RYA Day Skipper
Along the coast, by day and night, with chartwork
Units142
Modules11
Ready now86
Done0
What you study
COLREG
Inshore skipper
- Who the rules apply to, and key definitions
- Look-out, safe speed, risk of collision and action to avoid it
- Narrow channels and traffic separation schemes
- Sailing vessels, overtaking and head-on situations
- Crossing: who gives way, who stands on
- Responsibilities between vessels
- Restricted visibility
- Quiz: the steering and sailing rules
- Lights you show and see on a small boat
- Lights: definitions, power-driven and towing vessels
- Lights: sailing, fishing, restricted and anchored vessels
- Quiz: lights and shapes
- Vessel lights in 3D
- Sound and light signals
- Distress signals (Rule 37 and Annex IV)
- Quiz: sound signals
- Game: sound signal guess
- Key terms: COLREG
- COLREG foundations check
Coastal skipper
IALA
Inshore skipper
Coastal skipper
- Lighthouses, sector lights, leading lights and light ranges
- Practice: identify marks and lights at night
- Lights and aids to navigation check
GMDSS
Inshore skipper
- Your first VHF call: channels, phonetic alphabet and Mayday
- Radio simulator: first practice
Coastal skipper
- GMDSS basics, frequencies and sea areas
- VHF DSC: distress alerts and routine calls
- NAVTEX and the 406 MHz EPIRB
- SART, portable VHF, GNSS, antennas and batteries
- Distress, urgency and safety calls: Mayday, Pan-Pan and Sécurité
- Quiz: short-range radio (SRC)
- Key terms: GMDSS
- VHF radio practical exam
- Signal flags and the phonetic alphabet
- Game: signal flags
- Signal flags certificate exam
Navigation
Inshore skipper
- Reading a nautical chart: latitude, longitude, symbols and depths
- Steering a compass course and taking a bearing
- GPS and chart plotter basics: position, waypoints and limits
- Quiz: charts, compass and position
- Navigation foundations check
- Reading a Portuguese tide table
Coastal skipper
- Compass course, variation and deviation
- Chartwork: plotting courses, distances and bearings
- Position fixing: cross bearings, transits and bearing with distance
- Dead reckoning and estimated position
- Tides and heights
- Tidal streams: atlases, tidal diamonds and timing a passage
- Tidal stream and leeway: set, drift and course to steer
- Chart exercises: a coastal passage step by step
- Pilotage: transits, clearing bearings and harbour entry
- Electronic navigation: GPS errors, AIS and a paper backup
- Passage planning: appraise, plan, execute and monitor
- Key terms: Navigation
- Coastal navigation exam: chartwork and tides
Offshore skipper
Meteorology
Crew
Inshore skipper
- Practice: read a forecast and decide whether to go
- Quiz: marine weather
Coastal skipper
- Pressure, air masses, depressions and fronts
- Clouds, humidity and dew point
- Weather lab: clouds
- Weather lab: fronts
- Reading a synoptic chart: isobars, wind and the coming weather
- Weather lab: synoptic charts
- Local winds: sea breezes, katabatic winds, gusts and named winds
- Fog and visibility at sea
- Key terms: Meteorology
- Meteorology certificate exam
Ropes and knots
Crew
Coastal skipper
Emergencies
Crew
- Safety equipment and the crew safety briefing
- Fire on board: prevention and fighting
- Safety on board: foundations check
Manoeuvring
Inshore skipper
- Propeller walk, rudder, wind and current
- Berthing and leaving the berth
- Docking simulator
- Towing and being towed
- Anchoring manoeuvres: choosing a spot, letting go and the anchor watch
Coastal skipper
- Turning and handling in tight spaces
- Handling in heavy weather
- Quiz: boat handling
- Boat handling check
Ship and engines
Inshore skipper
Coastal skipper
Sailing
Crew
- How a sail works: apparent wind and lift
- Wind and sail lab
Inshore skipper
Coastal skipper
- Sail trim and balance
- Sailing check
Ocean and tides
Inshore skipper
- Pollution at sea and MARPOL on board
- Protected areas and marine life
- Quiz: ocean and environment
Coastal skipper
- Why tides happen: Moon, Sun, springs and neaps
- Ocean and environment check
Royal Yachting Association (RYA)United Kingdom: all licences