The RYA Day Skipper Practical Course is taught on a cruiser of at least 7m LOA  and puts your Day Skipper Theory in to practice. So it’s a good thing to have completed your day Skipper Theory beforehand.

The RYA Day Skipper Practical Course covers Pilotage, navigation, seamanship and boat handling up to the standard required to Skipper a motor cruiser safely by day in tidal / non-tidal waters with which the student is familiar, also with the introduction to night work.

The RYA Day Skipper Practical Course is taken over 4-5 days depending on experience (ICC 24m)

Although it is not a requirement to have completed your theory prior to practical training, over the years it has proved to be a far better way of doing it, as there in not much time to teach/explain both the theory and practical in the time periods given.

The course is based on 4-5 days depending on your experience, covering longer passages than you may have covered during Basic Helmsman, there will also be a night navigation phase as an introduction to night passage making.

After discussions held with the RYA Chief Instructor Cruising the following training schedules are excepted.

You can do the theory course online, but we do not run online courses.

If you have already successfully completed your theory (can produce a certificate) the practical  course will be 4 days.

If you have part completed your theory (no certificate) then you can do a Theory Revision / Practical  course 4-5 or if required 5-6 days.

Should you wish to combine both the theory and practical courses in full, each course cut back by one day will be 8 days in total.

The minimum age for the course: 
Age 16

The RYA Day Skipper Practical Course will cover the following:

• Preparation for sea - Boat handling
• Navigation - Plotting fixes, electronic navigation equipment, Waypoints, working up DR & EPs
  Tidal  heights  & tidal streams, Course to steer
• Knowledge of - IALA  buoyage systems, maintenance of ships log, use of the echo sounder
• Pilotage - Preparation & execution of a pilot plan for entry or departure from ports
  Understands the use of clearing & leading lines,  use of transits & soundings
• Passage making - Meteorology, Rules of the road, Engines, Emergency situations, night cruising

The cost of the RYA Day Skipper Practical Course is:

When placing a booking:
5 Days Practical

With regret and due to the increase in services such as fuel and electricity during the past year.
For the first time in 5 years we need to change our prices.

1-2-1 tuition (alone), £3000 for the 4 days
Individual booking, £2500 for the 4 days
Booking for two, £1800 per head
Booking for three, £1650 per head

This includes school boat hire and fuel + course material.
Own boat tuition: £200.00 per day for one client + £25.00 per day for each extra client + course material + travel if required.

For theory and practical courses:
Theory Revision / Practical Course add £200.00 per head per day (depending on number of days 4-5 days or 5-6 days)
For full combine theory and practical course 8 days £1800.00 per head

For more information contact Cliff on +447767398892 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Under the guidance of the RYA, we have made some slight changes to how we run the following courses

Basic Helmsman

ICC over 10m Qualification

The Basic Helmsman is a two Day course (details given below)

The ICC over 10m Qualification (previously know as the ICC 24m), Can be applied for on completion of the basic helmsman Course

or higher qualification (Day Skipper and above)

You may also apply for a Direct entry into The ICC over 10m LOA ( you will be requested to show the above qualifications)

The Basic Helmsman Course will give you, not only a basic theory back ground, but also a practical knowledge of how to conduct and enjoy your boating in a safe and controlled manner

The duration of the Basic Helmsman Course is two days

The RYA Basic Helmsman Course will cover the following topics:

• Rope work & knots
• Safety  equipment
• Type of craft
• Weather forecasts - In general
• Boat preparation - Engines and drives, Prestart  checks, operation and maintenance
• Boat handling - Coming alongside, Pick-up a buoy
• Rules of the road - Buoyage systems, lights & day shapes
• Basic chart work - Latitude & longitude, Chart symbols, Bearings true & magnetic, Tidal diamond & streams, Tidal curves, use of drawing instruments
• Passage planning - basics
• GPS
• Position Fix
• Man over board drills

The cost of the Basic Helmsman Course:

When  placing a booking:
2 Days Classroom / Practical

With regret and due to the increase in services such as fuel and electricity during the past year.
For the first time in 5 years we need to change our prices.

1-2-1 tuition (alone), £1400.00 for the two days
Individual booking £800.00 per head
Booking for two, £700.00 per head
Booking for three, £600.00 per head

This includes school boat hire and fuel + course material if required.
Own boat tuition: £200.00 per day for one client + £25.00 per day for each extra client + course material + travel if required.

The cost of an ICC over 10m direct entry given on request (one Day assessment)

For more information contact Cliff on +447767398892 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.