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 single encirclement of a rope around an object or another part of the rope. A turn changes the rope’s direction and creates friction around a post, ring, spar or rope. The exact amount of encirclement distinguishes a turn from a round turn, which wraps farther around the object before the rope leads away. Turns…
A loop formed so that its working part crosses over the standing part. The crossing direction distinguishes an overhand loop from an underhand loop, in which the working part passes beneath the standing part. Recognising the difference helps describe and teach the early stages of many bends, hitches and knots. A loop is a rope…
A loop formed so that its working part crosses beneath the standing part. The crossing direction distinguishes it from an overhand loop, in which the working part passes over the standing part. The distinction is used when describing the construction and orientation of knots. An underhand loop is a rope form rather than necessarily a…
A hitch formed by two successive turns around an object with the rope crossing between them. It is quick to tie in the end or bight of a line and is useful for temporary attachment where the load remains reasonably steady and in a suitable direction. Fender lines are a common light-duty use, although a…
A United States government agency responsible for science and services relating to weather, climate, oceans and coasts. Usually abbreviated to NOAA, it is part of the US Department of Commerce. Its work includes weather forecasting and warnings, climate and ocean observation, hydrographic surveying and nautical charting, coastal services, fisheries management and environmental research. Mariners may…
A map projection formed by projecting the Earth’s surface from its centre onto a tangent plane. Every great circle appears as a straight line, making the projection useful for planning the shortest route on a spherical Earth. Scale and shape distortion grow rapidly away from the tangent point, and only less than one hemisphere can…
A line used to move or secure a vessel by hauling from a fixed point or another vessel. Warping can move a vessel along a quay, through a confined space or towards an anchor, buoy or shore point using capstans, winches or manual purchase. In some usage a warp is simply a mooring or towing…
Waves or turbulent water generated by a vessel’s hull or propulsion system. Hull-generated wash forms part of the wake, while propeller and thruster wash can create strong local jets even when the vessel has little speed over the ground. Shallow or confined water can amplify wave height, bank interaction and seabed disturbance. Wash can endanger…
Removable boards or panels fitted in a companionway opening to limit water entry into the accommodation. They normally stack or slide into side grooves below a hatch and may be timber, composite, acrylic or metal. Multiple sections permit partial closure and can incorporate ventilation, glazing or locking arrangements. Washboards contribute to weathertight or watertight integrity…
A scheduled period of duty during which assigned personnel maintain specified responsibility for a vessel and its operations. A navigational watch can include lookout, steering, position monitoring, collision avoidance, communications and machinery awareness, while separate engine, anchor, cargo or security watches may operate. Watch length and organisation vary with vessel, crew, regulation and voyage. A…
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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