RYA Day Skipper Theory (Shorebased) — Yachting Directions

RYA Day Skipper theory is the Royal Yachting Association's shorebased course in navigation and seamanship for people who want to skipper a yacht on short passages. Yachting Directions teaches it face to face in about 40 hours, spread over six classroom days on three weekends, at Mosman Bay Marina or Newport in Sydney, or at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club.

What you'll learn

Day Skipper theory gives you the knowledge to plan and navigate a coastal passage safely, and it is the foundation for every RYA sailing qualification above it.

• Chartwork and position fixing: plotting positions, courses and estimated positions, and allowing for tidal stream and leeway so the course you steer gets you where you intend.
• Tides and tidal streams: working out heights and times so you know the depth under the keel and when streams favour your passage.
• Pilotage and passage planning: preparing a plan to enter or leave a harbour and choosing a route, timings and bolt holes for a coastal passage.
• Electronic navigation: using GPS and AIS alongside the paper chart, and understanding their limits.
• Compass, restricted visibility and weather: compass error, navigating when visibility drops, and interpreting forecasts.
• Collision regulations (IRPCS), safety at sea and maintenance: who gives way, lights and shapes, emergency procedures and basic upkeep, plus topics on yacht ownership and electric propulsion.

A good Day Skipper student can produce a sensible passage plan and carry out the tidal and chartwork calculations accurately without rushing.

How Yachting Directions runs it

Spreading 40 hours over three weekends is deliberate: the school argues it avoids cramming and gives time to practise between sessions. The instructor gives live, face-to-face feedback throughout, and optional weekday homework sessions run early mornings on Zoom at extra cost. A course kit is included, with RYA publications, a training almanac and training charts, and a Portland course plotter. Students sit two short exams in their own time, with further support and a resit if needed, and graduates receive 12 months of mentoring.

Who it suits

It suits new skippers, experienced crew who want to understand the navigation, and anyone planning to do the Day Skipper practical. No prior qualification is required, though some sailing experience makes the content easier to picture.

Where it leads

The shorebased certificate leads to the RYA Day Skipper practical, which Yachting Directions offers in Sydney, and later to Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore theory.

Full course guide

For the full RYA syllabus and how the theory fits with the practical, read our RYA Day Skipper Theory guide. The next step is covered in the RYA Day Skipper Practical guide.