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.Marine navigation has its own secret language, and let’s face it—half of it sounds like someone making things up after too much grog. You’ve got your ‘dead reckoning,’ which isn’t nearly as ominous as it sounds, and ‘bearing,’ which has nothing to do with polar bears but everything to do with pointing the right way. Don’t even get us started on ‘knots’—why measure speed like you’re tying a shoelace? And then there’s ‘fix (not for your engine) and ‘DR’ (spoiler: it’s not a doctor). If you’re baffled, don’t worry—we’re here to help you decipher this nautical code so you can sound like a pro, not a landlubber who’s lost their compass.
A United States Navy scientific institution providing astronomical, Earth-orientation and precise-time data. USNO maintains time standards and produces astronomical observations, reference data and publications supporting navigation, positioning, defence and science. It jointly produces the Nautical Almanac with HM Nautical Almanac Office. Its services provide reference information rather than a complete onboard navigation method; users must…
The UK government organisation responsible for hydrographic data and ADMIRALTY maritime navigation products. UKHO compiles and supplies official charts, electronic navigational charts, sailing directions, tide products, notices and other information for safe navigation, drawing on surveys and data from many authorities. It is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence and the UK’s national…
The UK office that produces and supplies authoritative astronomical data for navigation, astronomy and timekeeping. HMNAO is part of the UK Hydrographic Office and calculates ephemerides and related data used in publications including the Nautical Almanac, produced jointly with the United States Naval Observatory. Its data supports celestial navigation and other applications, but users must…
A short RYA introductory practical course providing first experience of sailing a cruising yacht. It introduces personal safety, steering, sail handling, ropework and basic onboard routines as a participating crew member. The course can lead into Competent Crew but is not a skipper qualification or proof of independent yacht handling.
An advanced RYA practical sail-cruising course developing skippering on longer and more demanding coastal passages. It emphasises passage planning, pilotage, navigation, weather, night work, safety, crew management and yacht handling under sail and power. The course certificate is distinct from the independently examined Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence and does not automatically confer a commercial…
An RYA practical sail-cruising course developing the ability to skipper short passages by day. It combines pilotage, navigation, safety, crew organisation, close-quarters manoeuvring, sail handling and response to common emergencies. The course develops practical command at an introductory skipper level; capability remains limited by experience, yacht and conditions.
An introductory RYA practical course in the basic handling of a cruising yacht or keelboat within the relevant scheme. It introduces steering, sail control, points of sail, tacking, gybing, safety and crew routines under close supervision. The exact scheme and craft should be confirmed with the centre because “Cruising Level 1” is less specific than…
A progression course consolidating basic sailing and decision-making in a cruising yacht or keelboat. It develops independent control, manoeuvres, sail trim, safety awareness and routine crew tasks in suitable conditions. The exact RYA scheme and certificate should be confirmed with the centre because this title is not as specific as the established sail-cruising and National…
An RYA practical sail-cruising course introducing the skills needed to be a useful and safe yacht crew member. Training covers steering, sail handling, ropework, lookout, personal safety, emergency actions, living aboard and contributing during a short passage. It is a crew-level course rather than a skipper qualification and does not independently certify navigation or command…
An online test of the European Code for Inland Waterways used when seeking an inland endorsement for an International Certificate of Competence. It assesses signs, signals, buoyage, lights, sound signals, navigation rules and operating practices used on connected European inland waterways. Passing the test is not a standalone boating licence and does not guarantee access…
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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