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.The average height of the two successive high waters during neap-tide periods at a stated location and over a defined observation period.
The lowest tidal level predicted to occur under average meteorological conditions from any combination of astronomical influences.
The highest tidal level predicted to occur under average meteorological conditions from any combination of astronomical influences.
The vertical distance of the sea surface above the chart datum at a stated place and time. Adding predicted height of tide to a charted drying height or depth gives an estimate of water level or available depth, provided the same datum is used. Chart datum is often related to Lowest Astronomical Tide but its…
The rising phase of the tide between low water and the following high water. Flood describes changing water level; the associated horizontal flow is a flood tidal stream. That stream may begin or end at a different time from local low or high water and may follow a channel rather than simply flowing directly towards…
The falling phase of the tide between high water and the following low water. Ebb describes changing water level; the associated horizontal flow is an ebb tidal stream. The stream may continue after local high or low water, reverse at a different time, or follow a channel rather than simply flowing directly away from the…
A sustained movement of water with a measurable direction and speed. Currents may be driven by wind, density differences, large-scale ocean circulation, river flow, pressure gradients or other processes. Tidal streams are periodic horizontal water movements caused by the tide and are often treated separately in UK navigation terminology. A current changes a vessel’s movement…
The local reference level from which charted depths and drying heights are measured.
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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