RYA Theory Courses

RYA Theory Shore-based Yacht Sailing  Courses

Learning to sail is not just about pulling ropes and there are a huge array of RYA yacht sailing theory and 1 day support courses that will help to make your yacht sailing experiences safe and enjoyable whether you are just starting to learn to sail or you are a seasoned sailor.

RYA Theory Courses and Prices

The table below gives an overview of the RYA theory courses that we offer from some of our RYA training school partners that we have extremely close ties with (along with the prices for each). Courses are run throughout the year including winter, with peak season being between April and September. Hamble School of Yachting not only look after the bulk of the maintenance of our yachts they also deliver our Solent based RYA theory courses from classrooms at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble which is the Solent base for Yachtforce’s yachts.

For more information on each course including upcoming dates, location and prerequisites, simply click the title and more information will be displayed below. If you know that a particular RYA course is what you need and you are ready to book then you can click the link for the on line booking within the tab. This is only available for RYA courses delivered from Hamble.

If you are unsure whether a particular course is for you please give us a call on 02380 016450.

Course Format: 5 Days  (0900 until approximately 1700 – Monday until Friday)

Price: £360

Based at either Hamble, (Southampton). Over the 5 days you will learn the art of basic navigation, meteorology, tides and all you need to know to navigate in familiar waters during the day. We offer excellent package deals with the Day Skipper Practical course for you to practise your navigation for real. 2 exam papers.

This is an absolute must for wannabee yachties that wish to progress from the skills of dinghy sailing to being able to handle a boat in coastal waters during the day. It is invaluable if you are thinking of trying a flotilla holiday in the future and then working your way up to bare boat charter. It covers a variety of navigation and further seamanship skills. Ask for a full info sheet and reserve yourself a space as places are limited.

Book Your RYA Day Skipper Theory Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 6 Days  (0900 until approximately 1700 – Monday until Saturday)

Price: £380

Based at either Hamble, Southampton or in Brighton marina in our floating classroom. Students must have the equivalent to Dayskipper Theory knowledge already. The course covers navigation, meteorology, collision avoidance, safety and passage planning.

It is an intensive course covering advanced navigation techniques including – position fixing, course shaping and plotting, tidal knowledge including secondary port calculations, navigation in restricted visibility, Admiralty publications and electronic position finding equipment. The meteorology tuition includes the taking and interpretation of forecasts, plotting of weather systems and weather prediction. Students are shown how to use this information when planning and executing passage plans. The International Regulations for Prevention of Collision at Sea are dealt with in detail and you will also learn more about yacht stability and safety offshore.

It is strongly recommended that students have a good grasp of theory subjects to Day Skipper standard and have thoroughly revised the Collision Regulations before attending.

During the course students sit three exams and will be awarded the RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory Certificate.

Book Your RYA Yachtmaster / Coastal Theory Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 5 Days  (0900 until approximately 1700 – Monday until Friday)

Price: £485

Based at either Hamble, Southampton or in Brighton marina in our floating classroom.

The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course is the first stage in obtaining the prestigious RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence. This course is equally suited to those that aspire to blue water cruising or who just want to learn traditional navigation. The course will equip you with the necessary theoretical skills to carry out an ocean passage as mate or skipper. The course will cover all aspects of ocean navigation with particular emphasis on the use of astro-navigation and worldwide meteorology. The sessions on astro-navigation will unlock the mysteries of the sextant and allow you to confidently take sights at sea to obtain your position and carry out compass checks.

Ocean sailing is, however about more than just using a sextant. Another important aspect of ocean sailing is worldwide meteorology, passage planning and communications at sea. Publications that assist the ocean navigator such as routeing charts and other pilot books will be discussed. The course also recognises that there has been a vast improvement in technology available to help with ocean routeing and weather prediction. Time will be spent discussing the various computer programmes, internet sites and satellite/radio broadcasts available to the modern ocean navigator. Crew management, watch keeping, victualling, water and fuel management and emergency equipment are also covered.

Having successfully passed this theory course you will be ready to put the theory into practice on an ocean voyage. Upon returning candidates who already hold the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence can apply to be examined for the full RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate of Competence.

Book Your RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 1 Day

Price: £120 + SRC Exam Certificate fee of £60

Based at either Hamble Southampton or in Brighton marina in our floating classroom.This one day course including assessment runs through all the aspects of operating your VHF radio including digital selective calling. On successful completing this will give you a licence to operate your radio, a legal requirement.

Book Your RYA SRC / VHF Radio Operator Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 1 Day

Price: £120

Based at either Hamble Southampton or in Brighton marina in our floating classroom. A one day course designed for the coastal yachtsman. Very useful, and could be a lifesaver!

Book Your RYA First Aid Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 5 Day

Price: £120

Based at either Hamble Southampton or in Brighton marina in our floating classroom. Engine failure is the most common of all lifeboat call outs. Get to grips with your diesel engine in this 1 day course and make sure that it doesn’t happen to you.

Book Your RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 1 Day

Price: £120

Based at either Hamble Southampton. This 1 day RYA Radar course is aimed at users of radar in small craft. As the price of equipment falls, the use of radar is becoming increasingly common. However, as with most electronic equipment, best results are only obtained when you know how to use all the functions correctly.

The RYA Radar course starts from basics by looking at the way a radar set works and then goes on to demonstrate how the different adjustments and features available affect the working of the set. Other subjects covered include target definition, radar reflectors, types of radar displays, radar plotting and the use of radar for navigation and collision avoidance. At the end of the course students are awarded with an RYA Radar course certificate.

Book Your RYA Radar Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 1 Day

Price: £120

Based at either Hamble Southampton. This 1 day RYA Radar course is aimed at users of radar in small craft. As the price of equipment falls, the use of radar is becoming increasingly common. However, as with most electronic equipment, best results are only obtained when you know how to use all the functions correctly.

The RYA Radar course starts from basics by looking at the way a radar set works and then goes on to demonstrate how the different adjustments and features available affect the working of the set. Other subjects covered include target definition, radar reflectors, types of radar displays, radar plotting and the use of radar for navigation and collision avoidance. At the end of the course students are awarded with an RYA Radar course certificate.

Book Your RYA Radar Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.

Course Format: 1 Day

Price: £130

Based at Hamble Southampton. The RYA/ISAF World Sailing Offshore Safety course equips both racers and cruisers with the skills and knowledge necessary to both prevent and deal with emergencies offshore. Whilst this course satisfies the training requirements for many offshore races it is equally suited to those who undertake blue water cruises and may be beyond immediate help.

In order to obtain the full ISAF World Sailing Offshore Safety Certification students will need to complete both this course and the one day RYA Sea Survival course. We would also strongly recommend attending the one day RYA First Aid course and whilst this is not a requirement for the actual ISAF certificate it is required to be held by a certain number of crew on some races. /p>

The course satisfies the training required by ISAF Offshore Special Regulations 6.01 for category 0, 1 and some category 2 offshore races. The RYA/ISAF Offshore Safety Course is split between both theoretical and practical hands on training.

Subjects covered include;

  • Care & Maintenance of Safety Equipment
  • Storm Sails
  • Damage Control
  • Crew Routines
  • Man Overboard Prevention and Recovery
  • Giving Assistance to other craft
  • SAR Organisation and Methods
  • Practical Fire Precautions and Fire Fighting
  • Distress Alerting and Survivor Location Aids

We don’t believe you can learn by just sitting in front of a whiteboard so during the day there will be a chance to let off flares, set off fire extinguishers, set up a storm jib and experiment with recovering a man back onboard from the dockside.

Book Your RYA/ISAF World Sailing Offshore Safety Course Now:    Click Here     To be transferred to our on site partners at Mercury Yacht Harbour, Hamble (Hamble School of Yachting) and their on line booking system. You can see real time availability and pay directly through this link. You pay exactly what you would if speaking to their guys in the office.  If you’d rather discuss it call us on 02380 016450 and we’ll help you decide if the course is right for you.