‘Keeping your brain active protects against dementia, probably because it increases the quality of your cognitive reserve – the connections within the brain network’
‘Day Skipper’ and ‘Coastal/Yachtmaster™ Offshore’ are popular tickets and can be studied in the warm, comfortable and level (!) room of a recently built Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne (NE6 5HN). Classes are small, maximum size 10, ensuring individual attention. Free street parking adjacent. For a 28 second video look inside Heaton Life Centre
The emphasis is on fun with interactive learning, using some of the equipment you will be faced with when onboard a sailing yacht.
All Courses below are provided by Northumbria Sailing, as recognised by the Royal Yachting Association, with a modern classroom providing comfortable surroundings. RYA Student Packs will be provided, at the appropriate cost, as well as basic refreshments. Maximum Student: Instructor ratios are shown.
Try this RYA link for a synopsis of Shorebased Courses Shorebased
Theory in Class, Private Tuition or Online
Royal Yachting Association Theory Courses
Held at the 2009 built HBC Life Centre, Heaton Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 5HN (54°58’50.05N, 01°34’53.14W) which provides comfortable surroundings, on the level, and makes chartwork a lot easier!
Shorebased Classes take place either weekday evenings or daytime, or a private tuition mixture according to the aspiring seafarer’s commitments. Some include a visit to see the sailing yacht in Royal Quays.
RYA Day Skipper Theory
Traditionally the popular place to start, leading to attaining RYA Day Skipper Practical, the key to bareboat charter.
Minimum time to be spent is 40 hours and excludes assessments totalling 3 hours before attaining the certificate. Subjects to be covered include; Nautical terms, ropework, charts, navigation, Safety Regulations to include collision avoidance, anchoring, tides, electronic navigation, weather and passage planning. Screenshots are provided to facilitate revision. Maximum Student: Instructor ratio; 9:1.
No previous experience is needed and this is for someone keen to either acquire further knowledge or become more committed to the whole experience. Cost £575. Next Course, a Saturday one 0930 – 1430 (early finish match days!); January 18 & 25th, February 1, 8 & 15th, March 1, 8 & 15th. RYA Day Skipper Theory
Tides
In response to demand I’m offering this Course on tides, not RYA Tides, but real UK tides, especially on our North East Coast. Learn how to calculate tidal heights and streams at main and secondary ports. You will be using Reed’s Almanac and the first session will be for assumed beginners leading to more advanced stuff later on. Typically this Course would be run across three sessions 1800 – 2100hrs at Heaton. Cost £95 for three sessions. Maximum Student: Instructor ratio; 8:1.
FOG ALL OVER You have a chart plotter, AIS and Radar showing there’s another vessel out there. Plenty of electronic information but you then realise none tell you which way to turn. In the collision between Whispa and Gas Monarch the former was not on a collision course but the skipper misconstrued notorious Rule 19d and actually turned towards Gas Monarch and collided. This short course, delivered by Zoom across three evenings, will attempt to throw some light on this important subject. Three two hour evening Zoom sessions
Coastal/Yachtmaster™ Offshore Theory
Now we are getting more serious. Sailors will want more in depth knowledge in preparation to owning or skippering a boat, or just that they have realised, like so many before them, that there is a lot involved here and risks should be kept to an absolute minimum. Maximum Student: Instructor ratio; 8:1.
Time to be spent is 41 hours and excludes four written assessments totalling 7 hours before attaining the certificate. Subjects to be covered include those from the Day Skipper syllabus, but much more in depth. Screenshots are provided to facilitate revision. Cost £575 (2024 prices for early bookings); January 13, 20, 22 & 27th, February 3, 10 & 17th, March 5, 10, 12, 17, 24 & 31st, April 7th + 2 reserve dates April 2nd & 9th (the Course takes a long time to do properly) RYA Coastal Yachtmaster Theory Seafarers should have already acquired knowledge up to Day Skipper standard. Try this video shown a recent collision and asking you to identify the offender. Collision.
Phil from 2018 says; ‘Although I knew the YM Theory would be a step up and a challenge the hard work and effort was worth it once I got out there on the boat. That extra depth of knowledge really helped me understand the dynamics of sailing, sea conditions, anticipated weather looming on the horizon and, of course, it’s likely impact on boat handling and the crew’.
Are there any Extras?
Navigation equipment is provided but extra are the RYA Pack, which includes the certificate!, and Training Almanac, total cost currently £48 Day Skipper & £48 Yachtmaster.
Any Gifts from Teacher?
Yes, a visit to his boat (not sailing though)
Yachtmaster™ Ocean Theory
Navigate as it used to be done, by the sun and stars. Get to handle a real sextant and find out how to locate your position out at sea, far, far away from land. A requirement for the prestigious RYA Ocean ticket. Learn also how to provision a boat for a long passage and also about weather conditions you can expect. How to deal with hurricanes, heaven forbid that we shall have an opportunity to put this into practice!
Look and see how Harrison Clocks helped mariners find their longitude Harrison
The Course is available as an evening class and also intensive. Maximum Student: Instructor ratio; 8:1. Minimum time spent; 40 hours plus 2 hour assessment. See what relevance sextant navigating can still have in today’s world of the GPS. Cost £625 plus £40 RYA Pack. Tailored tuition also available. ‘I have to say it was tough, and tested the brain calls somewhat. However – it was great challenge and good company – Debra’. RYA Yachtmaster Ocean
Mick says; ‘Oral exam went very well and I passed! thanks for your excellent tuition’ & ‘I got my Certificate today – very pleased , a long but satisfying route from tying my first fender!’ You can see his passage plan on Ocean Qualifying Passage
I can’t do these times and am in a hurry!
Then a Tailored Timetable with one to one tuition could be for you. Costs; £795 for Day Skipper, £850 for Coastal/Yachtmaster™ and £925 for the Ocean. An extra victim is sought to share costs for One2One. Available on weekdays when the diary permits – ‘I found the (RYA DS) course tuition excellent, delivered with the benefit of years of practical experience and backed up with many real life examples of why a good understanding of the theory is critical in practical situations.’ – Simon (DS Tailored Timetable)
I can’t make all the class dates?
Whilst I would not wish to encourage missing sessions, it’s a fact of life in todays world and time can be made up through coming in early the following week or private sessions.
How do I Book?
£150 confirms the reservation with the balance due four weeks before the start of the Course. Cheques made payable to ‘MSF Wallhead’, or cash, to 1 Anscomb Gardens, Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7BB. Bank details for direct transfer on request.
Cancellation
Any by myself will involve a full refund.
In the case of you withdrawing or failing to pay the balance I will try to adopt a humane attitude and find a replacement.