Our team members have over forty years of teaching experience between them, so you can be confident you’re in good hands. Working with individual customers and commercial organisations, our number one priority is meeting – and exceeding – customer needs. We are committed to the highest level of customer service from the initial point of contact to completion of your time with us.
Euan
Nathalie
Andy
Paul
Daniel
Catherine
Lesley
Freelance
Euan Carruthers
Director / RYA Principal
Chief Instructor
Euan has over 15 years of teaching experience and has taught in a wide variety of countries including Australia, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Tenerife and Nigeria. Since late 2011 he has been back in the UK teaching all levels of RYA training from Start Yachting to Advanced Powerboat to Yachtmaster Offshore. When he is not out teaching on the water, he can be found teaching shorebased navigation and radio courses to all levels of students from those just starting to those building up to their RYA Yachtmaster Exam. Euan has a calm and relaxed teaching manner which readily builds confidence in his students. Euan also runs all the instructor training, delivering regular training at our base in Rhu.
His current qualifications include:
Nathalie Carruthers
Operations Director
Nathalie has a background in watersports instructing having worked as a Windsurf Instructor in Greece for Neilson. She is responsible for the running of our office, liaising with the staff as to the courses they are teaching, course bookings and paperwork and marketing.
The last few years has seen a career change from the waterports industry to working for Axa Insurance where here media and creativity skills were put to a good test running a contact centre operations team.
Andy Greer
Motor Instructor / Skipper
Andy has been involved with the water as far back as he can recall. He started his working career in the commercial sector managing and skippering crew transfer vessels, safety boats and line handlers. More recently, after a change of scenery; now works as a marina operative. When he isn’t instructing; he can be found sailing yachts or helming the Queensferry Lifeboat.
His current qualifications include:
Paul Mills
Sail & Powerboat Instructor
Paul first started sailing at 13, and enjoyed both dinghies, kayak and windsurfing instructing. During College and beyond Paul had 4 years working for Sunsail, chiefly in the Solent and Greece. This was followed by setting up his own sailing school in Menorca and then a spot of traditional boat sailing with the ICC .His professional career involved teaching and training – and running a therapeutic foster care agency. Paul has sailed about 40,000 miles between Portugal and Scotland, and loves exploring beautiful coastlines, often working with groups of teenagers on his own 40′ charter boat. He currently teaches Maritime Studies, part time, at Argyll College – between spells at other training centres. In his free time Paul loves spending time with his boys in the outdoors, and undertaking off road expeditions to remote corners of the globe.
Daniel Mellor
Instructor / Skipper
Dan grew up on the water with powerboats and fishing boats from a young age in Cape Town getting his first official licence at 15. 10 years later, Dan has taken what was a leisurely weekend out on the water and made it a career. Starting off in Cape Town doing his courses, he then set off to the Mediterranean where he worked on various superyachts ranging from 25 – 85m, initially as a Deckhand and eventually as Mate driving a range of powerboats and tenders.
He later decided to move relocate to Scotland to embark on a career as an RYA Powerboat Instructor and skipper. After a few more years, he decided to return to South Africa to sail where he completed his Yachtmaster Offshore Sail qualification followed by his RYA Cruising Instructor. He is now back on the Clyde working hard as a skipper and instructor.
Catherine Allison
Sail & Shorebased Navigation Instructor
Catherine grew up sailing traditional yachts on the Clyde. Since abandoning a career in architecture, she has sailed and taught around the world including the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, the Mediterranean and Red seas, and across the Atlantic. She is very glad to be home again.
Her qualifications include:
Lesley Carruthers
Founding Director
Lesley has many years of experience on boats of all sizes, ranging from Laser dinghies and high performance RIBs to large power and sailing cruisers. She is currently responsible for all of You & Sea’s marketing and accounts.
Freelance Instructors
We are very particular about who trains our customers. We have a core team of experienced instructors that deliver the majority of our courses and we have an equally experienced team of freelance instructors that we can call on when during our busy periods.
Robert Mutlow:
- RYA Yachtmaster Instructor (Sail & Power)
- RYA Yachtmaster Examiner (Sail)
- RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor
- RYA Shorebased Instructor
- RYA SRC Assessor
Derek Grier:
- RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor
- RYA Diesel Engine Instructor
- RYA SRC Assessor
Stewart Griffiths:
- RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor
- RYA Shorebased Instructor
- RYA First Aid Instructor
- RYA SRC Assessor
Sam Paterson:
- RYA Yachtmaster Instructor (Sail)
- RYA Shorebased Instructor
Nick Wilson:
- RYA Advanced Instructor
- RYA SRC Assessor.
Chrisy Southgate:
- RYA First Aid Instructor
- MCA STCW F/A Instructor
- RYA SRC Assessor