Sea Fever Sailing Reviews 

Hand down the best instructor I have met. Not only calm and knowledgeable, but a really good teacher. Instructs - lets everyone have a go - then a quick debrief. Over and over, for a week. The amount we learned and confidence gained was astonishing.

I’ve sailed several times with Donal now, and every time has been both a pleasure and a great learning experience.

Most recently, I spent a week sailing with Donal and another student, pushing ourselves a little outside our comfort zones with some longer passages and heavier weather than we would typically choose to sail in. It was an excellent week, with lots of knowledge and experience shared throughout, always in a way that was engaging, supportive, and encouraging.

Donal has a great way of building confidence while still challenging you to develop your skills, and I’ve come away from every trip having learned something new. I’d happily recommend sailing with him to anyone looking to improve their skills and experience.

Donal and Kitty at Sea Fever Sailing are a great team. From the initial query, to discussion about what I was looking for and where I was at as a sailor, to the great week of sailing on the water, it was a smooth experience and I had confidence in both the organisation behind the scenes and Donal whilst out on the water.

The food on board was exceptional, plentiful and really high quality. Donal has a great way of instructing which pushes you but in a safe way. Coupled with good company, drinks ashore and music, this was far more than an "ordinary" sailing course and I would thoroughly recommend.

I have sailed with Donal on 3 separate weeks now, as far back as 2024, and I rate him very highly indeed. I have seen him teaching complete novices and running Day Skipper courses. He has a knack of passing on knowledge clearly and calmly. If you want more experience and responsibility in the running of the boat, you will get it. If you need to brush up on line handling and knots, you will get it. He is very patient with his students, and I personally have found he actually remembers his students, and can see improvement over time. As well as being very competent and relaxed in the instruction, he has a great personality and sense of humour, and he's very quick with a smile and a laugh. He puts students at their ease. He has a massive depth of local knowledge, and not just about sailing. That is the reason I have already arranged to do my Coastal Skipper course with him in 2027. Don't feel that you need to undertake a rigid RYA course - if you book onto a week and let Donal know what area you want to concentrate on, he will do his utmost to bring you up to speed. Lastly, if he says he knows a great pub with live music, then you have a fantastic evening ahead. I cannot speak more highly of Donal Boyle @ Sea Fever Sailing.

After 40 years of sailing I decided to do an RYA Coastal Skipper course, Donal was my instructor.
I had a great 6 days learning a great deal from Donal. His relaxed style kept everyone happy and working together. Not only a very good instructor but a great cook, guitarist and singer.
I would encourage anyone regardless of experience to have Donal as an instructor.

Experienced instructor, great sailing and good food

Donal brought a wealth of sailing knowledge and skill that he patiently shared and instructed us with. His depth of knowledge showed in so many ways. The food he had prepared was amazing and I enjoyed every meal. A few nights we attended a local pub for a music session and the way he could play was remarkable! Truly made our trip one of the best experiences of my lifetime.