RYA Combined Helmsman & Day Skipper

This course saves you time and money by combining the entry level RYA Motor Helmsman course with the RYA Day Skipper practical course, this enables you to complete both courses in 5 days rather than completing them separately, which would require 6 days. 

The course will provide you with the skills required to skipper a motor cruiser with confidence in familiar waters during daylight hours, covering basic boat handling skills and elementary seamanship and rope work. 

This is for those new to motor boat cruising and no practical experience is required, but any you do have will help you. However for the Day Skipper element you are required to hold the RYA Day Skipper theory certificate or have navigation and the theory knowledge to the standard of the shorebased course.

Pre-course knowledge -

Theory: Your knowledge of coastal navigation and meteorology should be to the standard of RYA Day Skipper shorebased.

Practical: None, but any you do have will be an advantage.

Minimum age: 16

• You will be coached over the full RYA course syllabus as you live aboard our motorboat.
• All meals are provided for the duration of the course including a home cooked wholesome and hearty evening meal, exactly what you need after a day’s our on the water!
• Accommodation on board you are required to bring a sleeping bag with you & you can expect to stay overnight at other local marinas
• Parking - available at Suffolk Yacht Harbour
• All mooring fees, safety equipment, fuel and tuition from one of our experienced RYA instructors.

Maximum teaching ratio - 4:1 

Course language - English

RYA Day Skipper Practical Motor Certificate.

Holders of this certificate will be able to obtain the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) - this is a certificate which is intended to provide evidence of competence when requested by officials in foreign countries. You will often be required to show this when chartering vessels abroad.

If the weather is not looking great or is forecast to be a bit chilly or windy you can hire wet weather gear from us.

Musto Waterproofs available in S, M, L, XL and XXL. £32.00 for the week.

You are expected to bring the following comfort pack items with you; however if you don't want to bring your best duck down pillow or you haven't got a sleeping bag, don't worry you can hire a comfort pack from us!

A Comfort Pack comprises of a freshly laundered sleeping bag with liner, pillow, pillow case and towel - £16.00

Types of craft

• Sportsboats, motor cruisers planing / displacement
• Types of hull, seakeeping, wash considerations

Engines and drives

• Petrol / diesel
• Single / twin screw
• Shafts / outdrives, outboard, waterjets

Engine operation and maintenance

• Pre-start checks inboards / outboards
• Engine checks while running
• Routine maintenance checks
• Fuel consumption range, reserve and location of cutoffs
• Basic fault diagnosis

Safety and seamanship

• Personal safety equipment, lifejackets, buoyancy aids, flares, first aid kit
• Anchoring: types, stowage, depth of water, preparation, check holding, weighing (may be done practically)
• Disable craft, towing
• Fire precautions, extinguishers, fire blankets

Rules of the road

• Has a working knowledge of the IRPCS

Boat Preparation

• Local boating conditions and regulations
• Preparation of boat, lines and fenders
• Safety equipment, lifejackets, dangers, number in boat
• CE marks, loading, effect on handling and performance
• Use of kill cords.
• If trailing - number of people for launching/recovery, slipway condition steep/slippery, wind, tide.
• Can tie and knows use of bowline, round turn and two half hitches, clove hitch, single and double sheetbend.

Boat handling

• Steering, controls, windage
• Starting and stopping
• Low speed, steering a straight course
• Turning in a confined area
• Effect of wind on bow
• High speed / full power, planning, trim tabs and power trim
• S turns, U turns, stopping from speed
• Displacement craft - handling ahead and astern
• Carrying way

Securing to a buoy

• Preparation of mooring warp and boathooks.
• Method of approach in various conditions.
• Crew communication.
• Making fast.

Berthing alongside

• Preparation and use of lines and springs, fenders, attachment to boat, stowage underway, securing to cleats
• Method of approach in various conditions of wind and tide
• Making fast - importance of "taking a turn"
• Use of springs to leave a berth.

Man overboard

• Immediate reaction
• Proper observation of man overboard
• Correct return
• Awareness of propellers
• Final approach and recovery of man overboard