RYA YACHTMASTER THEORY
6 days of expert tuition from Europe’s leading adventure sailing school
Introduction
The RYA Yachtmaster theory course teaches you the skills you need to pass your Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore certificate. It is a pre-requisite to taking the practical exams that you have passed this course. While not obligatory, it is also highly recommended that you have taken this course before taking the Coastal Skipper course.
Previous experience required
Knowledge of navigation to RYA Day Skipper theory level and practical sailing or motorboat experience.SUMMARY
Duration
6 days (Mon - Sat)
Location
Ría de Vigo, NW Spain. Based in Monte Real Club Yates Baiona.
Price
600€
- Day Skipper theory required
- Classroom based
- More advanced navigational skills
- Required skills to pass Yachtmaster
- All course materials including course notes.
- Morning and afternoon tea.
What’s not Included
- Overnight accommodation
All teaching is in a classroom, led by an expert JVN instructor. Class sizes are limited to 8 students, to ensure that you have proper levels of interaction with the instructor. Students come with all different levels of prior knowledge, but do not worry. The entire syllabus is taught from the beginning, and no knowledge of the syllabus is expected prior to starting
Quality of the instructors
The simple truth is that shore based courses in the sailing industry are often taught by people who have done very little sailing outside of their local area. This hugely limits their skills and experience, beyond repeating the same anecdotes and lines lesson after lesson.
We are constantly learning, evolving and improving our approach to sailing and navigation. When you learn with us, you will be getting expert instructors teaching the latest approaches to the theory.
This is an advanced course in navigation and meteorology for candidates for the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate. The syllabus makes some provision for the revision of subjects in the Day Skipper course but those who have not acquired the knowledge set out in the Day Skipper course are unlikely to be able to assimilate all the subjects covered in this advanced course in the time available.
Position
- Dead reckoning and estimated position
- Satellite-derived position
- Use of waypoints to fix position
- Radar fixes
- Techniques of visual fixing
- Fixes using a mixture of position lines
- Relative accuracy of different methods of position fixing
- Area of uncertainty
The magnetic compass
- Allowance for variation
- Change of variation with time and position
- Causes of deviation
- Swing for deviation (but not correction)
- Allowance for deviation
- Different types of compass
Tides
- Causes of tide – Springs and Neaps
- Tide tables – sources
- Tidal levels and datum
- Standard and secondary ports
- Tide anomalies (Solent, etc.)
Tidal Streams
- Sources of tidal information
- Tidal stream information in sailing directions and Yachtsmen’s Almanacs
- Allowance for tidal streams 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 navigational aids
Lights
- 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
- Raster and vector charts
- Datum
- Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source and keeping a separate record of position
- Importance of paper charts
Echo sounders
- Principles of operation and limitations of use
Logs (speed and distance measuring)
- Principles of operation limitations of use
Deck log
- Importance of log as yacht’s official document
- Layout of log, hourly and occasional entries
Meteorology
- Basic terms, the Beaufort scale b. Air masses c. Cloud types d. Weather patterns associated with pressure and frontal systems e. Sources of weather forecasts f. Ability to interpret a shipping forecast, weather fax and weather satellite information g. Land and sea breezes h. Sea fog i. Use of 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 visibility
- Precautions to be taken in fog
- Limitations to safe navigation imposed by fog
- Navigation in poor visibility
Passage planning
- Preparation of charts and notebook for route planning and making, and use at sea
- Customs regulations as they apply to yachts
- Routine for 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
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ANY OF OUR COURSES?
FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS
In order to provide you with all the information that we can offer you, you can find in this section the answers to the most frequently asked questions.
What time does my sailing course start and finish?
Start: 0900hrs on Monday
Finish: 1600hrs on Saturday
Do I need to book overnight accommodation?
Yes, unless you live nearby. These are not residential courses.
Is everything else I need included?
Yes. Your course comes with all the course notes you will need. You do not need to bring any other equipment. It is all provided.