RYA Day Skipper Practical — Yachting Directions

RYA Day Skipper practical is the Royal Yachting Association's on-water course for skippering a cruising yacht on short passages in waters you know. Yachting Directions offers it in Sydney, based from Palm Beach on Pittwater, in collaboration with Atlas Sailing, with courses taught by RYA Yachtmaster Instructor Brien Daniel.

What you'll learn

The practical course turns Day Skipper theory into decisions made on deck. Under the RYA syllabus you learn to run the boat, not just sail it.

• Preparation and passage planning: preparing the yacht and briefing the crew, then planning and carrying out short passages.
• Pilotage: navigating into and out of harbours and anchorages using transits, clearing bearings and marks, with the chart work done before you need it.
• Boat handling under power and sail: berthing, coming alongside, picking up a mooring and anchoring, allowing for wind and current.
• Man overboard recovery: getting back to a person in the water under sail and under power.
• Safety and emergencies: safety equipment, emergency procedures and making sound decisions as skipper, including when not to go.
• Night sailing: the RYA syllabus includes navigating at night, recognising lights and keeping a lookout.

A good Day Skipper plans ahead, gives clear instructions and keeps the crew safe and informed.

How Yachting Directions runs it

The course is delivered with Atlas Sailing on Sydney waters and taught by Brien Daniel. The school has not published the course length, the yacht used or the class size, so confirm these when booking. Yachting Directions states that the ICC is included with Day Skipper; check the details with the school, including your eligibility for the ICC.

Who it suits

It suits sailors with some experience who want to skipper a yacht themselves, for example to charter overseas. Day Skipper theory knowledge is recommended beforehand, and Yachting Directions runs that course face to face in Sydney and Newcastle. The RYA also recommends some sea time before the practical, so ask the school about the experience it expects.

Where it leads

The next RYA step is Coastal Skipper theory and practical, then Yachtmaster exam preparation. Yachting Directions teaches the Yachtmaster Coastal and Offshore theory course and runs exam preparation with Atlas Sailing.

Full course guide

For the full RYA syllabus, recommended experience and what the certificate lets you do, read our RYA Day Skipper Practical guide. For the ICC, see our International Certificate of Competence (ICC) guide.