RYA Practical

Practical Courses and Short Trips involve a mixture of learning and fun, to enjoy the summer and the scenery. They start from Royal Quays marina in North Shields, which has 24 hour access to the river Tyne, close to its mouth into the sea.

I have a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 419, model of 2017 with all the modern features and perhaps the sort of vessel you may charter yourself at some stage. Pure Gallus is 12 metres and with twin wheels it’s a yacht to enjoy.

All RYA Courses have a maximum student: instructor ratio of 4:1. (5:1 under special circumstances)

From Alan following a 5 day course; ‘Food was really good btw which I wasn’t expecting!’

Which RYA Course will suit me?

Enrolling on the correct Course for you is important and we try to check this out first. A general RYA guide to their Cruising qualifications can be found here: RYA Sail Cruising

Where Do I Sleep?

On Pure Gallus you will have the opportunity to select your berth and pay accordingly. Consequently you could squeeze two into an aft cabin for the cheapest price, alone in the saloon for more space, or the forecabin with private ensuite facilities.

RYA Competent Crew

A five day Course living onboard the yacht where you will become experienced in seamanship and a useful Crew member. Many and varied skills will be learnt, such as sail handling, safety, rope work, meteorology, dinghy handling and steering a boat.

No prior experience is necessary, just a willingness to learn and have a good time, in company. Although sea miles are good to have they are no substitute for a proper Course where actions are justified and subjects introduced not normally seen on an ‘obedience’ sail.

The package includes full board (excluding a celebratory dinner out) and instruction from an RYA instructor. See a short video –  Mark Batey Competent Crew

The full five days costs from £695 (cabin sharing, £650 each)  according to berthing, to include RYA Course notes, or try my Practical Crewing (see Other Practicals)  ‘You were a pleasure to have as a guest, instructor and examiner. Your wisdom, advice and encouragement was much appreciated’ – Rachel   RYA Competent Crew  

Practical Crewing My version of RYA Competent Crew. Three days, 0930-1700hrs onboard for four persons. 5:1 maximum private tuition and you will be up to the RYA Comp Crew standard. No experience necessary. An increasingly popular course which doesn’t involve staying onboard overnight. No RYA Competent Crew certificate can be issued as this is not an official RYA Course, but a more practical one for many. ‘An excellent Practical Crewing course in a lovely boat’ – John. ‘have had a great 3 days and loved every minute’ – Roxy. Cost £350.

RYA Day Skipper Practical –‘Thanks again fro the course, it was very enjoyable and worthwhile. I now look forward to gaining enough experience to do it all by myself. The food was exceptional.’ Keith

Seeking Day Skipper?

The gateway to skippering a yacht. Take charge and skipper confidently.

Is this for you?

You have sailed with friends or on courses, are at the practical standards of Competent Crew and theory of RYA Day Skipper. You can sail the boat, plot its position, work out a course to steer and understand the basics of pilotage and passage planning. Now, you would like to take charge.

What you’ll learn… and practice.

Handling skills under power and sail, including recovering a man overboard. You’ll plan and direct your crew completing tasks like tacking and gybing, reefing, pontoon berthing, lock management and anchoring.

You’ll plan and make a passage, looking at the weather, working out tides course to steer and the details of pilotage. You’ll experience sailing at night with a short night passage.

Run over five days you will have plenty of opportunities to practice and hone your skill, observe your crew mates and build your experience and confidence.

You will be introduced to the problems and responsibilities of being in charge of a sailing yacht and how to cope with common difficulties. RYA Day Skipper Practical

This very important Course is the key to being able to charter a sailing yacht. For Bareboat charter this is the first qualification to be obtained. Nevertheless in some areas, the Solent for example, a higher qualification is needed and UK tidal requested. It is important that you are ready to take this important Course and, for minimum standards, check out on the web page Day Skipper Pre-Quirements. These standards and experience are expected at the time of booking. The International Certificate of Competence (ICC), acceptable in places in the Med when Day Skipper Practical is not, is an easier and cheaper alternative.

You will learn to be able to skipper a cruising yacht safely by day in tidal waters. Subjects to be covered include boat handling, pilotage, meteorology, collision avoidance, navigation and wind awareness. Turn yourself from crew to skipper in 5 days.    

The Course will start on the morning or afternoon of the first day and finish in the afternoon of the last, weather permitting, at Royal Quays, assuming no problems. You will visit other marinas in the area. – ‘I was pleased with the way the course was organised, the instructions for preparation and attending, the fact that you were there waiting for me when I arrived, and your welcome both before and after we boarded.’ – Hassall

What to Expect. You will be living onboard for the duration of the Course and will have an opportunity to learn many skills without an examination, as the certificate is awarded based on continuous assessment. Days can be long, often 9am to 9pm and some night sailing (No 9am to 5pm here!). All ages, 18 and above, are welcome. The School yacht has the popular, and familiar, wheel steering to assist manoeuvres. Course Review by Tim Edwards

How to Prepare. 

You will need suitable clothing and be prepared to have some fun on the way (or even afterwards during shoreside debriefs, before 2300)

How to Book. There are a maximum of four places onboard and the cost is determined by the berth occupied. The cost is from £750 according to berthing and includes RYA Course notes.

You will be asked to confirm your suitability for the Course, with £150 reservation and the balance eight weeks before the start. Ask for more details if you possess the pre-quirements linked above.

You need to be physically able to cope to experience the Course to the full. Whilst it may be possible to allow for some mobility limitation, there is a safety aspect to this and the skipper will have the final decision as to whether you can continue; With your booking, please state your age, any sailing experience, and advise me of anything relevant such as limited mobility, diet or health. For a murky glimpse of a night sail try Night Sail.

Own Boat Tuition & Courses

If you have your own boat and would prefer private tuition or an RYA course then these are possible. Your boat would need to be acceptable of course and a daily rate for an instructor would be quoted. You can see what happened to Chris & Heather in 2016 and, shown here, is the 2019 RYA Day Skipper Course delivered onboard Kestrelle  Where’s Your Ticket? 

RYA Coastal Skipper Practical

For improving confidence, all-round competence and skill as skipper in a wide range of conditions, by making longer passages.

Is this for you?

You have spent several weeks aboard yachts, racing or cruising visiting a wide variety of harbours and have experience as skipper. Your sailing is good and you can navigate and direct your crew.

What you’ll learn… and practice.

You will take charge, planning and executing longer passages by day and night. Learning is by coaching and practice allowing you to demonstrate and hone your skill and knowledge. Advanced handling and sailing skills form a key element of the course together with sessions on sail trim, pilotage and passage management techniques under sail.

Managing the yacht for several hours to complete more demanding longer passages will enhance your confidence to undertake more adventurous cruises. In 2021 Courses sailed as far up as Eyemouth and anchored in a variety of places including the Farnes, Beadnell and Holy Island.

You will be assumed to have sailing to Day Skipper standard and navigation to Coastal/Yachtmaster™ shorebased. As this Course will fine tune the skills of boat handling, passage planning etc you already have, candidates will need significant experience and sea miles on a suitable yacht and in a variety of areas. A sample requirement for chartering a yacht on the Clyde; ‘Skippers must hold/be experienced RYA Coastal practical or Yachtmaster practical when sailing within the Clyde. Outwith the Clyde – Yachtmaster practical’.  RYA Coastal Skipper Practical

If you are interested in this course and meet with the Pre-Quirements then email.

If you are looking for the Yachtmaster™ Coastal or coveted Yachtmaster™ Offshore qualification, as this is by examination, 6 to 10 hours, an RYA Examiner can come and ‘put you through your paces’ on a separate date. Yachtmaster

Remember you need, at the time you are to be examined;

For Yachtmaster™ Coastal – minimum of 800 miles, half in tidal waters, within 10 years of the examination, 30 days living onboard, 2 days as skipper & 12 night hours. (if you have the above Coastal Skipper Practical Course Completion certificate the sea time is reduced to 20 days, two as skipper, 400 miles & 12 night hours)

For Yachtmaster™ Offshore – minimum of 50 days sea time, 5 days as skipper, 2,500 miles within 10 years prior, half in tidal waters, 5 passages over 60 miles including two overnight and two as skipper.

For both examinations you will need certificates for First Aid and a VHF Radio Operator’s. Jonny Colwell reviews his Yachtmaster Examination in detail YM Examination  

YACHTMASTER™ PRACTICAL EXAMINATION  In 2022 we had a very successful season producing Three new Yachtmasters, approved by examination out of Royal Quays. Potential candidates are selected from seafarers with a known track record of achievement and seatime.

Yachtmaster Andrew with MOB for Real

Ocean Yachtmaster™ Qualifying Passage This is not an RYA Course but follows gaining the Ocean theory and involves estimating your position by use of a sextant. The passage is followed by an oral examination for the candidate to gain the coveted ‘Ocean Yachtmaster™ title. Here is the story of Mick;

Congratulations Ocean Yachtmaster

Well done Mick Brown on having just attained his Ocean Yachtmaster ticket. In case anyone thinks I do Ocean qualifying trips, Mick did his YM Ocean theory with me and boat handling with Don. Mick coped well with the Celestial Navigation part of the syllabus. Of all the RYA theory subjects, this is the most demanding. No he’s not shooting albatrosses in this image!

‘Delighted to report that my Azores trip went like clockwork 1200 miles in 8 days I got a morning sun sight meridian sight an afternoon sun sight and was able to plot them all with 2 runs between. Very happy with the fix. Planned star shots but cloud came over. Oral exam went very well and I passed! thanks for your excellent tuition’. 27th October Mick updates ‘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

Ocean Qualifying Passage the route to RYA Ocean Yachtmaster entails a non stop passage of at least 600 miles, during which you must be either skipper or in sole charge of a watch. I don’t do these passages and I recommend caution is exercised before booking one so advertised. More than one of my victims has set out on one but, through no fault of their own, hasn’t been awarded the necessary certificate. Victim Chris of Carbery Sailing  does do these passages and operates between Cork and Tenerife on a large Hallberg Rassy.