In both locations European menus are available for those with a less adventurous palette. The course fee includes daytime and shipboard meals but you are on your own in the evenings to explore the local restaurants in both Pattaya and Koh Chang. On board the cuisine is easy to prepare, delicious and nutritious.

What to bring with me?

Shorts and tee shirt are the order of the day but a hat and sunscreen are essential as we are only 12 degrees North of the equator. A rain jacket can be very useful in the event that you are caught out in a tropical squall which come through from time to time and can be windy and full of cold rain that usually lasts about 20 minutes.

What if I fail the course?

If you read the manual and follow the class instruction there is no reason why you should fail. but, if you do come to the end of the course and have not met the required IYT standard then you will not be awarded a certificate. We will be happy to offer you another place on the next suitable school course free of tuition charges with only the 5,000 baht accommodation and provisioning fee for you to find.

How will I pay?

Once you have decided on the course or package and dates that are right for you, we do require a 25% deposit to confirm your booking and to hold your place on the dates you select. The balance is paid on arrival for the course. We accept cash (Euros and US dollars are fine) and we can accept Visa and MasterCard in the Pattaya office.

How will I get there?

If you are flying into Bangkok and the course is at Pattaya then we will normally arrange for a transfer from the arrival gate to Ocean Marina for a total cost of 2,000 baht one way for the 2.5 hour journey by motorway. Alternatively you can take the airport VIP bus to Pattaya bus station and take a taxi to Ocean marina which is about 10 kms south of Pattaya and a 400 Baht taxi fare.

Who will be teaching me?

Capt Tim McMahon is the chief instructor of the school and has more than 100,000 sailing yacht sea miles in his log book. He is also the possessor of a US Coast Guard 200 ton skipper license and is ably assisted by his team of English, Australian and Canadian instructors who are all IYT approved and each of whom has a wealth of sea experience to pass on to their students.

We are a couple - can we study together?

We have had excellent experience with couples on our courses and find that they come away with a good team spirit. It is a great way for one to introduce the world of sailing to another, or for you to both discover a whole new world together.

Can I bring my 12 year old son?

Yes we are keen that parents share the learning experience with their children so whilst we normally have a minimum age of 14 for solo students we reduce the age limit to 12 if they are coming with a parent or two.