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  • Our Courses

      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. Work with 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.
  • Directory

      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.

      • Places
        Find anywhere nautical, including marinas & training centres. If it exists, we’ve got it listed!
      • Courses
        We help you navigate through the complex world of training and help find what’s best for you.
  • Know-How

      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 & Terminology
        Understanding 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 Flashcards
        Flashcards 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 Blog
        From 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.
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Nautical Know How
  • Our Courses

      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. Work with 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.
  • Directory

      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.

      • Places
        Find anywhere nautical, including marinas & training centres. If it exists, we’ve got it listed!
      • Courses
        We help you navigate through the complex world of training and help find what’s best for you.
  • Know-How

      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 & Terminology
        Understanding 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 Flashcards
        Flashcards 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 Blog
        From 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.
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Glossary

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Results: 50
  • Term
    Definition
  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Angle of Vanishing Stability (AVS)

    The maximum angle of heel at which a vessel can recover to an upright position without capsizing.

    The Angle of Vanishing Stability (AVS) is a...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety AVS

    The maximum angle of heel at which a vessel can recover to an upright position without capsizing.

    The Angle of Vanishing Stability (AVS) is a...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Buoyancy Aid

    A personal flotation device designed to assist a person in staying afloat in water, typically used in recreational boating or water sports.

    A...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Buoyant Smoke Flare

    A floating pyrotechnic device that emits dense, orange coloured smoke to signal distress or indicate position at sea. 

    A buoyant smoke flare...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Navigation, Safety CBDR

    A navigational situation where two vessels maintain the same relative bearing to each other while the distance between them diminishes, often...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Navigation, Safety Constant Bearing, Decreasing Range (CBDR)

    A navigational situation where two vessels maintain the same relative bearing to each other while the distance between them diminishes, often...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Cospas-Sarsat System

    An international satellite-based search and rescue system that detects and locates distress signals from emergency beacons to assist in maritime,...

    More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Danbuoy

    A floating marker pole, often equipped with a flag, light, or buoyancy aid, used in maritime settings to indicate a specific location, such...

    More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety, Signals & Communication Digital Selective Calling (DSC)

    An automated VHF and MF/HF radio communication system used in maritime environments to send distress alerts, establish contact, and exchange...

    More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety, Signals & Communication DSC

    An automated VHF and MF/HF radio communication system used in maritime environments to send distress alerts, establish contact, and exchange...

    More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

    An internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, communication protocols, and equipment designed to ensure that ships at sea can send and...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety GMDSS

    An internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, communication protocols, and equipment designed to ensure that ships at sea can send and...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Hand-held Flare

    A hand-held pyrotechnic signalling device that produces a bright light and smoke when ignited, used for distress signalling at sea. 

    Hand-held...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Horseshoe Lifebuoy

    A U-shaped flotation device designed to be thrown to a person overboard to provide buoyancy and aid in rescue.

    The horseshoe lifebuoy, also...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety INMARSAT

    A global satellite communications organisation providing maritime, aviation, and land-based services for safety and operational...

    More Details
  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety International Maritime Satellite Organisation (INMARSAT)

    A global satellite communications organisation providing maritime, aviation, and land-based services for safety and operational...

    More Details
  • Did you know?, Safety International Radiotelegraph Conference (IRC)

    A series of meetings establishing global standards and regulations for using radiotelegraphy, particularly in maritime communication.

    The...

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  • Did you know?, Safety IRC

    A series of meetings establishing global standards and regulations for using radiotelegraphy, particularly in maritime communication.

    The...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Jackstay

    A length of webbing (or on rare occasions a length of wire) which run from the bow to the stern of the vessel. They have sufficient slack in them...

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  • General Nautical Terminology, Safety Jonbuoy

    A specialised man overboard recovery device designed to provide buoyancy and visibility to a person in the water. 

    A Jonbuoy is a...

    More Details
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