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.
The International Morse Code letter B, represented by dash dot dot dot (-…). A dot lasts one signal unit and a dash three. Elements within this character are separated by one unit; the gap between characters is three units and the gap between words is seven units. Morse may be sent by sound, radio carrier,…
The International Morse Code letter A, represented by dot dash (.-). A dot lasts one signal unit and a dash three. Elements within this character are separated by one unit; the gap between characters is three units and the gap between words is seven units. Morse may be sent by sound, radio carrier, light or…
A standardised method of representing letters, numerals and punctuation as sequences of short and long signals. The signals are commonly written as dots and dashes and can be sent by sound, light, radio keying or another medium in which short and long elements can be distinguished. The spacing between elements, characters and words is part…
A semaphore procedural signal confirming that the receiving station is prepared to copy the message. It is shown in response to the sender’s attention signal before the transmission begins. The exchange establishes that the correct station is watching and ready. If readiness is lost, the receiver should use the agreed pause, error or cancellation procedure…
A semaphore procedural signal used to call the receiving station before transmitting a message. The sender displays the prescribed attention signal until the intended receiver responds using the agreed readiness signal. Only then should message characters begin. The procedure confirms that the receiver is watching and able to copy. Visibility, identity and acknowledgement should be…
The United Nations specialised agency for digital technologies, telecommunications and international radiocommunication coordination. The International Telecommunication Union allocates international radio-frequency spectrum and coordinates satellite-orbit use, develops technical standards and supports connectivity and capacity building. Its Radiocommunication Sector maintains the Radio Regulations framework used by maritime radio services. Member-state administrations license stations and enforce national requirements,…
An international diplomatic conference convened to agree regulations for radiotelegraph and related radio services. Early conferences addressed ship and coast-station communications, distress traffic, call signs, interference and operating procedures as wireless telegraphy expanded internationally. The 1906 Berlin conference produced the first International Radiotelegraph Convention. The conference system evolved through later radiotelegraph and radio conferences into…
A semaphore position used to mark separation between words or message elements. It uses the same lowered-flags position associated with rest and readiness. Its meaning as a space comes from its placement within a transmission rather than from a unique arm position. A deliberate pause and clear pacing help the receiver distinguish a word space…
A neutral semaphore position with both flags lowered, used when resting or not actively transmitting. The same physical position may mark a space or indicate readiness, depending on the stage of the exchange and the procedure being followed. Context, timing and acknowledgement distinguish those meanings. The signaller should adopt the position deliberately and avoid unintended…
A two-flag semaphore position representing the numeral 0 after the Numbers Follow signal. The physical position is the same as semaphore letter K. The preceding procedural signal tells the receiver to interpret it as zero rather than K. The position should be viewed from the signaller’s front and separated clearly from adjacent characters. Letters Follow…
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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