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.Signals and communication in the marine world are like a game of charades with the ocean as your stage. Picture a crew furiously waving flags screaming, “We’re out of snacks!” while another ship squints, trying to decode whether that’s a distress call or just terrible semaphore skills. Horns blast at decibels high enough to wake Poseidon, with meanings ranging from “I’m turning left” to “Move it or lose it!” And let’s not forget Morse code—nothing says “urgent message” like blinking a flashlight at a seagull for hours. Meanwhile, the VHF radio crackles with static and a dozen accents yelling about the weather, leaving everyone more confused than enlightened. It’s a symphony of organised chaos where somehow, miraculously, no one crashes into an iceberg. Usually.
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “I am altering my course to starboard.”. The Echo flag may be displayed alone to convey this internationally assigned meaning. It can also appear as a character within multi-flag groups, where the complete group has a different coded interpretation. The signal communicates information or intention…
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “Keep clear of me; I am manoeuvring with difficulty.”. The Delta flag may be displayed alone to convey this internationally assigned meaning. It can also appear as a character within multi-flag groups, where the complete group has a different coded interpretation. The signal communicates information…
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “Yes—an affirmative response.”. The Charlie flag may be displayed alone to convey this internationally assigned meaning. It can also appear as a character within multi-flag groups, where the complete group has a different coded interpretation. The signal communicates information or intention but does not remove…
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “I am taking in, discharging or carrying dangerous goods.”. The Bravo flag may be displayed alone to convey this internationally assigned meaning. It can also appear as a character within multi-flag groups, where the complete group has a different coded interpretation. The signal communicates information…
An International Code of Signals substitute pennant repeating the third flag or pennant in the same hoist. Substitutes allow a signal group to contain repeated characters when only one physical set of alphabet flags and numeral pennants is available. Counting starts with the first non-substitute flag at the top of the hoist. A substitute takes…
An International Code of Signals substitute pennant repeating the second flag or pennant in the same hoist. Substitutes allow a signal group to contain repeated characters when only one physical set of alphabet flags and numeral pennants is available. Counting starts with the first non-substitute flag at the top of the hoist. A substitute takes…
An International Code of Signals substitute pennant repeating the first flag or pennant in the same hoist. Substitutes allow a signal group to contain repeated characters when only one physical set of alphabet flags and numeral pennants is available. Counting starts with the first non-substitute flag at the top of the hoist. A substitute takes…
A standardised set of flags and pennants used to communicate letters, numerals and coded messages visually between vessels or with shore stations. The International Code of Signals assigns a distinctive design to each letter and numeral, together with substitute pennants and other special flags. A single flag may carry a complete meaning, while groups of…
An International Code of Signals numeral pennant representing the digit 9. It is hoisted with alphabet flags, other numeral pennants or substitutes to form an ordered signal group. The complete group determines whether 9 is a quantity, bearing, date, time or part of a coded message. The pennant should be read in its position from…
An International Code of Signals numeral pennant representing the digit 8. It is hoisted with alphabet flags, other numeral pennants or substitutes to form an ordered signal group. The complete group determines whether 8 is a quantity, bearing, date, time or part of a coded message. The pennant should be read in its position from…
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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