Which RYA Courses do we run?

Shorebased:
Basic Navigation & Safety
Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory
Diesel Engine Maintenance                                                      VHF Marine Radio SRC (Short-Range Certificate)                       First Aid 

Practicals:
PowerBoat Levels 1 & 2

RYA Start Yachting
Competent Crew
Day Skipper (also qualifies for ICC = International Certificate of Competence - apply to RYA)
Coastal Skipper

Preparation for RYA/MCA Examinations:
Coastal Skipper Candidates are advised to complete the 5 day Coastal Skipper Practical course
Yachtmaster Candidates are advised to complete the YM prep course - see below.

RYA/MCA Examinations:

These are on board assessments conducted by Independent Examiners, and the succesful completion of the exam leads to the award of the coveted RYA/MCA CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCE = these are Professional qualifications and essesntial for any budding instructors, charter skippers, or Superyacht captains. These certificates can be "Commercially Endorsed" for professional work. 

TRAINING MATERIALS

We're often asked to recommend books and equipment so on the next page you'll find a gallery providing a selection from the thousands of titles on the market. These are widely available but our partners at Preston Marina have an on-line shop where you can order these products directly.

Preston Marina Shop

Shorebased:

Basic Navigation & Safety - 16 hours
Age: No minimum.
Pre-Course Experience:None.
Suitable for Power & Sail
An introduction to  navigation and safety awareness for new, inexperienced or rusty skippers and crew.
This course is for anyone new to sailing, motor boating, including RIBs and other small powerboats, sea angling and diving as well as experienced dinghy and keelboat sailors / inshore racers.   

Day Skipper Theory - 40 hours
Age: No minimum.
Pre-Course Experience:Some boating experience could be helpful.
A comprehensive introduction to chart work, navigation, meteorology and the basics of seamanship.
You will find this course invaluable if you want to learn how to start making decisions on board.
 
Coastal/Yachtmaster Theory - 40 hours
Age: No minimum.
Pre-Course Experience:Knowledge to Day Skipper Theory Level is recommended. Call to ask if you're unsure.
An advanced shorebased course in navigation and meteorology covering a wide range of topics including the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
This is the natural progression from the Day Skipper Theory Course.

Diesel Engine Course    - 1-Day
Age: No minimum.
Pre-Course Experience:None required.
This One-Day Course provides an awareness of the main systems of a marine diesel engine and teaches the ability to take simple measures to prevent mechanical breakdown at sea and rectify defects which do not require workshop support. Mechanical failure is the main cause of lifeboat callouts to yachts and motor cruisers. Basic maintenance and engine care amy make sure you are not part of these figures.

VHF Radio License - 1-Day
Age: 16 Years.
Pre-Course Experience: None required.
This License is a Legal Requirement if you own or use any marine VHF radio.
The VHF Radio  (Authority-to-Operate) Licensing Course is run at regular intervals and will cover various topics through presentation, roleplay exercises and a short written test. A passport sized photograph and £25 payment to the RYA for processing & dispatching your license is required.
 
First Aid Course  - 1-Day
Age: No minimum
Pre-Course Experience: None required.
In a medical emergency a little first aid knowledge and immediate action can save lives, especially in remote locations. This course is designed to provide a working knowledge of first aid for people using small craft and to support skippers of yachts and motor vessels. It fulfils the requirements for skippers of small craft working within 60 miles of a safe haven.
The course is MCA and HSE approved.

Practicals:

RYA Start Yachting - 2 days
Age: No minimum.
Pre-Course Experience:None
Introductory course for beginners.
Competent crew can be achieved with an additional 3 days.

Competent Crew - 5 days
Age: No minimum.
Pre-Course Experience:None
Introductory courses for beginners and those who have some experience of either cruising or dinghy sailing.

RYA Day Skipper (Sail Tidal) - 5 days
Age: No minimum.
Pre-Course Experience: 5 Days sailing, 100 miles, 4 night hours plus knowledge up to Day Skipper shorebased theory.
You will learn basic practical skippering techniques.
Completion of a Day Skipper shorebased course beforehand will add enormous value to this practical course, although it is possible to read up on the syllabus at home.
Each student is given the opportunity to take control and navigate the yacht on short coastal passages.
Your instructor is there as a coach to guide you through what may be considered a nerve raking experience.
During the course, you will be given the opportunity to practise your boat handling in a variety of marina and mooring situations, and whilst at sea will cover subjects such as watch keeping, deck work, sail trim and how to cope in emergency situations such as MOB.
A skipper is responsible for the management of a yacht, so the course also includes basic engine checks, passage planning, preparing the yacht for sea, rules of the road and meteorology.

Course Aims: By the end of this course the successful Day Skipper will be able to skipper a Small yacht in familiar waters and short coastal passages by day, in both tidal and non-tidal waters.
Course Requirements:  To gain RYA certificate in 5 days you need to undertake at least 100 miles, 4 night hours taking command of the yacht and crew for short passages.   
 
Succesful completion of the Day Skipper Practical qualifies you to apply to the RYA for an "International Certificate of Competence" which is often now required for sailing and charters in Foreign countries.

RYA / MCA Coastal Skipper (Sail Tidal) - 5 days
Previous experience necessary: candidates should have knowledge up to Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster theory standard.
Practical ability to Day Skipper level, 15 days onboard (2 days as skipper), 300 miles, 8 night hours.
The course concentrates on the techniques and skills required to skipper a yacht on passages involving complex decision making, navigation, cruise planning, and pilotage.
A passage of longer duration, with particular emphasis placed on watch keeping techniques will usually be undertaken to demonstrate how to manage the yacht on such a passage.
Also you will be given the opportunity to improve your close quarter’s boat handling skills under power and sail.
Preparation of the yacht for heavy weather cruising and navigation in restricted visibility is also practised.
By the end of this course the successful Coastal Skipper awarded a course completion certificate will have sufficient knowledge to skipper a yacht safely on long coastal and offshore passages by day and night, in both tidal and non-tidal waters.

Course Aims: To be able to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day & night.  
Course Requirements:  To gain RYA course completion certificate in 5 days you need to undertake 100 miles, 4 night hours taking command of the yacht demonstrating skippering techniques for coastal and offshore passages.
 

The Coastal Skipper course is good preparation if taking the RYA / MCA Coastal Skipper examination Candidates will need to arrange with Scotsail to charter the yacht for the exam period and also arrange directly with the RYA for the examiner to come on board. These are costs in addition to the 5 day preparation course.

The actual RYA/MCA EXAM comprises a 10 hr examination by an independent examiner for full RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper "Certificate of Competency".

NOTE: MCA examination Candidates: must hold a VHF Radio or Short Range Certificate. First aid certificate, and logged sea time of 800 miles within 10 years. 30 days living on-board, 2 days as skipper and 12 night hrs.
  

RYA / MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation for Examination - 5 days
Qualifying experience necessary - 50 Days onboard, 2,500 miles, 5 days as skipper, 5 passages over 60 miles, including 2 overnight and 2 as skipper.
Examination candidates must hold either a VHF Radio Operator's Certificate or a Short range certificate and a First Aid certificate.
You will spend five days onboard the yacht with our fully qualified professional RYA/MCA Yachtmaster instructor.
The instructor will ensure that what is likely to be asked in the exam is put into practice.
Gives potential Yachtmasters the opportunity to revise thoroughly both practical and theoretical subjects prior to undertaking the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore examination.
Candidates will need to arrange with Scotsail to charter the yacht for the exam period and also arrange directly with the RYA for the examiner to come on board. These are costs in addition to the 5 day preparation course.  Scotsail can assist with making theses arrangements.

Course Aims: The successful Yachtmaster Offshore is going to be an experienced yachtsman, competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage up to 150 miles from port.
The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competency is acclaimed throughout the sailing community as the best sailing qualification to obtain.
 
Course Requirements:  You should already have covered all aspects of the RYA sail cruising scheme except Ocean and be at the standard of Coastal skipper.
The successful Yachtmaster Offshore is an experienced yachts-person, able to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage up to 150 miles from port.

The actual RYA/MCA EXAM comprises a 12 hr examination by an independent examiner for full RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore "Certificate of Competency".