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.The IMO convention setting international minimum standards for seafarer training, certification and watchkeeping. Known as STCW, the convention was adopted in 1978 and has been amended substantially, including the 1995 amendments and the 2010 Manila Amendments. It is supported by the STCW Code, whose Part A contains mandatory standards and Part B provides recommended guidance….
International treaties that establish shared legal frameworks for shipping, safety, pollution and maritime responsibility. Many are developed under the International Maritime Organization, including SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, Load Lines and COLREG, while other maritime treaties arise through different international bodies. They cover subjects such as construction, equipment, operations, seafarer competence, environmental protection, liability and compensation. A…
An international professional institution advancing naval architecture and associated maritime engineering. The Royal Institution of Naval Architects supports professional development, technical exchange, publications, conferences and recognition for naval architects, maritime engineers and related specialists. It was founded in 1860 and later incorporated by Royal Charter. RINA is a professional body rather than a ship classification…
An independent unit of the UK Department for Transport that investigates marine accidents to improve safety and prevent recurrence. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigates qualifying accidents involving UK vessels worldwide and vessels in UK territorial waters. It publishes reports, identifies causal and contributing factors, and may issue safety recommendations. Its purpose is safety learning,…
The three statutory bodies providing general aids to marine navigation around the United Kingdom and Ireland. They are Trinity House, the Northern Lighthouse Board and the Commissioners of Irish Lights, commonly known as Irish Lights. Their respective areas cover England and Wales with the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, Scotland and the Isle of Man, and…
The General Lighthouse Authority responsible for marine aids to navigation around the island of Ireland and its adjacent seas and islands. Irish Lights provides and maintains offshore and coastal lights, buoys, beacons and related services across both jurisdictions on the island, and oversees local aids within its statutory remit. It cooperates with Trinity House and…
The General Lighthouse Authority responsible for aids to navigation in Scotland and the Isle of Man. The Northern Lighthouse Board provides and maintains lighthouses, buoys, beacons and associated systems in its area and oversees many local aids maintained by other bodies. It works with Trinity House and Irish Lights through the General Lighthouse Authorities. Published…
The General Lighthouse Authority responsible for aids to navigation in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. Trinity House provides and maintains lighthouses, buoys, beacons and related aids in its area and inspects local aids maintained by other authorities. It is also a maritime charity and a Deep Sea Pilotage Authority. Its statutory aids-to-navigation role…
An intergovernmental political and military alliance founded in 1949 for the collective defence of its members. NATO provides a forum for consultation and maintains political and military structures through which member states coordinate security and defence. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty treats an armed attack against one or more members in Europe or…
The senior deck crew member responsible for supervising deck work, maintenance and seamanship equipment. The bosun normally allocates and oversees work involving mooring, anchoring, cargo or deck operations, rigging, small boats, painting and preservation. The exact duties and authority vary with vessel type, manning and organisation. Bosun is the usual spoken and informal spelling of…
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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