The practical ladder
Governing: RYA published course pages; MSN 1862 Amendment 1 section 3.2. Cross-refer: Day Skipper Theory, Yacht Rating Certificate.
Three rungs
| Course | Duration | Age | Recommended experience beforehand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competent Crew (sail) | 5 days | Recommended 12 | None |
| Helmsman (motor) | 2 days | 12 | None |
| Day Skipper Practical (sail) | 5 days | 16 | 5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours aboard; Day Skipper theory knowledge |
| Day Skipper Practical (motor) | 4 days | 16 | 5 days, 100 miles, 4 night hours aboard a motor cruiser; Day Skipper theory knowledge |
| Coastal Skipper Practical (sail or motor) | 5 days | 17 | 15 days, 2 as skipper, 300 miles, 8 night hours; Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore theory |
All figures are from the RYA's course-finder pages. The courses are taught aboard, living on the boat, by an RYA-recognised training centre, and the certificate is awarded on the instructor's continuous assessment, not a single test.
Competent Crew makes you a useful pair of hands: terminology, sail handling, ropework, helming, safety kit, man overboard, life aboard.
Day Skipper makes you able to take charge of a small cruising yacht (the RYA says 30 to 45 ft for the sailing version) on short passages in familiar waters by day. It qualifies you to apply for an ICC.
Coastal Skipper extends that to coastal and offshore passages by day and night, including unfamiliar harbours and adverse weather. Beyond it sits the Yachtmaster exam; see Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore.
Why yacht crew bother
- The Yacht Rating Certificate. MSN 1862 Amendment 1 section 3.2 recognises Day Skipper together with Competent Crew as an exemption: no Training Record Book, and service cut to 2 months' seagoing on 15 m+ vessels. See Yacht Rating Certificate.
- Seamanship. A deckhand who has helmed a 35 ft yacht into a marina in a crosswind understands what the captain is doing with a 50 m one.
- The ladder to Yachtmaster. Coastal Skipper practical is the usual preparation for the Yachtmaster exam, the first step for many towards Master (Code Vessels) <200 GT.
CAUTION — Recreational until endorsed RYA practical certificates are recreational. Using them to skipper a commercial vessel needs a commercial endorsement: see Commercial Endorsement.
How this course is organised
- Module 1: crew skills, ropework, safety briefings and engine checks.
- Module 2: boat handling under sail and power, marinas, anchoring.
- Module 3: emergencies: man overboard and heavy weather.
- Module 4: skippering: pilotage, passage making, night, and the Coastal Skipper step.
Chartwork, tides, meteorology theory and the collision rules are in Day Skipper Theory. Here we apply them on deck.
TIP — Log your miles now The recommended experience is in days, miles and night hours. Record every trip, as crew or skipper, from the first one.