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 require medical assistance.”. The Whiskey 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…
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “I require assistance.”. The Victor 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 “You are running into danger.”. The Uniform 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…
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “Keep clear of me; I am engaged in pair trawling.”. The Tango 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…
An International Code of Signals pennant representing one of the digits zero to nine. Numeral pennants are used with alphabet flags, substitutes and other numeral pennants to form coded groups, quantities, bearings, dates or other information defined by the signalling context. A numeral pennant has no safe standalone interpretation beyond its digit unless the applicable…
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “My engines are going astern.”. The Sierra 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…
An International Code of Signals flag representing the letter R, with no assigned standalone single-letter meaning in the current Code. Code flag Romeo is used within multi-flag groups and for spelling, where the complete hoist or context supplies its meaning. It should not be given an invented one-flag message. The existing image shows its prescribed…
Permission from a port health authority for a vessel to communicate with the shore and conduct permitted port operations after health requirements are satisfied. Free pratique may be granted on the basis of a maritime declaration of health and other pre-arrival information, or after inspection where required. Procedures vary by state, port, voyage history and…
An International Code of Signals flag whose single-letter meaning is “My vessel is healthy and I request free pratique.”. The Quebec 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 “In harbour, all persons should report on board as the vessel is about to proceed to sea.”. The Papa 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…
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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