A comprehensive introduction to chart work, navigation, meteorology and the basics of seamanship for Competent Crew. You will find this course invaluable if you want to learn to start making decisions onboard.

The RYA Day Skipper shorebased course equips the aspiring skipper with enough knowledge to navigate around familiar waters by day. 
 

 
 










Itinery:

Course runs Monday to Friday 0930 - 1700 (includes exam)

What's Included:

• All course materials including RYA Day skipper course notes book.
• Pen, Pencil & note paper.
• Accommodation, breakfast, lunch, tea and coffee.

Not included:

• Navigation equipment plotter, dividers - available to buy.
• Evening meals.

Students are taught the basics of coastal and inshore navigation and pilotage including chartwork, position fixing, plotting a course to steer, weather forecasting, a knowledge of tides and the International Regulations for Prevention of Collision at Sea. The first time you safely navigate to a new destination will give you an immense feeling of satisfaction. As well as navigation the RYA Day Skipper shorebased course will give students an understanding of different yacht types and the equipment they carry as well as safety procedures such as distress calls, use of flares, safety harnesses, life jackets and liferafts

Syllabus:

1. Nautical terms
   a.  Parts of a boat and hull
   b.  General nautical terminology
2. Ropework                                                                                                                                                             
   a.  Knowledge of the properties of synthetic ropes in common use
3. Anchorwork                                                                                                                                                  
   a.  Characteristics of different types of anchor                                                                                           
   b.  Considerations to be taken into account when anchoring
4. Safety                                                                                                                                            
   a.  Knowledge of the safety equipment to be carried, its stowage and use (see RYA Boat Safety Handbook C8)                                                                                                                                   
   b.  Fire precautions and fire fighting                                                                                                   
   c.  Use of personal safety equipment, harness and lifejackets, Ability to send a distress signal by VHF radiotelephone, Basic knowledge of rescue procedures including helicopter rescue
5. International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea                                                             
   a.  Steering and sailing rules (5,7,8,9,10 and 12-19)                                                                                 
   b.  General rules (all other rules)
6. Definition of position, course and speed                                                                                            
   a.  Latitude and longitude                                                                                                                        
   b.  Knowledge of standard navigational terms                                                                                           
   c.  True bearings and courses                                                                                                                      
   d.  The knot
7. Navigational charts and publications                                                                                                  
   a.  Information shown on charts, chart symbols and representation of direction and distance                 
   b.  Navigational publications in common use                                                                                         
   c.  Chart corrections
8. Navigational drawing instruments                                                                                                
   a.  Use of parallel rulers, dividers and proprietary plotting instruments
9. Compass                                                                                                                                              
   a.  Application of variation                                                                                                                    
   b.  Awareness of deviation and its causes                                                                                                 
   c.  Use of hand-bearing compass
10. Chartwork
    a.  Dead reckoning and estimated position including an awareness of leeway
    b.  Techniques of visual fixing
    c.  Satellite-derived positions
    d.  Use of waypoints to fix position
    e.  Course to steer
11. Tides and tidal streams
    a.  Tidal definitions, levels and datum
    b.  Tide tables
    c.  Use of Admiralty method of determining tidal height at standard port and awareness of corrections for secondary ports
    d.  Use of tidal diamonds and tidal stream atlases for chartwork
12. Visual aids to navigation
    a. Lighthouses and beacons, light characteristics
13. Meteorology
    a. Sources of broadcast meteorological information
    b. Knowledge of terms used in shipping forecasts, including the Beaufort scale, and their significance to small craft
    c. Basic knowledge of highs, lows and fronts
14. Passage planning
    a. Preparation of navigational plan for short coastal passagesb. Meteorological considerations in planning short coastal passages
    b. Use of waypoints on passaged. Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source
    c. Keeping a navigational
15. Navigation in restricted visibility
    a. Precautions to be taken in, and limitations imposed by fog
16. Pilotage
    a. Use of transits, leading lines and clearing lines
    b. IALA system of buoyage for Region A
    c. Use of sailing directions
    d. Pilotage plans and harbour entry
17. Marine environment
    a. Responsibility for avoiding pollution and protecting the marine environment

You may find it useful to do some precourse reading and i can recommend the following:

Buy RYA Navigation Handbook at the RYA Shop