RYA Day Skipper Theory

Duration: A classroom course typically run over 5 consecutive days. Alternatively it can be studied over 3 weekends or 5 / 6 individual days. Evening work is required.

Previous experience required: None, but some practical experience is desirable.

Content: Seamanship, basic navigation and pilotage, safety procedures, and collision regulations. The Day Skipper theory course introduces the wide range of subjects needed to skipper a small yacht, including:

•The parts and equipment of a yacht.

•Emergency and safety equipment and procedures (distress calls, flares, helicopter rescue, safety harnesses, life jackets and life rafts).

•The basics of coastal navigation and pilotage, including chart work, position fixing, plotting a course to steer and tidal heights and streams.

•Key parts of the International Regulations for Prevention of Collision at Sea.

•Weather forecasting, including a basic understanding of the causes of the weather, pressure systems and how to interpret weather information.

During the course you will work through 12 coursework exercises leading to two exams, one on navigation and the other a general paper covering seamanship, meteorology and the collision regulations.

On successful completion of the course you will be awarded the RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Certificate.