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 turn of rope trapped beneath or crossed by another loaded turn on a winch or drum. It forms when incoming rope overrides an earlier turn, often because of an unsuitable lead angle, slack handling or too many turns. Load then pinches the lower rope so it cannot run or be eased normally. A riding…
The system of spars, stays, shrouds, lines and fittings that supports and controls a vessel’s sails or other elevated equipment. Standing rigging primarily supports masts and resists relatively fixed loads, while running rigging moves or controls sails, spars and equipment. The term can include terminals, chainplates, blocks, tracks, winches and related hardware, and non-sailing vessels…
A lightweight powerboat with a rigid hull surrounded by inflatable buoyancy tubes. Commonly abbreviated to RIB, the design combines the shaped underwater form and structural support of a rigid hull with a large inflatable collar. The tubes add reserve buoyancy, provide a soft contact surface and contribute to stability, while the rigid hull supports the…
A situation in which the available information indicates that two vessels may collide unless appropriate action is taken. A steady or nearly steady compass bearing with decreasing range is a strong warning, but appreciable bearing change does not always remove risk when approaching a very large vessel, a tow or at close range. All available…
A system that stows a sail by rolling it around a stay, foil, spar or mandrel. Headsail furlers commonly rotate a foil or drum around the forestay, while mainsail systems can roll the sail inside a mast, inside a boom or around an external spar. A furling line or powered drive controls rotation while sheets…
Reducing a sail’s exposed area by partially rolling it around or into a stay, foil, mast or boom. Unlike complete roller furling, roller reefing leaves part of the sail set and loaded. Headsails roll around a stay or foil, while mainsails may roll inside a mast or boom or around a boom, and each arrangement…
For a sailing vessel to turn rapidly or unintentionally towards the wind. A round-up commonly occurs when heel, rudder load or weather helm exceeds the available steering control, particularly in a gust or with excessive sail. The sails may luff and the vessel may slow sharply or pass through the wind. Reducing heel and restoring…
A portable fender kept ready to be positioned where unexpected contact is likely. It supplements fenders already rigged for berthing or rafting and can be moved to a changing contact point between vessels, a quay, pile or lock wall. A crew member may control it by a line, but should not use hands or feet…
A steering surface that produces a turning force by deflecting water flowing past it. A rudder may be hung on the stern, supported by a skeg, balanced around a stock, mounted as a spade or incorporated into other arrangements. It works only when there is sufficient relative water flow, which can come from vessel movement…
The strong shaft that supports a rudder and transmits steering movement to it. The rudder stock passes into or through the hull and connects the rudder blade to a tiller, quadrant, steering arm or other steering mechanism. Bearings support and guide the stock, while a gland, seal or tube limits water entry where the arrangement…
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...
Our 1% commitment
My Sailing Course contributes 1% of every Stripe payment to help promising carbon removal technologies move from the lab into the field.
Stripe Climate commitments fund the development and purchase of carbon removal. They are not carbon offsets or credits attached to an individual order.
Welcome to My Sailing Course. Where's this adventure going to take you?
Ahoy there, Visiting Sailor! Ask us anything—whether you need help choosing a course, have a sailing question, or want to speak to the crew.
Scan with your phone to open the My Sailing Course WhatsApp service. You can review or edit the prepared message before sending it.
Your conversation stays with My Sailing Course so our Support team can respond securely.
Enter at least two characters to explore.
Welcome back aboard. Sign in with the email address connected to your My Sailing Course account.
Your account details are encrypted in transit and your password is never displayed or stored by this form. By continuing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Join free to save your favourites, unlock bonus learning resources and keep everything nautical close at hand.
Join the My Sailing Course community with one secure account for your courses, profile and support.
We've successfully created your account. Hold station for a few moments and you will be returned to the page.
Already have an account? Sign in
Enter your account email and we will send you a secure reset link.
This reset link is invalid or has expired.
Your new password is saved securely. We are confirming it across My Sailing Course before you sign in.
Please keep this window open. It will change to the sign-in form as soon as every service confirms the update.
