RYA Day Skipper “Skills Weekend”
Booking details
Please select your preferred start date below.
Please select your preferred start date below.
Joining Instructions: Please click here for course joining instructions
What is included in the course cost:
Recommended Reading: RYA Day Skipper Handbook Sail (G71), RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques (G94), RYA Yachtmaster scheme and syllabus (G158)
Course Prerequisites: RYA Competent Crew (At least 5 days on board a yacht sailing) & Day Skipper Theory (or knowledge to the level of) plus you must have completed over 60% of your RYA Day Skipper practical course.
Minimum Age: 16+
Holiday Insurance: We would advise ALL our customers to ensure they have suitable holiday insurance in-place. Yachtsman’s insurance is available from a variety of souces like Topsail Insurance and can cover things like cancellations and personal effects cover.
This course will enable students who have started their RYA Day Skipper practical course, but may be needing a bit more close tuition in order to complete it (i.e. the student has an action plan to complete the course). We aim to do this over two days, but this is subject to us having seen an action plan for each student prior to them booking the course.
The RYA Day Skipper Practical “Skills Weekend” course is designed for anyone who has started yet not completed their RYA Day Skipper practical course, or just feels that they need to brush-up on the skills before undertaking the RYA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster exam.
We aim this course at those who just have a few items on an Action Plan where a couple of days with one of our skilled and attentive instructors may be enough to gain the RYA Day Skipper practical course. We will however need to see an Action Plan prior to the student booking the course. There is also no guarantee the student will pass, however we will do our best to get you where you need to be.
Successful completion qualifies students for their International Certificate of Competence (ICC), allowing them to confidently plan and complete passages in familiar waters and charter yachts in the UK and abroad.
We recommend that this course is for those who have already undertaken the RYA Day Skipper practical course, yet have a few things to achieve in order to successfully pass, or for anyone wanting to improve on existing skills.
The course covers preparation for sea and the safety briefing, deck work, navigation (both traditional and electronic), pilotage into and out of ports and harbours, meteorology, rules of the road, maintenance and repair work, engines, victualing, emergency situations and actions, yacht handling under power and under sail, passage making, night sailing back to a port of safe refuge, and of course being the skipper of a vessel.
Please be aware that RYA Day Skipper Courses completed in the Solent and other tidal waters are demanding. This course is held in high regard with yacht charter companies worldwide due to the challenging waters, winds, tides and busy waterways you will encounter. Courses run in the non-tidal waters of the Mediterranean are generally not accepted by the UK yacht charter industry. Our Day Skipper course also qualifies you for the International Certificate of Competence (ICC).
Our RYA Day Skipper courses have 4 to 5 students. We aim it at a mixture of Competent Crew and trainee Day Skipper students per boat. All Students are able to live and stay on board the yacht for the duration of the course. In some instances sharing a cabin may be required.
Courses run in a choice of three formats:
During your RYA Day Skipper (Tidal) Practical “Skills Weekend” course you will cover practical navigation, pilotage, boat handling, seamanship, skippering techniques, customs and sailing etiquette and the all-important berthing in marinas. You will also potentially cover rafting alongside another vessel, which is common during high season.
The course includes free accommodation aboard our immaculate, well-maintained yachts with breakfast, lunch and snacks and three evening meals onboard with one evening meal taken ashore at the students cost. We also include all fuel, mooring fees and safety kit such as lifejackets and waterproofs. All Students are able to live and stay on board the yacht for the duration of the course.
We also offer the additional benefit that any students travelling from further afield can arrive the evening before the course starts and have free accommodation on board the boat, so you are refreshed and ready for the start of your course the next day! (This is only available during low season – Sorry). Students wishing to utilise this benefit will need to provide their own food for that particular evening however. Please let us know if you would like to take advantage of this, so we can ensure we reserve a bed for you.
Fancy going VIP and having your own exclusive private course for you and your friends or family? You can book the whole yacht just for your own exclusive course from only £300 per person. Enjoy the course in style, with up to five persons on the boat being taught by one of our friendly, experienced Yachtmaster Instructors! What a way to start your sailing adventure!
This course is great for anyone who hasn’t quite gotten to the required level in order to achieve their RYA Day Skipper Practical qualification. It’s also a great way for any qualified sailor to brush up on existing skills or refresh what they’ve already got in order to prepare for the next stage in the RYA training scheme, like with the RYA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster qualifications.
We will need to see an Action Plan or discuss the exact requirements of every student prior to the course commencing, as two days may not be enough to get you where you want to be. So please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!
Please select your preferred start date below.
The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day skipper. With advanced skills being taught and the planning and executing of much longer passages, it’s the next natural step-up from the RYA Day Skipper course.
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course!
Learn more
The RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal Practical course is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day/Coastal skipper, and is one of the most useful, credible, and accepted profressional qualifications in Yachting.
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal Practical course!
Learn more