Day Skipper Theory and Practical Course

Teenagers - RYA Day Skipper Shorebased and Practical Course

This 9 day RYA Day Skipper theory and practical course is aimed at teenagers who are 16 and over. It is ideal for those who have already completed Competent Crew or have equivilent experience. This course runs from a Saturday through to the following Sunday.  The first 4 non residential days are spent in the classroom where you will concentrate on learning  the RYA Day Skipper shore based syllabus. This is immediately followed by a 5 day practical sea phase.

During the sea phase you will put into practice all that theory you have learned in the classroom. Each student is given the opportunity to navigate and take control of the yacht on short inshore or coastal passages. Your instructor is there to ensure that your first, perhaps hesitant steps as skipper are taken in safety. There will be plenty of opportunity to practice boat handling in a variety of mooring situations, and whilst at sea your instructor will cover subjects such as watch keeping, deck work, sail trim and how to cope in emergency situations.

A skipper is totally responsible for the management of a yacht, so the course also includes meteorology, basic engine checks, passage planning, preparing the yacht for sea, and rules of the road. Night sailing is also undertaken to give you a taste of pilotage in the dark. By the end of this course the successful RYA Day Skipper will be able to undertake short coastal passages by day, in both tidal and non-tidal waters. Successful completion of this course means that you can apply for the International Certificate of Competence and charter a yacht on holiday. 

Minimum pre course experience;

The minimum pre course experience for this course is 5 days, 100 nautical miles and 4 night hours on board a cruising yacht. We would recommend that most students have more experience than this prior to attending this course. Along side command skills, those considering the Day Skipper practical course should have a sound knowledge of the Competent Crew syllabus and be confident with helming and basic sail trim on all points of sail. Day Skipper Course participants should be able to take charge when tacking or gybing and should be able to recognise when close to a gybe situation to avoid any accidental gybes. Students should know the correct order for putting in and taking out reefs, be able to use winches and jammers safely and know how to secure the yacht along side.

Dates:

9 day combined RYA Day Skipper theory & practical course

03 - 11 August 2024 £1,215.00 - 1 place remaining

*As numbers are restricted on this particular course, reservations can only be made over the phone by contacting our bookings office on office on 02380 457733.