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.
A digitally encoded distress transmission sent by Digital Selective Calling equipment. The alert identifies the station and may include position, time and nature of distress before voice or data distress traffic follows. It should be sent only for grave and imminent danger and cancelled correctly if transmitted inadvertently.
A black cylindrical day shape used as part of specified visual signals under the collision regulations. Its meaning depends on the full combination in which it is displayed rather than the cylinder alone. Day shapes must be of adequate size, correctly spaced and visible around the required horizon sectors.
A radio-frequency wave that is varied to convey information. Voice, data or signalling modulates one or more properties of the carrier, such as amplitude, frequency or phase. Some transmissions suppress the unmodulated carrier, so the term describes the underlying signal principle rather than always a separately detectable tone.
A distress beacon that transmits a digitally coded alert on 406 MHz to the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. EPIRBs, PLBs and some aviation beacons use this frequency to identify the beacon and support search-and-rescue coordination. Many also transmit GNSS position data and a separate short-range homing signal; registration and correct testing are essential.
A red or green navigation light showing a prescribed sector on the port or starboard side of a vessel. The green starboard light and red port light each show from ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on their respective side. Their visibility, screening and combination with other lights convey vessel aspect under the collision…
A distinctive shape or combination of shapes fitted above a buoy or beacon to help identify it. Cones, spheres, cylinders and crosses are used in recognised buoyage systems, with shape and orientation contributing to the mark’s meaning. A topmark is especially valuable when colour or light characteristics are difficult to distinguish.
A navigation light showing an unbroken arc of 360 degrees around the horizon. Its colour and combination with other lights identify particular vessel conditions under the collision regulations, such as anchoring or restricted manoeuvrability. The light must meet prescribed visibility, positioning and screening requirements.
The horizontal angular sector through which a navigation light is required to be visible. Different lights have prescribed arcs: sidelights, masthead lights, sternlights and all-round lights cover different sectors. Correct positioning and screening prevent misleading overlap and preserve the vessel aspect indicated to observers.
A recognised signal indicating grave and imminent danger and a need for immediate assistance. Maritime distress signals include specified radio alerts and calls, visual signals, pyrotechnics and other internationally recognised forms. They must not be used casually, and any received distress indication should be treated according to applicable search-and-rescue and radio procedures.
The internationally agreed code words used to spell letters clearly during voice radio communication. Words such as Alfa, Bravo and Charlie reduce misunderstanding when reception is weak, accents differ or a call sign must be copied exactly. Maritime operators should use the prescribed pronunciations and the appropriate spoken forms for numerals.
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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