The RYA Essential Navigation & Seamanship course is a great introduction to navigation and safety awareness for new or inexperienced skippers and crew, or 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 practical training such as the RYA Start Yachting program or RYA Competent Crew course.
It’s a highly informative course with lots of opportunities for you to put your new found knowledge into practice. You can take this course in the classroom or online. 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.
What You Will Learn
- 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 an RYA course pack which includes a chart, plotter, dividers, course handbook and exercises. Pictured is the online course pack.
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 over two full days.
Online, the course will take around twelve hours, but the beauty of it is that you can work through it at your own speed, whenever and wherever you like.
You can book both the classroom dates or the online course direct with us.
RYA Essential Navigation Course Prerequisites
| Pre-course experience | None |
| Assumed knowledge | None |
| Minimum duration | 16 hours in classroom (2 days) or 6 hours online. |
| Minimum age | None |
RYA Essential Navigation Course Details
| Duration | 16 hours in classroom (2 days) or 6 hours online. |
| Included | Course materials and certification. |
| Excluded | Accommodation (please ask for nearby recommendations), flights, transfers and food. |
| Complementary practical courses | RYA Start Yachting program or RYA Competent Crew course. |
| Course content | Charts and publications, safety, engine checks, buoyage, tidal awareness, visual and electronic navigation, pilotage, rules of the road, anchoring, weather forecasts, and passage planning. |