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.Understanding the language of the marine world is like trying to learn a pirate’s secret code while juggling fish. You’ll wonder why a “sheet” isn’t something you sleep under but a rope that controls a sail. “Bowsprit” sounds like a sneeze, “booby hatch” isn’t a bird’s hideout, and “port” doesn’t come in a glass—it’s just left. If someone yells, “Man overboard!” don’t ask which direction they swam. And heaven help you if you think “scuttlebutt” is gossip—well, actually, you’d be right about that one. By the time you’ve figured out that “head” means toilet and “galley” isn’t an alley with gourds, you’ve already been hit with a wave and lost your hat to the wind they call a “nor’easter.”
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.
A red or green navigation light showing a prescribed sector on the port or starboard side of a vessel. The green starboard light and red port light each show from ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on their respective side. Their visibility, screening and combination with other lights convey vessel aspect under the collision…
The timed series of signals and preparatory periods leading to the start of a sailing race. The race committee uses flags and sound signals specified by the racing rules or sailing instructions. Competitors use the sequence to manage time, position and speed while observing any preparatory penalties and the starting line.
Short-term manoeuvres used to begin a sailing race in a favourable position and at useful speed. They involve time-and-distance judgement, line bias, wind, current, acceleration and interactions with other boats. Tactical advantage must be balanced against the risk of being early, trapped, penalised or forced away from the preferred course.
A watertight tube or bearing housing through which a propeller shaft passes through the hull. It supports and aligns the shaft and incorporates bearings and sealing arrangements that keep seawater out and lubricant in where applicable. Wear, alignment and seal condition require regular inspection because failure can cause vibration, leakage or shaft damage.
A lifeboat or liferaft intended to sustain people after they abandon a vessel. It provides buoyancy, protection and survival equipment appropriate to its approval and service. Stowage, launching arrangements, capacity, maintenance and crew familiarisation are governed by the vessel’s applicable safety requirements.
A distinctive shape or combination of shapes fitted above a buoy or beacon to help identify it. Cones, spheres, cylinders and crosses are used in recognised buoyage systems, with shape and orientation contributing to the mark’s meaning. A topmark is especially valuable when colour or light characteristics are difficult to distinguish.
The horizontal direction of an object measured clockwise from true north. It is expressed from 000° to 359° and must be labelled as true to avoid confusion with magnetic, compass or relative bearings. True bearings can be plotted directly on a correctly oriented chart.
The prescribed route that competitors must sail during a race. It is defined by marks, required rounding sides, start and finish lines, signals and the sailing instructions. Competitors must identify the correct sequence and any changes, shortened course or gate before assuming a tactical route.
The reinforced clew point that becomes the after lower corner of a reefed sail. It is pulled down and aft to the boom so the reefed foot and new leech can be tensioned. The reef clew carries substantial load and must be secured by the reefing line or a suitable strop, not by intermediate reef…
A reinforced eye in a sail used as an attachment point when reefing. Tack and clew cringles take the principal loads of the shortened sail, while intermediate reef-point cringles gather loose cloth. Their construction, leads and fittings must avoid chafe and distribute load into the sail structure.
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...
Our 1% commitment
My Sailing Course contributes 1% of every Stripe payment to help promising carbon removal technologies move from the lab into the field.
Stripe Climate commitments fund the development and purchase of carbon removal. They are not carbon offsets or credits attached to an individual order.
Welcome to My Sailing Course. Where's this adventure going to take you?
Ahoy there, Visiting Sailor! Ask us anything—whether you need help choosing a course, have a sailing question, or want to speak to the crew.
Scan with your phone to open the My Sailing Course WhatsApp service. You can review or edit the prepared message before sending it.
Your conversation stays with My Sailing Course so our Support team can respond securely.
Enter at least two characters to explore.
Welcome back aboard. Sign in with the email address connected to your My Sailing Course account.
Your account details are encrypted in transit and your password is never displayed or stored by this form. By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Join free to save your favourites, unlock bonus learning resources and keep everything nautical close at hand.
Join the My Sailing Course community with one secure account for your courses, profile and support.
We've successfully created your account. Hold station for a few moments and you will be returned to the page.
Already have an account? Sign in
Enter your account email and we will send you a secure reset link.
This reset link is invalid or has expired.
Your new password is saved securely. We are confirming it across My Sailing Course before you sign in.
Please keep this window open. It will change to the sign-in form as soon as every service confirms the update.
