RYA Day Skipper Practical Sailing course
Make the transition from crew to skipper by developing the practical skills and confidence to take command of a small yacht with the RYA Day Skipper course.
Course description
Once you’ve completed the course, you’ll be able to safely take charge of a 30-45ft sail cruising yacht and its crew on day trips in familiar waters.
The Day Skipper qualification shows charter companies that you have enough knowledge and practical experience to take their boats out safely, and also qualifies you to apply for an ICC (International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft) to go cruising abroad.
During the course you’ll live onboard a sail cruising yacht with your crewmates and RYA instructor. You will cover pilotage, practical navigation, seamanship and boat handling under both power and sail.
The course is very hands-on and we recommend that you take the RYA Day Skipper Theory course prior to your practical course so you can put these skills into practice on the water.
Course overview
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Course length |
5 days, 3 weekends or 3 days plus 2 days. |
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Course format |
This course is based on the water. |
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Required experience |
Basic sailing ability. 5 days, 100 miles |
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Minimum age |
16 |
More information
- Preparation for sea
- Deck work
- Navigation
- Pilotage
- Meteorology
- Rules of the road
- Maintenance and repair work
- Engines
- Victualling
- Emergency situations
- Handling under power
- Handling under sail
- Passage-making
- Night cruising
If you need a Day Skipper certificate in order to work on board a commercial craft subject to the MCA's codes of practice, you will need to get it commercially endorsed. You can then work on commercial vessels up to 24m in length, operating in category 5 and 6 waters - that is up to 20 miles from a nominated departure point in fine weather and daylight.
Please note
If you will be working in category 5 waters, you will need to hold both the shorebased and practical Day Skipper certificates, and get them commercially endorsed.
If you hold a non-tidal Day Skipper certificate and want to work in category 6 waters, you will also need to hold the Day Skipper shorebased certificate.
Find out more about working on British flagged vessels and the categorisation of waters.
