Courses

An RYA online safeguarding course for people working or volunteering with children and vulnerable people in boating. It introduces good practice, appropriate conduct, recognising concerns, reporting routes and the responsibilities of instructors, coaches and volunteers. It supports rather than replaces an organisation’s safeguarding policy, safer recruitment, designated welfare roles and statutory reporting duties.

A practical and theoretical survival course for people taking part in offshore racing and comparable voyages. It covers prevention and response to emergencies including lifejackets, liferafts, heavy weather, fire, damage, distress communications, search and rescue and survival in the water. Course acceptance and refresher requirements are set by the current World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations…

The training and examination route for the Short Range Certificate used to operate marine VHF and VHF DSC equipment. It covers radio controls, channel use, Digital Selective Calling, distress, urgency and safety procedures, routine calls, GMDSS concepts and relevant regulations. In the UK, the operator certificate and the vessel’s radio licence are separate requirements, with…

An RYA introductory maintenance course explaining the operation and routine care of small marine diesel engines. It covers the four-stroke cycle, fuel, cooling, lubrication, air, electrical starting, checks, servicing and systematic diagnosis of common faults. The course is intended to improve prevention and first-response troubleshooting, not qualify participants for intrusive repair or work beyond their…

An RYA online course covering the legal and professional responsibilities associated with commercially endorsed RYA certificates. It addresses regulation, duty of care, vessel and crew responsibilities, environmental considerations, contracts and the practical expectations placed on professional skippers and crew. PPR is one component of commercial endorsement requirements; medical fitness, sea survival or other evidence and…

An introductory RYA shorebased or online course covering basic navigation, safety and seamanship for small-craft users. Topics include charts, buoyage, position, course, tides, weather, collision avoidance, pilotage, safety equipment and passage planning at a foundation level. It is a knowledge course and does not assess practical boat handling. Current delivery format and assessment arrangements depend…

An RYA shorebased navigation course providing the theory needed to plan and conduct coastal passages at day-skipper level. It covers charts, position fixing, course shaping, tides, weather, buoyage, collision regulations, pilotage, safety and passage planning. The course develops underpinning knowledge but does not replace practical skippering experience or the Day Skipper practical course.

An advanced RYA shorebased course in ocean navigation, celestial techniques and worldwide passage planning. It covers position by celestial observations, time, sextant use, sight reduction, ocean meteorology, routeing, communications and management of an ocean passage. The theory certificate is not the Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence; that requires separate eligibility, a qualifying passage and an…

An advanced RYA shorebased navigation course supporting coastal skippering and preparation for Yachtmaster examinations. It develops chartwork, tides, meteorology, collision regulations, electronic and traditional navigation, pilotage, passage planning and emergency decision-making. The course certificate records theoretical achievement and does not itself award a Yachtmaster Certificate of Competence or replace qualifying sea time.