The Sea School

My name is Robert Kincaid and I have a wealth of teaching experience in the outdoors environment in the West of Scotland. After graduating with a Geography degree I worked at the Outward Bound School near Fort William where I was in charge of sailing for 16 to 25 year olds. As such I was often teaching all abilities in the Oban area and beyond.

I have been sailing dinghies since I was very young. I am a Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor. I have not confined my outdoor experiences only to sailing but have been involved in a wealth of other activities including mountaineering, skiing and kayaking.

Before setting up on my own in 1992 I worked for Hebridean Cruising for three years as their principal sailing instructor. As I have sailed these waters very extensively in all conditions with mixed crews you are assured of being in very capable hands.

I can also turn my hand to all types of maintenance tasks and to the production of some fine tasty cooking from the galley.

In my capacity as instructor you will find the teaching varied from being occasionally very directive, through to the other extreme of handing you full responsibility for your actions.

I cannot sail for all the weeks in the season, so Brian Morrison helps me out by working for me for some of the weeks. Brian, an experienced Yachtmaster Instructor, has worked in this way for Oban Sea School for a number of years now and everyone has found him to be a great teacher and yachtsman. Brian is a ski instructor in the winter and in the summer months he teaches afloat and does yacht deliveries including transatlantic crossings. He is very experienced and knowledgable, so you are assured of being in very capable hands.

You may find yourself in the role of skipper having to think things through and explain to your crew what is required to achieve your aims. It may not all be easy but it should be a positive learning experience. I draw out salient points and clarify matters and so your confidence grows. In the words of an old Chinese proverb -

"What you hear you forget
What you see you remember
What you do you know."

In this way we can build progressively and before too long not only will you be bitten by the bug but you will also have the competence to go safely to sea yourself.