RYA TUITION – NAVIGATION COURSES
Essential Navigation and Seamanship syllabus (from RYA G15/12 book):
1. Charts, publications and terms
- Basic terms
- Chart overview
- Introduction to chart datum and depths
2. Buoyage
- Lateral buoys
- Cardinal buoys
- Where to find information
3. Navigation
- Plotting a position
- Measuring distance and bearing
- Position fix
- Heading
4. Safety
- Personal and boat safety equipment
- Safety procedures and briefing
- Communications
- Engines checks
- Rescue procedures
5. Anchoring
- Where to anchor
- How to anchor
6. Tides
- Tidal streams
- Tidal heights
7. Electronic navigation
- GNSS terms
- GNSS use
- Using waypoints
8. Rules of the road
- Risk of collision
- Who gives way
9. Weather forecasts
- Sources of forecast
- Terms used in forecast
10. Pilotage
- Harbour information
- Transits
- Pilotage plan
11. Passage plan
- SOLAS V requirements
- Pre planning
- Chart choice
Day Skipper syllabus (from RYA G15/12 book):
Indication of the depth of knowledge required: A: Full knowledge, B: Working knowledge, C: Outline knowledge
1. Nautical terms
- Parts of a boat and hull (B)
- General nautical terminology (B)
2. Ropework
- Knowledge of the properties of synthetic ropes on common use (B)
3. Anchorwork
- Characteristics of different types of anchor (B)
- Considerations to be taken into account when anchoring (B)
4. Safety
- Knowledge of the safety equipment to be carried, its stowage and use (B)
- Fire precautions and fire fighting (B)
- Use of personal safety equipment, harness and lifejackets (B)
- Ability to send a distress signal by VHF radiotelephone (B)
- Basic knowledge of rescue procedures including helicopter rescue (B)
- Stability (C)
5. International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
- Steering and sailing rules (5, 7-10 and 12-19) (A)
- General rules (all other rules) (B)
6. Definition of position, course and speed
- Latitude and longitude (B)
- Knowledge of standard navigational terms (B)
- True bearings and courses (B)
- The knot (C)
7. Navigational charts and publications
- Information show on charts, chart symbols and representation of direction and distance (B)
- Navigational publications in common use (C)
- Chart correction (C)
8. Navigational drawing instruments
- Use of parallel rulers, dividers and proprietary plotting instruments (B)
9. Compass
- Application of variation (B)
- Awareness of deviation and its causes (C)
- Use of hand-bearing compass (B)
10. Chartwork
- Dead reckoning and estimated position (B) including an awareness of leeway (C)
- Techniques of visual fixing (B)
- Use of GNSS and chart plotters for position fixing (B)
- Use of waypoints to fix position (A)
- Course to steer (B)
11. Tides and tidal streams
- Tidal definitions, levels and datum (B)
- Tidal tables (B)
- Use of admiralty method of determining tidal height at standard port
- Awareness of corrections for secondary ports (C)
- Use of tidal diamonds and tidal stream atlases for chartwork (B)
12. Visual aids to navigation
- Lighthouses and beacons, light characteristics (B)
13. Meteorology
- Sources of broadcast meteorological information (B)
- Knowledge of terms used in shipping forecasts, including the Beaufort scale, and their significance to small craft (B)
- Basic knowledge of highs, lows and fronts (C)
14. Passage planning
- Preparation of navigational plan for short coastal passages (C)
- Meteorological considerations in planning short coastal passages (C)
- Use of and visual confirmation of waypoints on passage (B)
- Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source (A)
- Keeping a navigational record (A)
15. Navigation in restricted visibility
- Precautions to be taken in, and limitations imposed by, fog (B)
16. Pilotage
- Use of transits, leading lines and clearing lines (B)
- IALA system of buoyage for Region A (B)
- Use of sailing directions (B)
- Pilotage plans and harbour entry (B)
17. Marine environment
- Responsibility for avoiding pollution and protecting the marine environment (B)
Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster® syllabus (from RYA G15/12 book):
Indication of the depth of knowledge required: A: Full knowledge, B: Working knowledge, C: Outline knowledge
1. Position
- Dead reckoning and estimated position (B)
- Satellite-derived position (A)
- Use of waypoints to fix position (A)
- Radar fixes (B)
- Techniques of visual fixing (B)
- Fixes using a mixture of position lines (B)
- Relative accuracy of different methods of position fixing (A)
- Areas of uncertainty (C)
2. The magnetic compass
- Allowance for variation (B)
- Change of variation with time and position (B)
- Causes of deviation (B)
- Compass checks for deviation (but not correction) (C)
- Allowance for deviation (C)
- Different types of compass (C)
3. Tides
- Causes of tides – Springs and neaps (C)
- Tide tables – sources (C)
- Tidal levels and datum (B)
- Standard and secondary ports (B)
- Tidal anomalies (Solent, etc.) (C)
4. Tidal streams
- Sources of tidal information (B)
- Tidal stream information in sailing directions and Yachtsmen’s Almanacs (B)
- Allowance for tidal streams in computing a course to steer (A)
- Tide rips, overfalls and races (B)
- Tidal observation buoys, beacons, etc. (B)
5. Buoyage
- IALA system buoyage in Region A (B)
- Limitations of buoys as navigational aids (C)
6. Lights
- Characteristics (B)
- Range – visual, luminous and nominal (C)
- Rising and dipping distances (C)
- Light lists (C)
7. Pilotage
- Harbour regulations and control signals (A)
- Methods of pre-planning (B)
- Clearing lines (A)
- Use of soundings (B)
- Transits and leading lines (B)
8. GNSS and Chart Plotters
- Principles of operation and limitations of use (A)
- Raster and vector charts (C)
- Datum (C)
- Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source and keeping a separate record of position (A)
- Importance of paper charts (B)
9. Echo sounders
- Principles of operation and limitations of use (C)
10. Logs (speed and distance measuring)
- Principles of operation and limitation of use (C)
11. Deck log
- The importance of log as yacht’s official document (B)
- Layout of log, hourly and occasional entries (B)
12. Meteorology
- Basic terms, the Beaufort scale (B)
- Air masses (B)
- Cloud types (B)
- Weather patterns associated with pressure and frontal systems (B)
- Sources of weather forecasts (B)
- Ability to interpret a shipping forecast, weatherfax and weather satellite information (B)
- Land and sea breezes (B)
- Sea fog (C)
- Use of a barometer as a forecasting aid (B)
13. Rules of the Road
- A sound knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, except Annexes 1 and 3 (A)
14. Safety at sea
- Personal safety, use of lifejackets, safety harness and lifelines (B)
- Fire prevention and fire fighting (B)
- Distress signals (B)
- Coastguard and Boat Safety Scheme (C)
- Preparation for heavy weather (B)
- Liferafts and helicopter rescue (B)
- Understanding of capabilities of vessel and basic knowledge of stability (C)
15. Navigation in restricted visibility
- Precautions to be taken in fog (B)
- Limitations to safe navigation imposed by fog (B)
- Navigation strategy in poor visibility
16. Passage planning
- Preparation of charts and notebook for route planning and making, and use at sea (B)
- Customs regulations as they apply to yachts (C)
- Routine for navigating in coastal waters (B)
- Strategy for course laying (B)
- Use of and visual confirmation of waypoints and routes (A)
- Use of weather forecast information for passage planning strategy (B)
- Sources of local and national regulations (B)
17. Marine environment
- Responsibility for avoiding pollution and protecting the marine environment (B)