COMPETENT CREW

• Perfect for beginners – no previous experience required.
• Fun course, with RYA certification at the end.
• Visit beautiful harbours and anchorages.
• Expert tuition to give you the best start.

• All course material, including notes.
• All meals and snacks on board.
• Life jackets
• All mooring fees

Not included:

• Sleeping bag and towel
• Meals on land
• Waterproof clothing

You will spend the entire course living on the yacht, with all meals included. One of Julio Verne Náutica ‘s expert instructors will work with you through the entire program, covering everything you need to know to be a competent and useful crew member on any future yacht you sail on.

A training holiday

Each day you will sail to a new location, visiting the wonderful harbors and anchorages of the Rias Baixas. You will finish each day both on land and in beautiful anchorages, and usually have the opportunity to head to one of the local pubs for a well-deserved beer and a chat about the day’s training.

In one of the best places to learn to sail

The Rias are easily one of the best sailing areas in the world, with their great variety of locations, sheltered waters, gentle tides and lots of fishing boats moving around. As we described in our overview of the Rias Baixas, this is really the only place to learn to sail.

Safety is absolutely paramount when going out on the water. We chose Rías Baixas to teach because it is one of the safest places to sail in Europe.

90% of the crew joins alone, so these are excellent courses if you come alone. There is almost always a 50:50 mix of men and women, of all ages. It’s a small, fun group of like-minded people, all working towards the same goal.

You can expect four other crew members on board, giving a maximum of five.

• Warm clothes including hat, scarf, gloves and thermal underwear.
• Sleeping bag
• Polarised sunglasses
• Sun block
• Wash kit
• Towel
• Flip flops (great for shower blocks)
• Swimming gear
• Phone charger
• Sailing boots and some deck shoes or non-marking trainers

The RYA Competent Crew course introduces the complete beginner to cruising and teaches personal safety, seamanship and helming skills to the level required to be a useful member of the crew of a cruising yacht.

General Knowledge

• Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging and sails
• Sufficient knowledge to understand orders given concerning the sailing and day to day running of the boat.

Sail Handling

• Bending on, setting, reefing and handling of sails
• Use of sheets and halyards and their associated winches

Ropework

• Handling ropes, including coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double bollards
• Handling warps
• Ability to tie the following knots and to know their correct use: figure-of-eight, clove hitch, rolling hitch, bowline, round turn and two half hitches, single and double sheet bend, reef knot

Fire precautions and fighting

• Awareness of the dangers of fire and the necessary precautions to prevent it. Knowledge of the action to be taken in case of fire.

Personal safety equipment

• Understands and complies with rules for the wearing of safety harnesses, lifejackets and personal buoyancy aids

Casualty overboard

• Understands the action to be taken to recover a casualty who has fallen overboard

Emergency equipment

• Can operate distress flares and knows when they should be used
• Understands how to launch and board a liferaft

Manners and customs

• Understands accepted practise with regard to use of burgees and ensigns, prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in the harbour including courtesies to other craft berthed.
• Aware of the responsibility of yacht skippers to protect the environment

Rules of the Road

• Is able to keep an efficient lookout at sea

Dinghies

• Understands and complies with the loading rules.
• Is able to handle a dinghy under oars

Meteorology

• Awareness of forecasting services and knowledge of the Beaufort scale

Seasickness

• Understands to what degree their working efficiency is unaffected/partially affected/severely affected by seasickness

Helming and sailing

• Understands the basic principles of sailing and can steer and trim sails on all points of sailing
• Can steer a compass course, under sail and power

General duties

• Has carried out general duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection with the daily routine of the vessel