Day Skipper Combined Theory & Practical
RYA Day Skipper Theory and Practical Combined Course (minimum age 18)
£1495 per person.
This 9 day course is specifically designed for experienced Sailors or Boat Owners who have no formal qualification, but years of practical experience.
It is effectively a “Fast-Track” course, covering the normally 5 day / 40 hour Day Skipper Theory Course, in just 4 days !!
Therefore we do require our candidates to be well prepared and have, in the past 5 years as a minimum, the following experience:
5 days aboard a Yacht 7-15 metres AOL, 100 Sea Miles, 4 night hours, your sailing ability to be better than a Competent Crew, and have pre-course sight of the RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Notes G113, available from the RYA and other publishers.
This Course runs over 9 days, 4 shore-based, 5 afloat. Accommodation is only provided for the Practical Phase of the Course, where we live onboard. You will need to find Airbnb, Guest houses etc for the Shore-based period.
During our time afloat we will develop those latent skills you will have developed over the years. You will know a skipper does much more than navigate. They are responsible for the complete safety and wellbeing of the yacht and crew. These responsibilities include weather forecasting, victualling, engine maintenance, sail selection and handling, passage planning, watch keeping, navigation and pilotage.
Your experienced and patient instructor will teach you these skills and you will put them into practice as you skipper the yacht on short passages around the shores of South West Cornwall.
There is particular emphasis on boat handling for Day Skippers and during the course you will practice mooring under various conditions.
Students live aboard for the duration of the course and visit many different harbours and anchorages to practice pilotage techniques which, like boat handling, is an essential skill for the aspiring skipper.
You will complete at least 4 night hours sailing to experience night pilotage and identify lights.
At the end of the RYA Day Skipper course you will be confident to skipper a cruising yacht on short passages by day, within known waters, and Safe Havens.
Students who successfully complete the Combined course are awarded the both the Shore-based Day Skipper Theory Certificate and RYA Day Skipper practical course completion certificate.
This course will also enable you to apply for the ICC (International Certificate of Competence). This qualification is required by most European countries to validate your competence to own or charter a boat.
If you are looking for a commercial endorsement you will also need to complete the RYA PPR course, hold a DSC VHF license, First Aid, Personal Sea Survival qualifications.
Joining Instructions
At the time of booking , we will notify you of the location of the Shore-based course, in order you can arrange accommodation.
On the evening of the 4th day of the course, we will decamp to the Yacht and sleep onboard.
The shore-based period runs from 0830-1700 each day, with breaks as you see fit.
An update of the joining instructions 2 weeks before the course, explaining exactly where and when.
All “Combined” courses start on a Saturday morning, so we decamp to the Yacht on the Tuesday evening, as mentioned above.
The Yacht will be in Falmouth Haven Marina.
Accommodation and Food
None for Shore-based element of the course.
All other nights are spent onboard and we provide basic 3 meals a day (bring your own favourites).
Kit List
We suggest you bring the following items:
- RYA logbook G158 and Comp Crew Handbook (Available from the RYA)
- Mobile phone & USB phone charger
- A soft bag (50 litres should be enough)
- Sleeping Bag
- Towel, Wash bag & toiletries including sunscreen & Lip salve (with UV protection)
- Foam Ear plugs (If you are a light sleeper these might help)
- Sea sickness tablets.
- Any medications plus next of kin information – please make sure you inform us of any dietary preferences or medical conditions or disabilities when booking.
- Sunglasses & prescription lenses / contacts. Spare glasses are a good idea.
- Foul Weather Gear – waterproof outer clothing, Sailing boots / deck shoes and a pair of shoreside shoes (not provided)
- Warm clothes – ideally layers, at least 3 changes of clothing
- A change of footwear (wet shoes/trainers are a nightmare to dry on a yacht)
- A sufficient number of liner socks for your sailing footwear.
- Woolly hat and gloves