A coastal skipper is a yachtsman or woman who has the ability to skipper a yacht in coastal waters by day or night.

Below is the course criteria.

• Passage planning: Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capabilities of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy. Knows customs procedures for most common circumstances.

• Preparation for sea: Aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages, and can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks

• Pilotage: Preparing a pilotage plan, with consideration of soundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations. Able to pilot a yacht by day and night.

• Organisational and skipper skills: Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew, organise the navigation, deckwork and domestic duties of a yacht on passage, awareness of the significance of meteorological trends, aware of crew welfare and can use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes.

• Yacht handling under power: Able to control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power, including all berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide.

• Yacht handling under sail: Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space, and capable of anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide.

• Adverse weather conditions: Understanding of preparations for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds, and navigation in restricted visibility.

• Emergency situations: Recovery of man overboard under power or sail, actions to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues.

The Course: There is a 5 day shorebased course which provides the background knowledge required and  a 5 day practical course onboard the yacht which teaches the skills and techniques required. Ideally we will be doing a trip across the English Channel. Or we will be sailing towards the West country. Either direction you will be responsible for planning the trip!

Experience: RYA Day Skipper & 15 days sea time (2 days as skipper) - 300 miles, 8 night hours.

Coastal Skipper

During of your RYA Coastal Skipper course we aim to put miles on the clock with the longer passages from our base in Brighton.  You will plan and execute coastal passages along the South Coast of England, often with the Solent as a destination.  Students will have the chance to navigate and skipper by both day and night thus ensuring you are a confident skipper when you leave the boat.  Weather permitting we include an offshore passage to France.  Skills and drills will also play an important part of the week, practiced until you feel confident about all maneuvers.

The course content includes:

• Passage Planning
• Preparation For Sea
• Passage Making
• Pilotage 
• Emergency Situations
• Yacht Handling Under Power & Sail
• Adverse Weather

Course Objective: You will be able to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night.

Prerequisite: 15 days at sea (including 2 as skipper) 800 logged miles that include at least 8 night hours

Coastal Skipper Combined

The Coastal Skipper combined course means you can complete your Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Theory and your Coastal Skipper Practical course.  When booked together as part of this combined package you will benefit from a large discount, as well as being able to choose a one day theory course, either Diesel Maintenance, VHF or First Aid.