RYA Day Skipper course

Course type: Practical

Duration: 1 Week (7 days)

Location: Marina Kremik, Primosten (HR)

Included: 6 days tuition onboard a modern yacht, RYA Day Skipper Handbook. Linens, Marina fees at home port. RYA Day Skipper exam and certificate

Not included: Food (also for the Instructor), marina/anchorage fees, Diesel, Tourist tax (approx 10 Euro p/p), Travel to/from Primosten

During the course you will be taught to deal with all the responsibilities a Skipper has to deal with. These include weather forecasting, provisioning, engine maintenance. But also sail selection and handling, passage planning, watch keeping, navigation and pilotage. There is particular emphasis on boat handling  under sail and under engine. During the course you will practice mooring and anchoring under various conditions. 

Your experienced and patient instructor will teach you these skills and you will put them into practice as you skipper the yacht. You will prepare and sail short passages among the beautiful Croatian Islands. 

You will live aboard for the duration of the course and spend the nights at anchor in beautiful bays or in modern marinas. You will visit many different harbours and anchorages and practice various pilotage techniques which are an essential skill for the aspiring skipper.

You will also complete at least 4 night hours sailing to practice night navigation, without the use of electronic navigational aids.

With a maximum of 5 students per yacht, your instructors can devote plenty of time to your needs and focus the program to the areas you need most. At the end of the course you will be confident to skipper a cruising yacht on short passages by day.

Students who successfully complete the Day Skipper course are awarded the RYA Day Skipper practical course completion certificate. With this worldwide recognised certificate you can charter a yacht pretty much everywhere in the world.

Courses are run in English 

You can book directly online by first choosing your preferred dates below and then clicking the 'Add to cart' button.  If you prefer, you can also give us a call or send us an email with your desired dates and we will get back to you with a confirmation. Once you book the course, we will send you the RYA Handbook so you can start browsing through. We will also send you the detailed joining instructions. 

For a more detailed summary of the course Syllabus please scroll all the way down 

Any questions or doubts? Contact us: 

+43 664 88360842 or info@white-wake.com

1. Preparation for sea 

- Knows basic stability and buoyancy concepts for small vessels 

- Is able to prepare a yacht for sea, including engine checks, selection of sails, securing and stowage of all gear on deck and below 

2. Deck Work  

- Can reef, shake out reefs and change sails to suit prevailing conditions  

- Can prepare an anchor, mooring warps and take charge on deck when mooring alongside, coming to a buoy, anchoring, weighing anchor and slipping from a buoy or alongside berth  

3. Navigation  

- proficient in chartwork and routine navigational duties on passage including:  

- Knowledge of the use and limitations of AIS 

- Taking and plotting visual fixes.

- Use of electronic navigation equipment for position fixing and use of waypoints

- Working up to Dead Reckoning (DR) and Estimated Position (EP)

– Using secondary means for position fixing.

- Estimating tidal heights and tidal streams, use of echo sounder or lead line

- Working out a course to steer to allow for tidal stream, leeway and drift

- Knowledge of IALA buoyage - Maintenance of navigational records 

4. Pilotage  

- Can prepare and execute a pilotage plan for entry into, or departure from, harbour  

- Can use leading and clearing lines  

- Can use transits and surroundings as aids to pilotage 

5. Meteorology  

- Knows sources of forecast information  

- Can interpret shipping forecasts and use a barometer as a forecasting aid  

6. Rules of the road 

- Has a working knowledge and practical understanding of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

- Demonstrates suitable awareness of other water users both at sea and in close-quarters manoeuvring  

7. Maintenance and repair work  

- Understands and is able to carry out maintenance tasks  

- Knows the properties and uses of common synthetic fibre ropes  

8. Engines  

- Has a working knowledge of the prevention of common engine faults

- Is aware of the need for periodic maintenance checks on engines and electrical systems

- knows about toolkits, spares and lubricants, location of filters and bleed points for fuel, tension of drive belts and how to adjust or replace them. 

- Knows how to carry out checks before starting, whilst running and after stopping

- Can clean and change fuel and water filters, pump impeller

- Can estimate fuel consumption at various speeds and carry out basic troubleshooting 

9. Victualling  

- Understands how to victual a yacht appropriately for the planned passage 

10. Emergency situations 

- Is able to take correct action as skipper for recovery of man overboard

- Understands distress flares and how to use a liferaft

- Can operate a radiotelephone in an emergency and send a distress message

- Understands how to secure a tow and rescue procedures including helicopter rescue  

11. Yacht handling under power  

- Can bring a boat safely to and from an alongside berth, mooring buoy and anchor under various conditions of wind and tide

- can sail a straight course and turn in a confined space

- can anchor in a predetermined position 

12. Yacht handling under sail  

- Can bring a boat safely to and from a mooring buoy and anchor

- Can steer and trim sails effectively on all points of sail 

13. Passage making  

- Can plan and make a coastal passage, taking account of relevant navigational hazards and limitations imposed by the type of boat and the strength of the crew  

14. Night cruising  

- Has experienced sail cruising at night, including leaving and entering harbour.

- Understands the special consideration for pilotage plans, keeping a lookout and identifying marks by night.