RYA Coastal Skipper Practical Course Syllabus
The minimum age for award of certificate is 17.
Recommended pre-course experience
15 days at sea, 300 miles, 8 night hours, 2 days as Skipper
Navigation to Coastal Skipper shorebased standard
Course Duration
The course takes place over 5 days either Monday – Friday, Saturday - Wednesday, Wednesday - Sunday. During the course you will be provided with accommodation onboard one of our sailing yachts Nomad I or Menai III from the evening before the course starts, pillows included.
Course Content
The Coastal Skipper practical course is to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a cruising yacht safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night. It will build on and refine your navigation and boat handling skills. We will provide you with our passage planning sheet and look at various watch systems which could be used on longer passages.
Coastal Skipper Practical Syllabus
Passage planning
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.
Ropework
Ability to tie the following knots: Figure-of-eight, bowline, round turn and two half hitches.
Knowledge of publications required and strategy
Knows Customs procedures
Preparation for Sea
Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages
Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and 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
Emergency Situations
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 casulaty who has been in the water
Describe to a crew member the effects of cold-water shock on a casualty who has been in the water
Recovery of a person overboard under power and sail
Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues
Passage Making and Ability as Skipper
Understands the practical uses of integrated electronic aids to navigation, including 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 navigational 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
All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide
Yacht Handling Under Sail
Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space
Consistently pick up a mooring buoy
Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing. including downwind techniques
Adverse Weather Conditions
Prepare a cruising vessel for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds
Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility
