RYA Day Skipper Practical Sailing Course

RYA Day Skipper Practical Sailing Course

RYA Day Skipper practical course

Overview

Sunsail’s RYA Day Skipper practical course enables students to gain the experience and qualifications necessary to set sail with confidence on one of Sunsail’s yacht charter or flotilla holidays, in some of the most breathtaking sailing destinations in the world.

Highlights

  • Learn practical skippering techniques
  • Build on theoretical knowledge
  • Gain confidence
  • Choice of locations UK and abroad
  • Progress to exciting charter and flotilla locations
  • Foster good decision-making

This is a practical course for sailors with significant previous sailing experience (a minimum of five days sailing and living on board, 100 miles logged and four hours night sailing is required) and a comprehensive understanding of the theory behind the practice. This course is very much a hands-on course with little time to teach navigation or other theoretical subjects. It is therefore recommended that you take the RYA Day Skipper shorebased course prior to your practical course so you can put those skills into practice on the water or have theory knowledge to a Day Skipper level. 

We suggest all students invest in additional reading material, such as the RYA Day Skipper handbook. You can buy this book from our base in Port Solent.

This is an internationally recognized certificate and it is strongly recommended that you gain either this, or the ICC (International Certificate of Competence) certificate as more countries move towards compulsory certification.

RYA Day Skipper or ICC are requirements for chartering in Croatia and Greece.

Additional information for UK course    

Class size: 5:1 maximum ratio

What’s included: 5 nights’ accommodation on board the yacht. Breakfast and lunch on board. Certificate awarded upon successful completion of the course.

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Port Solent sailing school
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Where to take this course with Sunsail

Portsmouth, UK

Agana, Croatia

Lefkas, Greece

Why take this course with Sunsail?

The Sunsail RYA Day Skipper practical course will enable you to skipper a yacht by day in familiar waters. You will gain the qualifications and experience needed to set sail on board your own yacht, on a yacht charter or flotilla vacation to many of our breathtaking worldwide destinations.

Following the five-day Day Skipper practical course you’ll have experience of deck work, navigation and passage making, as well as the confidence to skipper under sail and power.

The course will teach you basic practical skippering techniques which will enable you to skipper a yacht on short coastal passages by day, in both tidal and non-tidal waters. As a skipper you’ll be responsible for the management of a yacht, and therefore the course includes elements of meteorology, engine checking, passage planning, preparing the yacht for sea and rules of the road.

The minimum pre-course experience required is five days sailing and living onboard, 100 miles logged and four hours night sailing. You will also need to have completed your Day Skipper theory course prior to taking your practical, or have knowledge equivalent to this level.

To book your course or to find out more:

For overseas sailing schools in Greece, Croatia BVI & Australia, please contact our Holiday Planner team on 0330 332 1172 or email sales@sunsail.com

For dates and availability at our Port Solent, UK sailing school please call on 02394 350 505 or email learn@prometheus-sailing.co.uk

Courses start at 19.00hrs and finishing on your last day at 17.00hrs for UK sailing schools. 

What’s included: 5 nights’ accommodation on board the yacht. Breakfast and lunch on board. Waterproof hire. Certificate awarded upon successful completion of the course.

Day Skipper Practical Syllabus


1. Preparation for sea

2. Deck Work

3. Navigation

4. Pilotage

5. Meteorology

6. Rule of the road

7. Maintenance and repair work

8. Engines

9. Victualling

10. Emergency situations

11. Yacht handling under power

12. Passage making

13. Night cruising

14. Seasickness

15. Helmsmanship and sailing

16. General duties

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