All our courses are engaging, interactive and fun! Whether formal training or simply looking to brush up, we take online learning to the next level.
Sailing EssentialsFreeA free course great for anyone who spends time on the water.
Essential Navigation & SeamanshipRYA course for beginners. Learn charts, tides, pilotage, and core seamanship with simple practice tasks.
Day Skipper TheoryMost PopularRYA course for inshore skippers. Plan day passages using chartwork, tides, weather, and COLREGs.
Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster® TheoryComing SoonRYA course for advanced navigation and passage planning, secondary ports, tidal streams, and offshore weather.
SRC (VHF) Marine Radio CourseRYA Short Range Certificate radio course. Study online, then take the practical exam with an RYA assessor.Are you looking for something nautical related? Our directory is an extensive list of courses and places associated with the marine industry. Hop over and search now.
We believe every day’s a school day on a boat! That’s why we built Nautical Know-How, dedicated to answering your questions. Even better, if it can’t answer your question immediately, you can request it, and we’ll add it to our knowledge base.
Nautical Terms & TerminologyUnderstanding the language of the marine world is like trying to learn a pirate’s secret code while juggling fish. Let us explain why a sheet isn’t for your bed, why “heave ho” doesn’t mean throw up (most of the time), and why “dead reckoning” is surprisingly less ominous than it sounds.
Why do we have tides?Have you ever wondered what causes the tides? Check out this video, which introduces the forces that create the tides we experience on Earth.
What causes our weather?A video introducing the drivers behind our weather, part of our RYA Day Skipper & RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster® Offshore theory courses.
Buoyage FlashcardsFlashcards designed to help remember the buoys in the IALA system. If you want to learn them in detail, our module ‘Getting in and out of harbour‘, covers the IALA system and different buoys used.
Interactive Rule Book (COLREGs / IRPCS)Whether you’re a novice sailor or a seasoned skipper, we can help you navigate the IRPCS confidently and clearly. Our easy-to-use, easy-to-understand, plain English rule book with helpful interpretations of what each rule means.
The Salty Sea BlogFrom salty old sea dogs to fresh-faced deckhands, this blog is for anyone who finds peace, adventure, and a bit of mischief on the water. So hoist the main, set your course, and let’s sail into the stories, lessons, and musings that make life on the sea so irresistible.Maritime flags might look like an elegant dance of colors and shapes, but let’s be honest—it’s basically nautical texting for people who don’t trust Wi-Fi at sea. One flag says, “I need a pilot,” while another shouts, “Dangerous cargo, keep clear!”—basically the oceanic equivalent of wearing a shirt that says, I carry emotional baggage. And don’t even get me started on the pennants; they’re like the ship’s mood rings, changing every day to broadcast messages like “I’m racing today” or “Permission to dock, please!” Imagine the chaos if sailors started misreading them like autocorrect. “Wait, are they saying ‘man overboard’ or ‘fish for dinner’?!”
A standardised set of flags and pennants used to communicate letters, numerals and coded messages visually between vessels or with shore stations. The International Code of Signals assigns a distinctive design to each letter and numeral, together with substitute pennants and other special flags. A single flag may carry a complete meaning, while groups of…
A flag identifying the shipping company, yacht owner or organisation associated with a vessel. Commercial shipping companies traditionally use a house flag bearing their colours or emblem, while a private yacht may fly an owner’s personal house flag. It is an identifying flag rather than a national ensign or an International Code of Signals message….
A small identifying flag or pennant, commonly representing a yacht club or sailing organisation. A burgee is often triangular or swallow-tailed and carries the colours or emblem of the organisation it represents. Members fly it to show their affiliation, subject to the organisation’s rules and normal flag etiquette. Traditionally, a yacht-club burgee is flown from…
The International Code of Signals numeral pennant representing zero. It is one of ten distinct numeral pennants used to express figures within a flag signal. Its meaning depends on the complete group and the procedure under which the signal is being made. The pennant is a visual signal and is distinct from the spoken radiotelephony…
The International Code of Signals numeral pennant representing one. It is one of ten distinct numeral pennants used to express figures within a flag signal. Its meaning depends on the complete group and the procedure under which the signal is being made. The pennant is a visual signal and is distinct from the spoken radiotelephony…
The standard maritime radiotelephony pronunciation of the digit two. It is spoken as “TOO” when transmitting figures clearly by voice. Standard pronunciations reduce misunderstandings caused by noise, weak signals, accent or language differences and are separate from the letter spelling alphabet. The International Code of Signals also has a numeral pennant for two, shown on…
The standard maritime radiotelephony pronunciation of the digit three. It is spoken as “TREE” when transmitting figures clearly by voice. The initial sound is deliberately distinct and belongs to a standard set of numeral pronunciations, not to the letter spelling alphabet. The International Code of Signals also has a numeral pennant for three, shown on…
The standard maritime radiotelephony pronunciation of the digit four. It is spoken as “FOW-er” when transmitting figures clearly by voice. The two-syllable form helps distinguish it in difficult reception conditions and does not mean a fourth officer or engineering rank. The International Code of Signals also has a numeral pennant for four, shown on this…
The standard maritime radiotelephony pronunciation of the digit five. It is spoken as “FIFE” when transmitting figures clearly by voice. The pronunciation helps prevent the final consonant being lost in noise and is not a special nautical quantity or chart symbol. The International Code of Signals also has a numeral pennant for five, shown on…
The standard maritime radiotelephony pronunciation of the digit six. It is spoken as “SIX” when transmitting figures clearly by voice. Although its pronunciation is unchanged from ordinary English, it forms part of the standard numeral set used for consistent radio communication. The International Code of Signals also has a numeral pennant for six, shown on…
If you belive the Earth is flat, you're about to fall of the end...
If you belive the Earth is flat, you're about to fall of the end...
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