RYA Coastal Skipper

Embark on our 5-day skippering course for sailors with a passion for coastal and offshore cruising. This course is designed for those who aim to confidently skipper yachts on both day and night passages.

Course Requirements:

• Prior Knowledge: Participants should have a solid foundation in sailing and navigation. Attending the RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore shorebased course or having equivalent knowledge is recommended. This course focuses on practical skills, and the theory syllabus won't be covered in-depth.
• Sailing Proficiency: Coastal Skippers should have the ability to handle yachts in challenging conditions and undertake more demanding passages by day and night. It's an intensive week designed to boost your confidence for coastal sailing.
• Experience: Participants are expected to have at least 15 days of sea time (including 2 days as a skipper), 300 recorded miles, and 8 night hours.
• Navigation and Meteorology: Your knowledge of coastal navigation and meteorology should meet the standards of RYA Coastal Skipper Shorebased.
• Minimum Age: The course is open to individuals aged 17 and above.

Join us for an empowering week of practical training to become a confident Coastal Skipper. Enroll today and enhance your coastal and offshore cruising skills.

Five day course - Five consecutive days on board, commencing at 2030 hours on Sunday or Tuesday evenings.

RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Certificate.

Holders of this certificate wll 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.

Passage Planning

Knowledge of the effects of fouling on boat speed and fuel consumption

Understands fuel consumption at different speeds and can calculate fuel required for a passage including reserve

Understanding of the customs procedure

Understands stability

Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy.

Preparation for Sea

Is aware of the safety equipment required for offshore passages

Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities, equipment and engine checks

Pilotage

Can prepare a pilotage plan with consideration of soundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations.

Can pilot a yacht by day and night

Passage Making and Ability as Skipper

Understands the practical use of intergrated electronic aids to navigation, includin AIS, Radar, Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs), and Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs)

Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew

Can organise the navigation, deckwork and domestic duties of a yacht on passage

Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends

Is aware of crew welfare on passage

Can use electronic navigation equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes

Yacht Handling Under Power

Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power including all berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide

Avoid uneccessary use of power

Yacht Handling Under Sail

Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space

Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide

Can sail efficiently on all points of sail, including downwind

Adverse Weather Conditions

How to handle a yacht in very strong winds

Understands general conduct in restricted visability

Preparation for heavy weather

Navigate in restricted visability 

Emergency Situations

Recovery of man overboard under power and sail

Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues

How to carry out the aftercare requirements on a casulty who has been in the water 

Describe to a crew member the effects of cold-water shock on a casulty who has been in the water