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.
Close beside and generally parallel to another vessel, a berth or a landing place. A vessel comes alongside to embark or disembark people, transfer stores or cargo, receive services, or secure at a berth. Fenders protect the contact area and mooring lines control relative movement once the vessel is in position. Wind, stream, tide, wash,…
In or towards the middle of a vessel, especially along its fore-and-aft length. The term may describe the location of a compartment, load or person. It does not necessarily identify the point of maximum beam, the centre of gravity or the exact geometric centre, all of which can lie elsewhere. As a helm order, “midships”…
Describes an anchor that has been lifted clear of the seabed and is no longer holding the vessel. During weighing, the cable is shortened until the anchor breaks free of the bottom; once clear, the anchor is aweigh. It may still be below the surface and must then be brought home and secured for sea….
A black ball-shaped day signal used to indicate that a vessel is at anchor. It is displayed where it can best be seen so that other mariners can distinguish an anchored vessel from one underway. The signal identifies the vessel’s status; it does not mean that the vessel is “not under command”. The applicable collision…
An all-round white light displayed as part of the prescribed signal for a vessel at anchor. It enables other mariners to recognise the presence and status of an anchored vessel after dark and in restricted visibility. The required number, position and visibility range depend on vessel length and the applicable collision regulations, so the signal…
A place where vessels anchor or may anchor. An anchorage may be officially designated and charted or simply a location selected by a mariner. It may serve leisure craft, ships awaiting a berth, quarantine or other operational needs, and it is not necessarily sheltered or provided with good holding ground. Selection requires assessment of depth…
The wind velocity experienced on a moving vessel, resulting from the actual wind combined with the vessel’s motion. It is a vector quantity with both speed and direction. A masthead instrument measures apparent wind relative to the moving vessel; true-wind information is calculated by combining that measurement with vessel motion and, depending on the system,…
Behind a vessel or in the direction beyond its stern. An object astern lies behind the vessel, while a vessel moving astern is travelling stern-first. An “astern” propulsion command requests thrust in the reverse direction, although the resulting motion and steering response depend on the vessel and existing way. Astern is normally used as an…
A VHF-based system that automatically exchanges vessel identity, position and movement data. Commonly abbreviated to AIS, it transmits dynamic information such as position, course and speed together with entered or programmed information such as identity, vessel type and voyage details. Compatible vessels, shore stations and aids to navigation can receive and display those reports. AIS…
An automatic steering system that controls a vessel’s rudder or steering mechanism to maintain a selected heading or course reference. Depending on the installation, an autopilot may steer to a compass heading, wind angle or navigation input. It does not navigate independently, detect every hazard or remove the need for a proper lookout. Its performance…
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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