ISA
Home›Clinic Dates›Masters Clinic
Masters Clinic
Back to all clinics
MastersFeb 15, 2027 – Feb 20, 2027

Masters Clinic

Starting from
$2,800
per person · charter included
Book Your Spot
DatesFeb 15, 2027 – Feb 20, 2027
Duration6 days
CoachBill Symes
Group SizeVariable
i
About This Clinic

Seven-time ILCA Masters World Champion Bill Symes returns to ISA for his popular Masters Training Clinic. Bill has spent more than 25 years racing in the international masters fleet, and he’s here to share the techniques and simple adjustments that help sailors sail more comfortably, confidently, and consistently.

This is a supportive week for masters sailors who want to improve their boat handling, speed, and race decisions—at their own pace. Expect clear explanations, straightforward drills, and practical feedback that will produce tangible performance improvements.

The clinic tone is friendly, relaxed, and fun. You’ll work hard, laugh a lot, and leave with a measurable step forward in your sailing. This clinic is masters-focused, but sailors of all ages and abilities are welcome.

About Your Coach
Coach Bill Symes
Bill Symes
7× ILCA Masters World Champion

Seven-time ILCA Masters World Champion Bill Symes brings decades of championship experience and a practical, sailor-first approach to helping masters sailors improve.

7× Masters World Champ60+ Years RacingISA Senior Coach

What You'll Learn

  • Start accelerations and positioning
  • Upwind sail trim, body positioning, steering & sheeting technique
  • Downwind balance, acceleration, & wave catching/surfing technique
  • Tack, jibe, and mark-rounding smoothness
  • Energy efficiency (smart effort, not brute force)

Daily Schedule

Day 1
Happy Boat — Understand the forces affecting boat speed and set up your rig correctly. Introduce upwind and downwind technique, with line-ups, body-weight turns, and finding rig load.
Day 2
Acceleration (Upwind) — Build speed with a flat boat, accurate close-hauled steering, and active sheeting. Practise acceleration and tacking, plus downwind turns between by the lee and broad reach.
Day 3
Acceleration (Downwind) — Find rig load and the best sailing angle, match technique to conditions, and work on rocking, pressing, turning, wave catching, and gybing. Reinforce upwind acceleration and tacking.
Day 4
The Start — Develop downspeed control, holding position, backwards sailing, and acceleration. Work on time and distance to the line, a pre-start checklist, and practice starts.
Day 5
Winning Moves — Collect information, set priorities, make a plan, and execute it. Refine key skills and starting technique, introduce reaching, and practise box drills, Sharks & Ducks, and sprints to the line.
Day 6
Race Day — Put your new skills to work with a pre-race checklist, strategy, tactics, and racing rules. Finish with short races and/or a long downwinder.

What's Included

  • 6 days of on-water coaching with Bill Symes
  • ILCA charter boat: hull, blades, spars, and deck hardware
  • Daily video review and performance feedback
  • 1 Month Access to Virtual Coaching for New Subscribers

Not Included

  • —Meals and Accommodations
  • —Sail, battens, control lines, tiller & extension
▣
Gallery
Masters Clinic sailors training around marks in La Cruz
Masters clinic sailors training in La Cruz
Masters Clinic aerial fleet training in La Cruz
i

Prerequisites: Basic ILCA sailing experience recommended. Contact ISA if you are unsure which clinic is right for you.