RYA Courses

Practical courses:-

RYA Start Yachting Course

RYA Competent crew course

RYA Day Skipper course

RYA Coastal Skipper course

RYA Yachtmaster preparation

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

International Certificate of Competence

Theory courses:-

RYA Basic Navigation and Safety

RYA The Day skipper Course

RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

One day Skills courses:-

RYA First aid

RYA VHF SRC licence

RYA Diesel engine course

RYA Radar course

RYA sea survival course

RYA Start Yachting Course

	Start Yachting

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework and safety onboard
Ability after course	Basic knowledge of yachting. Reduces the time needed to complete the Competent Crew course
Minimum duration	2 days

RYA Competent Crew

	Competent Crew

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Basic seamanship and helmsmanship
Ability after course	By the end of the course you should be able to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the day to day routines.
Minimum duration	5 days, but often run over 3 weekends or 3 days plus a weekend. If you have previously completed the Start Yachting course, the Competent Crew course can be completed in 3 or 4 days.

RYA day Skipper

	Day Skipper Practical Course

Pre-course experience	5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours on board a sailing yacht
Assumed Knowledge	Basic navigation and helmsmanship. It is recommended that you attend the Day Skipper shorebased course before taking this practical course
Course content	Pilotage, boat handling, seamanship and navigation
Ability after course	Can skipper a small yacht in familiar waters by day
Minimum duration	5 days - either as 3 weekends or 3 days plus 2 days

RYA Coastal Skipper

	Coastal Skipper Practical Course

Pre-course experience	15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours
Assumed Knowledge	Boat handling to the standard of the Day Skipper practical sail cruising course and navigation to the standard of the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster shorebased course
Course content	Passage planning, pilotage by day and night, boat handling, safety and emergency situations
Ability after course	Skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night
Minimum duration	5 days

RYA Yachtmaster preparation

Prerequisite qualifications and experience

Candidates must be aged 18 or over.
Radio Operator's Qualification. A restricted (VHF only) Radio Operator’s Certificate or a GMDSS Short Range Certificate or higher grade of marine radio certificate.
First Aid. A valid first aid certificate. First aid qualifications held by Police, Fire and Armed Services are also acceptable.
Seatime. 50 days, 2,500 miles including at least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination, acting as skipper for at least two of these passages and including two which have involved overnight passages. 5 days experience as skipper. At least half this mileage and passages must be in tidal waters. Please see the 'definition of passage' link above.
The boat used must be between 7m (23ft) and 24m (78ft) be in sound, seaworthy condition and equipped to the standard set out in the RYA book Cruising Yacht Safety (code C8). The boat must be equipped with a full up to date set of charts and navigational publications and be efficiently crewed as the examiner will not take part in the management of boat during the exam.

International Certificate of Competence

RYA theory courses

RYA Basic Navigation and Safety

	Basic Navigation and Safety Course

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Charts and publications, safety, buoyage, tidal awareness, basic navigation and pilotage, rules of the road, electronic navigation, anchoring, weather forecasts, passage planning
Ability after course	A basic awareness and understanding of navigation and safety
Minimum duration	16 hours. Can be taught over 2 days or a series of shorter sessions

RYA The Day skipper Course

	Day Skipper Shorebased Course

Pre-course experience	Some practical experience desirable
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Basic seamanship and introduction to navigation and meteorology. A basic knowledge of lights, weather and IRPCS is also included.
Ability after course	Sufficient knowledge to navigate around familiar waters by day.
Minimum duration	40 hours and 2 assessment papers

RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster

	Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course

Pre-course experience	Knowledge equivalent to the Day Skipper shorebased course
Assumed Knowledge	Navigation to Day Skipper standard and some practical experience is recommended
Course content	Navigation, meteorology, collision avoidance, safety and passage planning
Ability after course	Understands the principles of navigating for coastal and offshore passages
Minimum duration	40 hours plus 3 assessment papers

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

	Yachtmaster® Ocean Shorebased Course

Pre-course experience	Coastal and offshore sailing
Assumed Knowledge	Navigation to Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore shorebased standard
Course content	Astro-navigation, ocean meteorology and passage planning
Ability after course	Background knowledge to skipper yacht on ocean passages, understanding how to plan and navigate an ocean passage
Minimum duration	40 hours plus assessments

One day Skills courses:-

RYA First aid

	RYA One Day First Aid Course

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	First aid and resuscitation techniques for yachtsmen, including a knowldge of the treatment for hypothermia
Ability after course	Understands basic first aid in a marine environment
Minimum duration	1 day

RYA VHF SRC licence

	Marine Radio Short Range Certificate Course

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Use of marine radios including GMDSS. Routine, distress, urgency and safety procedures
Ability after course	Can use a marine VHF radio
Minimum duration	1 day including exam

RYA Diesel engine course

Diesel Engine Course

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Basic maintenance and engine care
Ability after course	Awareness of the main systems of a marine diesel engine. Able to take simple measures to prevent mechanical breakdown at sea and rectify defects which do not require workshop support
Minimum duration	1 day

RYA Radar course

	Radar Course

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Basic understanding of radar and set controls. Plotting and collision avoidance. Navigation techniques
Ability after course	Knowledge of how to use radar in a small boat
Minimum duration	1 day

RYA sea survival course

	Basic Sea Survival Course

Pre-course experience	None
Assumed Knowledge	None
Course content	Preparation for survival, life jackets, medical issues, search and rescue techniques. It includes a practical session in a swimming poole to experience entering an inflated liferaft whilst fully kitted out
Ability after course	A good knowledge of survival techniques, the safety equipment carried on small boats and experience of practical drills in a liferaft
Minimum duration	1 day