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.A material made by bonding two or more layers to combine their properties. Marine laminates include fibre-reinforced hull structures and sailcloth films with load-bearing fibres. Performance depends on fibre direction, resin or adhesive, consolidation and protection from moisture, heat, ultraviolet exposure and repeated flexing.
The graduated latitude markings along the sides of a nautical chart. On a Mercator chart, one minute of latitude represents one nautical mile locally, so distance is measured on the latitude scale beside the area concerned. Longitude scale should not normally be used for distance measurement.
A charted or observed line formed by two aligned marks that indicates a safe or defined track. When the rear mark appears vertically above the front mark, the vessel is on the line. Opening the marks shows which side of the line the vessel lies on, making leading lines valuable for pilotage and clearing hazards.
The tension along the after edge of a sail. It influences twist, flutter and the sail’s ability to maintain an efficient exit shape. Sheets, vang, traveller, halyard and leech line can affect it, but excessive tension may hook the leech and increase drag.
The angle between a vessel’s heading and its direction of movement through the water caused by sideways drift. Wind acting on the hull and rig is the usual cause for sailing vessels. An allowance is applied to heading or course calculations with the correct direction, while current is treated separately as movement of the water…
The highest level reached by the tide during a particular tidal cycle.
The systematic measurement of depths, seabed features, shoreline and other information needed to describe navigable waters. Modern surveys combine positioning, echo sounding, sonar, tide observations and quality control. Results support nautical charts and publications, but coverage, date and uncertainty must be considered when assessing hazards.
A device that automatically releases secured survival equipment when submerged to a specified water pressure. It is commonly fitted to float-free EPIRBs and liferafts so they can rise if a vessel sinks. Correct installation, unobstructed float-free movement and replacement within the marked service life are essential.
The maritime buoyage region in which port-hand lateral marks are red and starboard-hand lateral marks are green when following the conventional direction of buoyage. Region A covers most of Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. Shape, topmark, light and numbering also identify lateral marks, and cardinal and other mark types are common to both IALA regions.
The maritime buoyage region in which port-hand lateral marks are green and starboard-hand lateral marks are red when following the conventional direction of buoyage. Region B includes the Americas, Japan, Korea and the Philippines. Mariners must confirm the region and direction of buoyage rather than relying on colour alone.
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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