RYA shorebasedcourse

Essential Navigation & Seamanship course 

This course is available in the classroom and online. However you decide to take the course, it offers a great introduction to navigation and safety awareness for new or inexperienced skippers and crew, and those wanting to refresh their skills. In fact it's for anyone interested in sailing, motor boating, sea angling or diving, and works well in complementing our on-the-water training, such as the Powerboat Level 2, Start Yachting and Helmsman courses.It's a highly informative course with lots of opportunities for you to put your new found knowledge into practice. If you decide to take the course online, you will find many interactive exercises to help reinforce the information and lots of chances to try out what you've learned.Course topics include:

  • Charts and Publications 
  • Safety 
  • Engine checks   
  • Buoyage    
  • Tidal awareness
  • Visual and electronic navigation 
  • Pilotage
  • Rules of the road
  • Anchoring
  • Weather forecasts
  • Passage planning

 

You will receive a course pack which includes a chart, plotter, dividers, course handbook, exercises and an electronic chart plotter CD.

How long is the course?

In the classroom, the course is taught over 16 hours with exercises to complete along the way. It can be covered as a series of short sessions or over two full days. Online the course will take around six hours, but the beauty of it is that you can work through it at your own speed, whenever and wherever you like.

How to take the course

Both the classroom course and the online course are available through our training centres. Contact a training centre or visit their website to find more details.

Feedback from course students

“Very useful and informative.  I have the practical experience but learning the theory has increased my confidence.”“Great course, extremely well presented.”“An absolutely fantastic course and so glad that I took it - I feel a lot more confident and will be safer.” “Really enjoyed it. Great videos, great interaction, very educational. Well done.” 

 

 

Day Skipper 

A comprehensive introduction to cruising for inexperienced skippers.

This course equips you with enough knowledge to navigate around familiar waters by day. A basic knowledge of lights is also included to introduce you to night cruising.


We are continually updating our courses to take into account developments in technology and the electronic navigation aids now available on most cruising boats.

In conjunction with the UK Hydrographic Office we have developed a chart plotter specifically for use on training courses, giving you a realistic insight into electronic navigation. Use of this plotter is an integral part of our Day Skipper shorebased course.

We have northern and southern hemisphere versions of our training materials. So, no matter where you are in the world, our course can be tailored to you.

The course is taught over 40 hours with two exam papers. It can be covered as a series of short sessions, as an intensive week-long course, or by distance learning.


Course topics include:

  • the basics of seamanship
  • the essentials of coastal navigation and pilotage
  • chartwork
  • electronic charts
  • position fixing
  • plotting a course to steer
  • weather forecasting and meteorology
  • tides
  • collision regulations
  • construction, parts and equipment of a cruising boat
  • emergency and safety procedures including distress calls,use of flares, safety harnesses, lifejackets and liferafts

 

 

Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore 


Advanced training for more experienced skippers building on the Day Skipper course. This course equips you to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages.


This course will take your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster™ Coastal and Yachtmaster™ Offshore practical exams, concentrating on advanced navigation and meteorology skills.

As with the Day Skipper shorebased course, the RYA’s specially designed chart plotter software will be used during the course to give you a realistic taste of modern electronic navigation.

Students in the southern hemisphere can take advantage of the southern hemisphere version of our training materials, ensuring that your course is relevant to you.

The course is taught over 40 hours with three exam papers. It can be covered as a series of short sessions, as an intensive week-long course, or by distance learning.


Course topics include:

  • position fixing
  • course shaping and plotting
  • tidal knowledge
  • use of almanacs and admiralty publications
  • electronic position finding equipment
  • taking and interpreting forecasts
  • plotting weather systems
  • weather predictions using a barometer and by observation
  • collision regulations
  • customs and excise regulations for cruising abroad

It allows some time for revision of the basics and then moves on to advanced navigation techniques.