Our Skippers

Ruaraidh (pronounced like Brewery without the B) is Founder and CEO of London School of Sailing. An RYA Yachtmaster Instructor, and keen racer, he grew up in SW London and sailed dinghies all his life. After a loving his first sailing holiday at Wildwind in Greece, Ruaraidh got a job there, did his instructor’s course and taught dinghy sailing through his university summers.

After several years of honing his dinghy sailing, Ruaraidh moved up to yachts, starting off as a deckhand on an 82ft maxi racer. Acquired his Yachtmasters Offshore in the Solent and turned to pro yacht racing and had the opportunity to work with the Abu Dhabi Volvo Ocean Race team where the “deep end” took on a new meaning.

He has now been instructing and race-coaching on the Solent for over 12 years and gets kicks from getting people over their fears as well as training up crews to become competitive racing ninjas!n text goes here

• RYA / MCA Yachtmaster Instructor (Sail)

• VHF/SRC Radio Instructor

• RYA Theory Instructor

• Charter agent

Offshore race history includes:

• ROLEX FASTNET RACE; 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025

• RORC CARIBBEAN 600; 2023, 2024

• ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE; 2019, 2024

• ARC TRANSAT; 2020

• RORC TRANSATLANTIC RACE; 2023

1.        What’s your favorite type of sailing — racing, cruising, solo, etc.? Why?

I couldn’t pick, there’s a type of sailing for every occasion. But my least favourite type is losing. 

2.       What’s a sailing skill you think is overrated — and why? Or underrated and why?

Overrated: one handed bowline, you’ll never need to do it. 

Underrated: Landing a drone on a boat. Often comes in handy.

3.       What's the one piece of gear you can't live without on a boat?

Shorts (and head torch )

4.       Have you ever had a close call at sea? What did you learn from it?

In middle sea 2024 we were in a water spout and capsized for a few minutes.

I learned I can appear calm even underwater 

5.       What’s something about you people would be surprised to learn?

I was extremely shy until I was about 18

6.       What’s your most questionable life decision that didn’t involve a boat?

Trusting Vasiliki Benny when he says one drink.

7.       What’s your land-based guilty pleasure?

I love a bubble bath- my go to when I get back from a sailing trip.

8.       What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever brought/ seen brough by crew onto a boat?

James’ teddy bear (why does he need that now he has me?)

9.   What food do you irrationally love or hate?

I love the M&S prawn sandwich (specifically from the A3 BP service station on the way to Hamble.) And I hate marzipan. 

10.   What would you call your next boat?

Pussycat or Kitty cat 

James joined LSS in 2024 after a short Caribbean bromance with Ruaraidh.

After his graduation he sailed professionally in numerous environments, among them as a first mate racing in the Mediterranean and on the Rolex Middle Sea Race.

James grew up sailing and racing on the Solent, and brings a lifelong love of the water to his work. He’s passionate about instructing and takes pride in balancing real skill development with a good dose of fun on board, and on land.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• RYA / MCA Yachtmaster Offshore (Sail)

• Race Skipper

• RYA Cruising Instructor

RACE HISTORY:

• ROLEX FASTNET RACE 2025

• ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE; 2024

Q1. What’s your favorite type of sailing; racing, cruising, solo, etc.?

Racing, the thrill of the startline and the close quarters for inshore and then the tactics and navigation of offshore. I love trying to eek out each inch of performance in the boat and seeing it come to fruition. I also love a good protest.

Q2. What’s your top piece of advice for someone new to sailing?

Throw yourself into it and stick with it. Often it can be very overwhelming to start with and it’s easy to feel clueless and dislike it because of that. Find a skipper/boat you enjoy learning on. Get very good at one role and learn how that ties into other roles and then when you come onto doing something else you can understand better what you’re doing and how to do it well.

Q3. What’s a sailing skill you think is underrated and why? Or overrated and why?

Not necessarily a sailing skill but being able to keep your head whilst everything is going to shit and everyone else is panicking is a useful one. On a calm boat you can fix/achieve anything but you can’t do that when everyone’s panicking. You may not be the most experienced sailor but if you can keep your head then you’ll be the most valuable crew member when something goes wrong.

Q4.       What's the one piece of gear you can't live without on a boat?

Lifeboat teddybear (Elby), comes with me every time I step foot on a boat be it inshore or offshore racing or just cruising around with my parents.

Q5. What’s something about you people would be surprised to learn?

I have a maths degree and I’m actually kinda smart.

Q6. Finish the sentence: “The sea taught me to…”

Listen to my instincts and not to worry. I struggled with anxiety and realising what I can do on a boat and what I’ve achieved in sailing circumstances has helped me in real life to realise I’m stronger than I thought!

Q7. What would you call your next boat?

Cub.

Q8. What’s your most questionable life decision that didn’t involve a boat?

What or who…