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Astraeus · 17-02-2016, 15:46

Evening all

Through my employer I have the opportunity to do a five-day Day Skipper Theory course, all of which is shorebased.

I have limited sailing experience of six nights' aboard monohulls covering upwards of 100 miles including night miles, and did the RYA Competent Crew certificate in 2008. Since 2012 I have done no yacht sailing whatsoever although I have maintained my water legs on dinghies.

The option is open to me to take the Practical course instead of the Theory course which is attractive but - and it is a big but - I would like the benefit of others' experiences of shorebased learning of the Day Skipper Theory before I decide whether to go ahead with the shorebased course over five days in April. It seems to me to be a rather long course however if that is five days of invaluable tuition on navigation, seamanship etc which would simply not be possible on the Practical course, I will probably go for it.

Generally any comments or thoughts would be helpful.

Many thanka.

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Time2Go · 17-02-2016, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astraeus

Evening all

Through my employer I have the opportunity to do a five-day Day Skipper Theory course, all of which is shorebased.

I have limited sailing experience of six nights' aboard monohulls covering upwards of 100 miles including night miles, and did the RYA Competent Crew certificate in 2008. Since 2012 I have done no yacht sailing whatsoever although I have maintained my water legs on dinghies.

The option is open to me to take the Practical course instead of the Theory course which is attractive but - and it is a big but - I would like the benefit of others' experiences of shorebased learning of the Day Skipper Theory before I decide whether to go ahead with the shorebased course over five days in April. It seems to me to be a rather long course however if that is five days of invaluable tuition on navigation, seamanship etc which would simply not be possible on the Practical course, I will probably go for it.

Generally any comments or thoughts would be helpful.

Many thanka.

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Take the Practical for sure
You will be able to pick up the theory beforehand by self study
and by instruction from your practical instructor
Things to study before hand are Lights, Buoys, Aids to Navigation
and Basic Navigation
Buy the RYA books a few weeks before and study
Also there have been a few good resources mentioned on CF
About these also
Cheers

**boatman61** · 17-02-2016, 16:38

Take the Practical and.. as has been said.. get RYA books.. I suggest the Competent Crew if you've not done it already.. simple to understand grounding in everything with illustrations.. also the Day Skipper book for the more advanced Navigation etc..
I took my Practical solo + instructor on my own boat and as we sailed the various course's he'd throw questions at me about Marks, Lights, Col Reg's etc..
If you know the names and can identify a fair bit of stuff beforehand your 2 rungs up.. the Lights and Marks come in Flash Card packs so easy to carry and play with in any spare moments..
Mind.. this was the 80's..

admiralslater · 18-02-2016, 04:17

I did my day skipper theory on line through navathome. They sent all the materials to me in Canada and provided on line support. I then took the practical in Grenada

thomaskoll · 18-02-2016, 07:23

Pick the practical course as it costs a bit more and lump out the extra quids to do the theory beforehand. Ask at the training center for a discount on doing both with them, they should even give you th eoption to do it online.

I'm doing the day skipper theory online right now (with navathome as well) and those few bits I've learned before wouldn't be enough to do that pratical course in a few weeks. I'm doing the online course for three weeks now in a slow tempo and I'm 2/3 through.

subs57 · 18-02-2016, 07:28

I too took my theory through NAVATHOME. I found the course very useful and the support was excellent.

I did my practical on the Clyde and found that the knowledge learned in the theory helped a lot.

Laminated Flash cards for col regs, lights, chart symbols, buoyage and knots are excellent reading in the bath tub.

Good luck.

nebeluk · 18-02-2016, 07:31

I did the Navathome Day Skipper, and Yachtmaster Coastal theory online, and also took the Day Skipper practical. Great support while you are doing the course plus all the charts, plotters, dividers,and online chart plotter supplied. Well worth the money and time.

Nadezhda · 18-02-2016, 08:30

The theory teaches you lots of stuff you really need to know. You can book at-home courses. It covers...

Chart symbols, chart types and things to look for on charts (such as magnetic variation)
Buoys and what they mean
Making a fix
Tidal heights, depths, clearance under bridges
Tidal Streams
Estimated position calculation
Course to steer (taking into account cross-currents)
Inshore pilotage
Collision Regulations
Meteorology
Safety

All good stuff!

**Bulawayo** · 18-02-2016, 09:11

The theory course is well worth it - it drums the basics into you. We can all do a quick learn to scuba dive course or learn to drive in a week but much of the basics then get quickly forgotten.

Astraeus · 18-02-2016, 09:13

Thanks all. Whilst the theory course on offer is at no cost, I am minded to do self-study and go for the Practical course simply so as to not have to use 5 days up to take the theory course.

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Goodall_M1 · 18-02-2016, 09:20

To me the online option is a recent innovation (I went though the theory courses a long time ago), but I know quite a few people who have done it that way and swear by it.

I did my Day Skipper as a combined course 4 days of theory and then straight out on the boat for the practical which is another option.

I think that there are some RYA schools whose instructors explain the theory as you go on the practical, coupled with some paperwork exercises in the evenings on the boat. I have come across this on the net but can't remember the links...

Either way I would get the theory in some way and not just try to wing it.

The Day Skipper practical is an instructor assessed course and if the instructor passes you then he (or she) is saying that you have shown that level of competence and have shown that you can apply what is taught in the theory.

Don't underestimate the knowledge needed for practical. I had a crewman who had sailed over 2000 miles with me. I paid for him to do the combined theory and practical.

He passed the theory and then failed the practical for some reason which I was never able to get him to explain to me.

He is not the only person that I know to have done this as one of my own class failed the practical after passing the theory (just), after nine days with the guy I would have had to agree with the instructor's decision.

Good luck with your start to "the paper-chase" whichever route you decide to take.

nebeluk · 18-02-2016, 09:24

It might appear that you have not read the replies. The theory course most have referred to is a home based online course, not a course of 5 days to attend, and the amount of knowledge it gives is invaluable. If you are not paying for it, what's to lose. It is doubtful if you would pass the RYA Day Skipper practical exam without it. Good luck anyway.

Astraeus · 18-02-2016, 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by nebeluk

It might appear that you have not read the replies. The theory course most have referred to is a home based online course, not a course of 5 days to attend, and the amount of knowledge it gives is invaluable. If you are not paying for it, what's to lose. It is doubtful if you would pass the RYA Day Skipper practical exam without it. Good luck anyway.

No, the course on offer to me is a 5 day residential theory course. What is to lose is 5 days of annual leave which I would sooner use on the water. What I am saying is that, even though there is a cost associated with it, I am tending towards the idea of completing the online course.

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roland stockham · 18-02-2016, 12:51

It depends on your skills and experience. You can do all the theory stuff from a book but if you need help a tutor on hand is great. I would say there is little advantage to an online course over getting the book and doing it yourself but you need the course completion cert to do the practical.