top of page

RYA Day Skipper Navigation Theory Course 

RYA Day Skipper Navigation Theory Course 

Paul at City Sailing explains the essentials and overview of this fun and educational RYA navigation course.

 

The course can be taken in the classroom or online, we have put some tutorials below to help you with the RYA Day Skipper Course, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and tell your friends. 

City Sailing Explains Charts and publications
Session 1  

We explain charts and publications, both in reality and the charts you get on the City Sailing RYA Day Skipper Course.

We go through the Charts and publications used on the Day Skipper Course.

The Compass
Session 1 

City Sailing explains the ships compass, true and magnetic north. It is essential you understand this so it may be worth watching a few times. We go over how to convert from magnetic to true and what devation really is!

RYA Navigation 
Session 1  

The compass rose 

Latitude and Longitude 

Using your Breton Plotter 

Measuring direction and distance 

Allowing for variation

Plotting a bearing line 

Tidal Heights 
Session 2 

In this tutorial, we look at how to read a tide table to find high and low water and the times. We find out how and why tides work with the effect of the earth and moon.

We are shown how to use a tidal curve to work out the height of tide for any given time during the day. 

Tides - Tidal Flow
Session 3   

We explain how tidal flows work, how to find out the set and drift of the tide at any place at any time.

RYA Navigation 
Session2  

We look at how to fix your position on the chart using a GPS position, a three point fix and other ways to secure your position.

We follow the RYA Day Skipper Sylabus on position fixing.

IRPCS Rules of the Road
Session 3  

IRPCS Rules of the road, we explain the basics of the Rules of the Road for sailing vessels and power vessels, who gives way and who stands on. This is more than enough information for you to understand this part of the ENS Course and the start of Rules of the road in the RYA Day Skipper Course

DR - EP
Dead Reckoning and Estimated Positions
Session 3

We explain how to work out DR Dead Reckoning and EP Estimated positions. 

PDF with Lights crib sheet 

IRPCS - Rules of the Road 
Session 4

In this tutorial, we look at the IRPCS with vessel lights for sailing vessels and power vessels and day shapes for Sailing, power, and anchor.

We also look at the lights for larger vessels, vessels not under command, and vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver. 

We also look at lights for fishing vessels.

Safety - Personal Safety Session 4 

RYA Day Skipper Personal Safety, we look at clothing, safety equipment and what is needed for personal safety on your vessel.

Course To Steer  Session 4 

RYA Day Skipper Vessel  Course to Steer tutorial 

Course To Steer Worked Example Session4 

RYA Day Skipper Vessel  Course to Steer tutorial question.

Mooring Session 5 

This tutorial explains how to moor alongside and stern too. We discuss. the correct ropes to use and how it is done.

RYA Buoyage Session 6 
 

We love this RYA video so much that we can take no credit for it and thank Jake for it. The second video goes into Buoyage and Lighthouses in great detail

Waypoint Navigation Session 6 
 

We cover waypoint navigation and how to plot waypoints and the pitfalls 

Weather Session 7 
Part 1 Global Weather 
Part 2 Principles of weather experiments
Part 3 Weather Highs and lows
Part 4 Weather Fronts  
Part 5 Forecasts and information
Part 6 Local Weather-Sea Breezes and Fog 

Weather, one of those subjects you can not ignore

Watch them in order to understand weather, hopefully, you will enjoy this in-depth explanation and make your time on the water more fun. 

General Exam Example   
 

In detail, a walk through the RYA Dayskipper General Exam of 2015/16 Take the time to attempt the exam first as a mock and then look at the video for the answers. Good Luck

 

The RYA has asked us to restrict this to City Sailing customers only as it has past papers in it, you can watch it for only 99p on our youtube members channel.

Safety - Vessel Safety Session 4 

RYA Day Skipper Vessel  Safety 

We look at all the safety equipment on a vessel, how it works and what you need to do to be able to use it.

Leeway  Session 5 

RYA Day Skipper What is Leeway and how do you apply it, this tutorial explains all

Anchoring Session 5 

How, where to anchor, types of Anchor. How to know if your anchor is dragging and how to get the anchor back up. 

Vessel Electronics and Navionics Web app Session 6 
 

The tutorial for RYA Day Skipper covers the vessel electrics and also the popular Navionics Software and a quick guide on how to use it. 

Passage Planning Session 8  
 

Lets Put Some of this together in a passage plan. 

Pilotage Session 7 
 

A short video on passage planning, this will be useful as it seems to come up more in exams recently. 

Chartwork Exam Example   
 

In detail, a walk through the RYA Dayskipper General Exam of 2015/16 Take the time to attempt the exam first as a mock and then look at the video for the answers. Good Luck 

The RYA has asked us to restrict this to City Sailing customers only as it has past papers in it, you can watch it for only 99p on our youtube members channel.

Day Skipper Extra Ropes 
 

We look at different ropes, how they are made, and the uses on your boat. This is a good background watch for Day Skipper and Yachtmaster Students.

bottom of page