Sailing schools in Mallorca — how we chose MSA

Palma & Sailing Chat
1

When we were researching sailing schools in Mallorca, we looked at quite a few options before settling on Mallorca Sailing Academy. I thought it might help others in the same position to share our thinking.

We looked at maybe 5-6 schools in total. What made MSA stand out:

  • Small group sizes — they keep the student-to-instructor ratio low, which means more helm time
  • The community aspect — the fact that they’ve built this community shows they care about sailors beyond just the course dates
  • Modern boats — well-maintained, well-equipped training vessels
  • Location — Palma is a great base with access to varied sailing conditions
  • Flexible scheduling — they work around your availability which was important for us

We did our Competent Crew elsewhere (in the Solent) and the experience was fine, but the sailing in Mallorca is on another level. Warm water, reliable wind, beautiful anchorages — it makes learning so much more enjoyable.

Anyone else want to share their experience of learning with MSA?

2

Couldn’t agree more! I did my Day Skipper with MSA and it was fantastic. The instructor (Maciej) was incredibly patient and really good at explaining the theory in a way that made sense. Plus, doing your chart work while anchored in a beautiful cala beats a classroom in Portsmouth any day!

The small group thing is key — I was on a course with just one other student which meant loads of helm time.

3

As someone who also teaches, I can say MSA sets a high standard. I’ve worked with a few schools in Mallorca and the quality varies a lot. What MSA does well is the follow-up — this community is a perfect example. Most schools wave goodbye at the end of the course and you never hear from them again.

4

I didn’t train with MSA (my qualifications predate them) but I’ve been impressed by the graduates I’ve met. They seem to come out with a genuine understanding of seamanship, not just the minimum to pass the exam. That speaks well of the instruction.