RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased

An advanced course in the theory of navigation and meteorology for sailors with some previous navigational experience. You will develop a comprehensive understanding of navigation theories, techniques and practices. Yachtmaster / Coastal Skipper Theory covers all the background knowledge needed to progress to the practical examinations for the RYA Coastal Skipper or RYA Yachtmaster Certificates of Competence.

The course syllabus includes position fixing, using a magnetic compass, tides, tidal streams, buoyage, lights, pilotage, an introduction to GPS and electronic chart plotters, meteorology, collision prevention regulations, safety, navigation and passage planning.

Pre-requisite experience:

A reasonable competence in basic navigation, or successful completion of RYA Day Skipper Shorebased course.

Duration:

5 days

Qualifications:

RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Shorebased Certification

What’s included:

Includes all food and accommodation

RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased course syllabus

Position

  • Understand dead reckoning and estimated position
  • Understand satellite-derived position
  • Use of waypoints
  • Radar fixes
  • Techniques of visual fixing
  • Understand fixes using a mixture of position lines
  • Relative accuracy of different methods of position lines
  • Understand areas of uncertainty

The magnetic compass

  • Allowance for variation
  • Understand change of variation with tie and position
  • Understand causes of deviation
  • Swing for deviation (but not correction)
  • Allowance for deviation
  • Different types of compass

Tides

  • Causes of tides – Springs and Neaps
  • Tide tables – sources
  • Tidal levels and datum
  • Standard and secondary ports
  • Tidal anomalies

Tidal streams

  • Sources of tidal information
  • Tidal stream information in sailing directions and yachtsmen’s Almanacs
  • Allowance for tidal stream in computing a course to steer
  • Tide rips, overfalls and races
  • Tidal observation buoys, beacons etc

Buoyage

  • IALA system buoyage in Region A
  • Limitations of buoys as navagational aids

Lights

  • Understand characteristics
  • Ranges – visual, luminous and nominal
  • Rising and dipping distances
  • Light lists

Pilotage

  • Harbour regulations and control signals
  • Methods of pre-planning
  • Clearing lines
  • Use of soundings
  • Transits and leading lines

GPS and chart plotters

  • Principles of operation and limitations of use
  • aster and vector charts
  • Understand datum
  • Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source and keeping a seperate record of position
  • Importance of paper charts

Echo sounders

  • Principles of operation and limitations of use

Logs (speed and distance measuring)

  • Principles of operation and limitation of use

Deck log

  • Importance of log as yachts official document
  • Layout of log, hourly and occasional entries

Meteorology

  • Understand basic terms, the Beaufort scale
  • Air masses
  • Cloud types
  • Weather patterns associated with pressure and frontal systems
  • Sources of weather forecasts
  • Ability to interpret a shipping forecast, weatherfax and weather satellite information
  • Land and sea breezes
  • Sea fog
  • Use of a barometer as a forecasting aid

Rules of the road

  • A sound knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, except Annexes 1 and 3

Safety at sea

  • Personal safety, use of lifejackets, safety harnesses and lifelines
  • Fire prevention and fire fighting
  • Distress signals
  • Coastguard and Boat Safety Scheme
  • Preparation for heavy weather
  • Liferafts and helicopter rescue
  • Understanding of capabilities of vessel and basic knowledge of stability

Navigation in restricted visability

  • Precautions to be taken in fog
  • Limitations to safe navigation imposed by fog
  • Navigation strategy in poor visibility

Passage planning

  • Preparation of charts and notebook for route planning and making, and use at sea
  • Custom regulations as they apply to yachts
  • Routine navigating in coastal waters
  • Strategy for course laying
  • Use of waypoints and routes
  • Use of weather forecast information for passage planning strategy
  • Sources of local and national regulations

Marine environment

  • Responsibility to minimise pollution and protect the marine environment
Register interest