First RYA Training Centre in North Cyprus Opens at Karpaz Gate Marina

‘Ocean Yachting – Karpaz Gate Marina’ now offers a range of RYA training schemes and courses as part of the world’s leading training programme for leisure and professional boaters

A new RYA Training Centre has opened at Karpaz Gate Marina – the first training centre recognised by the renowned Royal Yachting Association to operate in North Cyprus.

The ‘Ocean Yachting – Karpaz Gate Marina’ RYA Training Centre based at the 5 Gold Anchor-rated marina will offer a range of RYA training courses for adults, including: RYA Start Yachting, RYA Competent Crew, RYA Day Skipper, RYA Coastal Skipper, RYA Coastal/ RYA Yachtmaster™ Offshore shorebased and RYA Yachtmaster™ Ocean shorebased, as well as specific courses for Radar and more.

Future plans will expand the programme to include various powerboat courses, while combined packages offering both education and pleasure will also be introduced with the upcoming Karpaz Gate Marina boutique hotel scheduled to open later this year.

Ocean Yachting is led by Chief Instructor Erez Ben-Eshay, an RYA Yachtmaster™ Instructor with years of experience in the delivery of both practical and theory training courses. The new partnership with Karpaz Gate Marina creates an exciting opportunity for local sailors in North Cyprus, as well as marina clients, berth holders and visitors, who want to achieve their theory and practical sailing certifications with expert tuition in a stunning East Mediterranean setting.

The new facility at the award-winning Karpaz peninsular marina will provide beginners and experienced sailors the chance to complete the RYA courses in North Cyprus waters on-board the training yacht, a 46ft blue water sailing vessel named ‘No Contest’, or their own vessel.

An experienced sailor and RYA instructor with a passion to teach new generations of sailors, Dr Erez Ben-Eshay, PhD, is an RYA Yachtmaster™ Ocean and Yachtmaster Instructor, IYT offshore, USCG, MCA3000, HM CAP A, all commercially endorsed, and is a PADI dive instructor. He has completed several competitive global circumnavigations, including the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and single-handed Volvo Ocean Race, and has logged more than 120,000 miles at sea.

“I am delighted to be leading the new RYA Training Centre at such a beautiful location as Karpaz Gate Marina,” said Erez. “The RYA is the oldest and most distinguished sailing organisation in the world, so we are looking forward to supporting the RYA’s vision to promote practical sailing in North Cyprus with Karpaz Gate Marina. Our aim is to make the certification process fun and professional for students, delivering courses in an effective way so that all the information can be learned in the correct way and then implemented at sea. The new training facility is in line with Karpaz Gate Marina’s mission to make a difference in everything they do and I am confident it will be another great asset for the marina’s visitors and clients.”

RYA Director of Training and Qualifications Richard Falk commented: “We are delighted to welcome Ocean Yachting to the RYA training network. Recognition as an RYA training centre is the ultimate benchmark, a sign of quality tuition and the very highest standards of safety and equipment. Our courses are recognised widely around the world by both recreational and professional boaters, and we look forward to working with the centre to provide more and more people with the skills and knowledge to be safe and confident on the water.”

The opening of the RYA Training Centre is the latest development at the increasingly popular North Cyprus destination. The on-site sailing expertise adds to the existing leisure facilities on offer, including the exceptional Karpaz Gate Marina Beach Club, with 33m infinity pool and watersports centre, Private Gallery Club, gym, children’s play area and Hemingway’s Resto-Bar. A boutique hotel, hammam and spa will open in later this year.

The RYA is the UK’s national body for dinghy, yacht and motor cruising, all forms of sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising. More than 250,000 boaters undertake RYA courses each year through its network of more than 2,400 recognised training centres across 58 countries.

To register for an RYA course at Karpaz Gate Marina, email sailingclub@karpazbay.com or call the marina office on +90 0533 833 7878.

Karpaz Gate Marina caters for yachts up to 60m and features an on-site Technical Centre meeting demand for a range of requests from maintenance work, to hull painting and teak replacement. Featuring a 300-ton capacity travel lift and 18,000 square metre dry dock area, the boat yard’s team of on-site specialists include carpenters and painters.

Further information is available on the website at www.karpazbay.com.

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For further press information, please contact:

Karpaz Gate Marina

Office Tel: +90 533 833 7878

E: info@karpazbay.com

www.karpazbay.com

or

Jules Riegal

Saltwater Stone

Tel: +44 (0)1202 669244

E: j.riegal@saltwater-stone.com

www.saltwater-stone.com