Motor Cruising - Day skipper Practical course 4 Days This is a fantastic course to get your first taste of skippering a motor cruiser (a boat that has a toilet and berths) not to be confused with powerboat courses which are open boats without accommodation.

This is a 4 day course that we usually start on a Saturday. If the weather gods are against us we might well postpone and start later, so best to take time off work between the Saturday and the following Sunday ( a week ) just in case. We will of course have a good idea of what the weather is doing 3-5 days before your course. This gives us some leeway to be able to start at the latest on the Thursday and still be able to complete the course. 

You will learn the basics from starting the engine, the daily checks required as well as chartwork, making a passage, Mooring, Man Overboard and being competent to safely enjoying motor cruising.

We need a minimum of 2 adults for this course and can teach a maximum of 4. If you have children we also run the Start Motor cruising course which is aimed at children between 8 and 16 years of age. This is a course that we can run in conjunction with the day skipper course and will keep the young people occupied, as they learn to become a valuable member of the crew. They will learn fender handling, knots, how to read a chart and basic helming. For £250 a young person can attend when accompanied with adults on the Day Skipper course.

Our boat is a Dutch Steel Motor Yacht and you are welcome to stay on board as she sleeps 5. Basic food is provided within the cost but we would need to identify any specific dietary requirements beforehand. 

We will be cruising along the Kent coastline including Ramsgate, Deal, Dover and if the weather is inclement we may well head to the flatter waters of the Swale Estuary or the Medway. We may even be able to cross the channel to France, if the authorities allow it, bring your passport.

Course Topics Preparing the boat for sea. Boat Handling including turning in a confined space, coming alongside and mooring to a buoy. 

Navigation including plotting, visual fixes, use of waypoints, tidal heights and streams, course to steer, buoyage and electronic aids. ( Please see the note at the bottom of the page about the theory for becoming a Day skipper.) Pilotage for leaving and arriving at ports, harbours and marinas etc. Passage planning taking into account the limitations of the crew, boat, tides and weather. Understanding weather forecasts and charts. International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. 

At the end of the 4 day practical course your instructor will ascertain if you have reached the required level to gain the RYA Day Skipper certificate. This can then be converted to an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) for a small fee with the RYA, useful if you would like to hire a boat outside of the UK. 

Question; Do I need the Day Skipper Theory certificate before doing the RYA Day Skipper practical course ? Answer; A student can complete the practical Day Skipper Course without the Theory element, however in practice, the vast majority of students will be unable to pass the course without a good working knowledge of the Day Skipper Theory Course Syllabus. So it might be a good idea to do the RYA day skipper online course with us before coming on the Day Skipper practical course. This can be found HERE