Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of our more regular enquiries. If the answer to your question can't be found here, please call us on 023 8089 2077, or email us: calshot.ac@hants.gov.uk
Click on one of these links to go to the appropriate section...
Bookings
Accommodation
Catering
Courses
Equipment & Clothing
General
Conferences
Bookings
What methods of payment are accepted?
If I book a course non residentially, what does non-residential include?
Am I insured against cancellation due to illness or change of plans?
Do I need to be insured to take part in any of the courses?
What if I cannot make the dates in the brochure?
Can I book on the internet or over the phone?
What is the booking procedure?
Can I book at the last minute?
To whom do I make cheques payable?
Can I cancel a booking?
If I cannot attend the course I have booked can I let a friend come in my place?
Accommodation
Is there accommodation at the Centre?
Do I have to share a room?
Do I have to stay at Calshot if I want to attend one of the courses?
Can I arrive earlier/stay on after my course has finished?
Can I stay at Calshot if I am not on a course?
Catering
Are meals provided on the evening before my course starts?
What meals are included in the course?
Is there a choice of menu?
Do you cater for vegetarians / vegans/ specific dietary requirements e.g. gluten free?
Can I cook my own food?
Courses
What happens if the weather conditions are not suitable?
Do I need experience?
What does the course include?
Can the Centre offer tailor made courses?
Will Calshot ever cancel a course?
What is included in the course fee?
When should I arrive?
Do I have to organise my own transport to Calshot?
Do I need to belong to a National Governing Body?
What happens at the end of a course?
Are there any age limits for courses?
How fit do I need to be?
Do I need to be able to swim?
Are all the courses safe?
Do you have female instructors?
Equipment & Clothing
Do I have to bring a towel and my own toiletries?
What do I need to wear?
Can I use my own equipment?
If I bring my own kayak/windsurf board, is there somewhere I can store it?
Is there somewhere to store my valuables?
General
Do you cater for disabled visitors?
What about under 16s?
What will the weather be like?
Will I get wet?
What can I do in the evening?
Is the Spinnaker Bar open to the public?
Can I use the internet while at Calshot?
Can I get a mobile signal?
Can I watch television?
Can I get a weather forecast at Calshot?
Do you have a shop?
Do you ever sell off equipment?
Can I bring my dog?
Conferences
What is the maximum number of delegates at the Centre?
Is there a choice of menu?
What audio-visual equipment is available?
Answers
What methods of payment are accepted?
We accept cash, cheques and the majority of Credit and Debit Cards. We do not accept American Express.
Is there accommodation at the Centre?
Yes, lots. For adult courses we usually use RJ Mitchell House, Lawrence House or Keymer House. These mainly provide twin-bedded accommodation. We can sometimes provide single rooms at extra cost.
If you're doing a weekend course with us, another option is to stay on our campsite.
Do I have to share a room?
Most rooms are twin, based on two sharing. If you require single occupancy then please specify this on your booking form. We will try to accommodate requests subject to availability and to a single-room supplement
Do I have to stay at Calshot if I want to attend one of the courses?
No, almost all of our courses are available on a non-residential basis.
Can I arrive earlier/stay on after my course has finished?
B&B accommodation may be available at an additional cost, this must be booked in advance.
Can I stay at Calshot if I am not on a course?
We offer group accommodation either on a B&B or fully catered basis. Minimum group size: 20.
Do I have to bring a towel and my own toiletries?
Yes.
If I book a course non residentially, what does non-residential include?
We provide instruction and midday meals, clearly you need to make your own accommodation and evening meal and breakfast arrangements.
* NB Some courses feature an evening session and may include an evening meal for non-residential participants. Check the information relating to your course, printed in our brochure.
What do I need to wear?
Warm, old clothing, fleeces are good, jeans less so. Unrestricting clothing is best. For watersports you should bring an old pair of trainers that you are prepared to get wet and muddy. A swimsuit and a towel are necessary, a warm hat and gloves are also sometimes useful. During the summer a sun hat, sun cream and sunglasses are all advisable. Always bring a full change of clothes. We provide all specialist equipment, such as buoyancy aids, wetsuits and waterproofs.
What happens if the weather conditions are not suitable?
If the conditions are not suitable for the activity at times during the course then the programme will be changed perhaps by switching theory and practical sessions. At worst the course may be cancelled. If due to forecast or prevailing conditions we have to do this we will endeavour to organise alternative dates. If we are unable to do this we will offer a suitable refund.
Am I insured against cancellation due to illness or change of plans?
No, you need to arrange this.
Do I need to be insured to take part in any of the courses?
We strongly recommend you take out insurance against cancellation and curtailment of your course and accident and personal injury
Do I need experience?
Not for any of our level1/introductory courses.
What does the course include?
All practical and theory work from the relevant National Governing Body syllabus. All specialist equipment is provided. All courses include lunch lots of tea and coffee For residential courses an evening meal and accommodation is provided on the first day as well as breakfast the next morning.
What if I cannot make the dates in the brochure?
We can provide individual tuition or arrange bespoke courses for groups.
Can the Centre offer tailor made courses?
Yes. Please phone to discuss the details.
Can I book on the internet or over the phone?
We will be shortly trialling booking via the internet. Currently you can book by post or over the phone. Places on a course can only be reserved with payment.
What is the booking procedure?
Acceptance of any booking is subject to Calshot receiving full advanced payment and a signed and completed booking form. You will find these in our brochures or you can download one from the web.
Please see our Booking Conditions as we also need medical information and consent for Under 18's.
Can I book at the last minute?
Yes, if places are still available but be aware that many of our courses book up weeks in advance.
To whom do I make cheques payable?
Hampshire County Council
Can I cancel a booking?
All cancellations must be in writing. They will be dealt with as stated in the terms and conditions of booking.
If I cannot attend the course I have booked can I let a friend come in my place?
Yes, subject to an administration fee of £15. Please see our Booking Conditions
Will Calshot ever cancel a course?
While every attempt is made to ensure that advertised courses actually run, Calshot will notify you as soon as practicable where we believe that cancellation is necessary due to unsuitable conditions for the course activity. We also reserve the right to cancel if numbers fail to reach a viable number. We will give a minimum of 14 days notice in this instance and provide a full refund or transfer to another date
What is included in the course fee?
If you have booked as a residential course, your room (normally shared, unless a single-room supplement is paid) and full board. Provision of specialist technical equipment and clothing. Any course transport. All instruction. Not included are registration or examination fees and log books (except Level 1 Windsurfing and REC First Aid courses).
Do you cater for disabled visitors?
We have a number of bedrooms designed for wheelchair users, most of our site is level and ramps provide easy access where necessary. For activities we recommend that you let us know before booking so that we can discuss any special needs.
When should I arrive?
You should arrive by 9.00am on the first day of your course unless stated otherwise in your joining instructions. Accommodation is sometimes available for the night preceding the course start but this need to be booked in advance.
Do I have to organise my own transport to Calshot?
Yes. This is not included in the course fee.
Do I need to belong to a National Governing Body?
The joining instructions will explain if you need to be a member of a specific NGB. You must organise and pay for your own registration. You do not need to be a NGB member for non-qualification courses.
Are meals provided on the evening before my course starts?
No, nor is accommodation (unless booked separately). Your first meal at Calshot will be lunch on day one of your course. Bar meals are available however until 9.30pm in the Spinnaker Bar.
What meals are included in the course?
Lunch is provided for all courses one day or longer. If you are staying residentially we also provide breakfast and an evening meal. For information on non-residential clients please see above.
Do you cater for vegetarians / vegans/ specific dietary requirements e.g. gluten free?
Yes. Please specify this on your booking form.
Can I cook my own food?
No, we do not have facilities for self-catering.
What happens at the end of a course?
Refer to the course details for course times, most weekend courses finish on the Sunday at 5.00pm. It would be appreciated if you would vacate your room by 9am on the morning of your departure.
Are there any age limits for courses?
Please refer to our booking conditions for details of our policy on under 18s on adult courses
What about under 16s?
We run lots of courses tailored for younger age groups. Please see our Courses for Young People.
How fit do I need to be?
Many of our courses are physically demanding and may involve bending, lifting, balancing, jumping, falling, climbing, stretching and a degree of co-ordination - you should ensure that you have an adequate level of fitness for the activities undertaken.
What will the weather be like?
Who knows? We would claim that at Calshot the sun always shines, that the sea is always blue and that there’s always just the right amount of wind to sail. However you shouldn’t believe this and Calshot can be a cold and windswept spot so bring plenty of warm clothing.
Will I get wet?
Yes. If you are on a watersports course then this is fairly inevitable. You may well get wet and be immersed in water. If you are taking part in one of our indoor activities then you should stay dry but the hangar can get cold during the winter so you will still need those warm clothes.
Do I need to be able to swim?
Yes, for any of our watersports course we insist that you are able to swim a minimum of 50 metres as a test of water-confidence.
Are all the courses safe?
Safety is our prime consideration, however the activities provided by Calshot are potentially hazardous in nature and you must accept that there is a certain degree of risk. Those with parental responsibility must also recognise a degree of risk when signing the consent form.
Can I use my own equipment?
Yes, if it is considered suitable by your instructor and it is adequately insured.
If I bring my own kayak/windsurf board, is there somewhere I can store it?
Yes. Just let Reception know when you arrive and they will advise you where to store it. Anything larger will need to be stored outside at your own risk.
Is there somewhere to store my valuables?
We do not take responsibility for valuables and suggest that you avoid bringing them. We only provide such facility for unaccompanied children on Summer Holiday Courses.
What can I do in the evening?
Most evenings we will organise a session on our bouldering wall or if numbers allow we may organise a climbing session. Otherwise you may simply want to relax in the bar.
Is the Spinnaker Bar open to the public?
Yes. If you are in the area please feel free to enjoy a drink and a bar meal and some stunning views.
Can I use the internet while at Calshot?
Not currently.
Can I get a mobile signal?
Reception is generally acceptable.
Can I watch television?
We do not have televisions in the bedrooms. These are available in some lounges.
Can I get a weather forecast at Calshot?
We obtain synoptic charts from the Met office each day. They are available on the notice board in the main hangar at 8.45am each morning.
Do you have female instructors?
Yes lots, and lots of male instructors too. However we cannot guarantee that you will be taught by either sex.
Do you have a shop?
Yes. You can buy souvenirs and some RYA books. We also have Hot drink vending machine in Sunderland, and a limited range of confectionery is available to adults from the Bar.
Do you ever sell off equipment?
Yes. We advertise these on our website. Click here.
Can I bring my dog?
No.
Conferences
What is the maximum number of delegates at the Centre?
We have three conference rooms with capacities of 80, 60 and 20. The largest two rooms can be combined to accommdate 140.
Is there a choice of menu?
Yes we have three standard options of menus, all of which have vegetarian dishes, but can provide custom menus on request. We cater for those with food allergies; please inform us two weeks before the conference or course.
What audio-visual equipment is available?
An OHP, TV, Video, DVD player, data projector and screens are all available for your use.
