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 United States satellite-based positioning, navigation and timing system. GPS is one constellation within the wider family of global navigation satellite systems. A receiver estimates position and time from the measured travel times of coded signals transmitted by multiple satellites, and can derive speed and course over the ground from successive measurements or signal changes….
The standard spoken code word for the letter G in the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet. It is pronounced “GOLF” and is used to spell names, call signs and other information clearly over marine radio. The same word is used in the NATO phonetic alphabet. Golf is also associated with International Code of Signals flag G,…
A sound-signalling appliance used to make a powerful warning signal in fog or other restricted visibility. Foghorns may be carried by vessels or installed at fixed locations such as lighthouses, harbour entrances and offshore structures. Modern appliances can be pneumatic, electric or electronic; the familiar deep tone is intended to carry over distance, although its…
The standard spoken code word for the letter E in the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet. It is pronounced “ECK-oh” and is used to spell names, call signs and other information clearly over marine radio. The same standard word is used in the NATO phonetic alphabet. Echo is also associated with International Code of Signals flag…
An official vector chart database issued by or under government authority for use in an Electronic Chart Display and Information System. Usually abbreviated ENC, it has standardised content, structure and format conforming to International Hydrographic Organization standards. Its geo-referenced objects can be queried and selectively portrayed, allowing ECDIS to perform route monitoring and safety checks…
A registered maritime distress beacon that transmits a 406 MHz alert for detection through the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. Usually abbreviated EPIRB, it sends a digitally coded identity and may transmit encoded position from an internal or connected navigation receiver. The alert is routed through the international system to the appropriate rescue coordination authorities; a separate…
A maritime flag showing a vessel’s nationality or state service. Civil, state and naval ensigns may have different designs and eligibility rules within the same country. The ensign appropriate to the vessel is normally worn at the stern or another authorised position and identifies its flag state rather than its current location. Display requirements, permitted…
A safe water mark used to identify a channel centreline, approach or landfall. Under the IALA buoyage system, the mark has red-and-white vertical stripes and may carry a single red spherical topmark. Its permitted white-light characteristics identify it as safe water rather than a lateral or isolated-danger mark. A fairway mark is often placed at…
Pyrotechnic signals used to indicate distress, attract attention or help rescuers locate people or a vessel. Rocket parachute flares provide a high, long-range red light; red hand flares provide a shorter-range locating signal; and orange smoke signals aid daytime location. The correct signal depends on whether distant alerting or close-range location is required and on…
A rhythmic navigation light whose periods of light are shorter in total than its periods of darkness.
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.
