rya COASTAL SKIPPER SYLlABUS

1.    Passage planning

• Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights, and tidal streams, publications required and strategy
• Know Customs procedures

2.    Preparation for sea

• Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages
• Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks

3.    Pilotage

• Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of surroundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations. Can pilot a yacht by day and night

4.    Passage making and ability as skipper

• Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew
• Can organise the navigation, deck work, and domestic duties of a yacht on passage
• Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends
• Is aware of crew welfare on passage
• Can use electronic navigational equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes

5.    Yacht handling under power

• Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power
• All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide

6.    Yacht handling under sail

• Characteristics
• Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space
• Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide
• Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing

7.    Adverse weather conditions

• Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds
• Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility

8.    Emergency situations

• Recovery of crew overboard under power and sail
• Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the liferaft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues