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Old 22-01-2025, 08:15   #1
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What RYA course

I'm a bit overwhelmed by the wide range of RYA courses on offer. I'd be very interested in what you might suggest.
A bit about me - I'm now retired and living on a 58 narrowboat on the English canals. I've owned several small cruiser sailboats and enjoyed coastal cruising in Florida. Many, many years ago (30 plus?!) before GPS was around I was a United States Power Squadron instructor for Coastal Navigation. So, I know my way around paper charts pretty well.
As a next stage in our retirement, my wife and I are considering buying a 40-50 foot trawler and potentially cruising both the Med and the Baltic.
Given my experience, what courses would you suggest I need/want? Extra credit if you have experience with and can suggest a school for the courses!
Many thanks in advance.
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Old 22-01-2025, 08:43   #2
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pirate Re: What RYA course

Seeing as you have nav experience and some open water experience I would suggest the Coastal Skipper course.
Theory can be done online and Practical can be done at any of the schools on the S coast, most of which are liveaboard for 5-7 days and covers all aspects of boat operations.
This will allow you to operate vessels up to 64ft/80gt anywhere.
You can choose Power only or the Sail/Power combo.. my ticket covers both to the above limits.

PS: I took my exam in the early 80's in Poole, Dorset.. I did not do the course but studied the Theory at night classes and took the Practical on my own boat (solo) with an instructor hired for the day from a RYA school locally.
I followed all the manouveres under sail or power while he threw the theory questions at me at the same time, buoyage, rules etc..
I was ex RN so felt competent enough to bypass to conventional route.
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Old 22-01-2025, 09:22   #3
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Re: What RYA course

Given your experience, why worry about RYA courses at all? They are VERY unlikely to teach you anything you don't already know.

There are circumstances, of course, where the RYA "ticket" is the price of admission, so as Boatie sez, just take the "Coastal Skipper"(which you'll no doubt be able to do in your sleep) and have the thing over and done with.

As for the Baltic, popping over to the river Elbe and from there into the canal system and emerging into the Baltic at Kiel is a doddle and not by any means a test of navigation skills. It's just common sense :-)

Best

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Old 22-01-2025, 10:00   #4
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Re: What RYA course

I would just sail the boat you have and think of which skills I lack. Then I would take a course that teaches just these skills.


b.
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Old 22-01-2025, 10:04   #5
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pirate Re: What RYA course

Remember, to use the waterways of Europe you will need this licence.. CEVNI.
https://eba.eu.com/regulatory/inland-waterways/
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Old 22-01-2025, 10:05   #6
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pirate Re: What RYA course

Quote:
Originally Posted by barnakiel View Post
I would just sail the boat you have and think of which skills I lack. Then I would take a course that teaches just these skills.


b.
A 58ft x 6ft canal barge kinda limits ones coastal/cross Channel options.
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Old 22-01-2025, 13:31   #7
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Re: What RYA course

Tom Ire said "As a next stage in our retirement, my wife and I are considering buying a 40-50 foot trawler and potentially cruising both the Med and the Baltic."

No trick to coming out of Great Yarmouth and entering the canal system at Rotterdam, but you are right, of course Boatman, you need the mandated paperwork.

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