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.
An introductory RYA practical motor-cruising course building confidence in handling a motor vessel. Training typically covers preparation, safety, engines, steering, speed control, berthing, securing and basic crew duties during short exercises. It is an introductory course-completion award rather than evidence of competence for unrestricted passages or commercial operation.
A practical examination for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence in a sailing vessel. The candidate demonstrates skippering, navigation, pilotage, safety, collision avoidance, passage management, crew leadership and yacht handling under sail and power. It is not a course-completion certificate. Current qualifying mileage, sea time, passages, age and supporting certificates must be evidenced under…
A practical examination for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence in a motor vessel. Assessment covers skippering, coastal navigation, pilotage, safety, collision avoidance, crew leadership and close-quarters motor-cruiser handling on passages that remain within coastal reach. The certificate standard and prerequisites are distinct from Yachtmaster Offshore. Current sea-time and supporting-certificate requirements must be checked…
A practical examination for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Coastal Certificate of Competence in a sailing vessel. Assessment covers skippering, coastal navigation, pilotage, safety, collision avoidance, crew leadership and yacht handling under sail and power. The certificate standard and prerequisites are distinct from Yachtmaster Offshore. Current sea-time and supporting-certificate requirements must be checked with the RYA.
An oral examination for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence. It assesses an eligible Yachtmaster Offshore holder’s ocean passage, celestial navigation, worldwide meteorology, passage planning, communications, crew management and emergency considerations. The candidate must provide the qualifying passage and sights or other evidence required by the current scheme. It is an examination, not the…
An RYA practical course for people assisting with the operation of a powered boat on canals and rivers. It introduces personal safety, ropework, locks, basic boat handling, consideration for other users and the tasks expected of a competent crew member. The course does not by itself grant a statutory licence or prove competence as skipper….
An RYA practical course for people taking charge of a powered boat on canals and rivers. Training covers safety, preparation, manoeuvring, locks, bridges, mooring, ropework, interaction with other waterway users and basic engine checks. It is a course-completion certificate, not a universal legal licence. An ICC and CEVNI knowledge may separately be required for some…
An RYA youth racing course introducing the skills and knowledge needed to enter and complete a dinghy race. It covers the starting sequence, course, basic racing rules, boat handling, speed and simple tactical choices in an age-appropriate practical setting. Participants need sufficient basic sailing control for the conditions. Later club and regional racing modules develop…
An RYA-recognised centre approved to deliver eligible boating activities within Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programmes. The approval relates to the centre’s delivery and administration of specified activities, staffing and safety systems; it is not a personal boating qualification. Participants and Award organisers must confirm that the chosen activity, expedition or residential provision meets current RYA…
An RYA practical or specialist training activity developing pilotage in confined, tidal, poor-visibility or night conditions. Work may include detailed plans, transits, clearing bearings, radar or electronic aids, tidal constraints, contingency points and execution with limited visual references. The title is used in different RYA training contexts, so the exact syllabus and award should be…
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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