RYA Combined Course

RYA Combined Course Overview

This ‘fast-track’ package brings together the Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses into a convenient two week sailing course. Prior to arriving in Greece participants complete both of the online theory courses in their own time.

You will spend the first week on the training yacht completing the Competent Crew syllabus. After a weekend break to relax and revise a little, you will spend another week training for the Day Skipper element of the course. This is an excellent course for beginners looking to quickly get qualified to Day Skipper level.

The RYA Competent Crew Course is designed for novices and total beginners alike. You will learn how to steer the boat, under sail and engine, how to hoist and drop the sails, how to set them correctly, mooring procedures, rope work, how to recover a man overboard, how to use a dinghy, and lots more.

The RYA Day Skipper Course is an intermediate level course that aims to build on your core skills by developing your navigation, decision making and leadership ability. You will skipper a yacht on a number of short passages, under the guidance of your instructor, taking charge of everything from passage planning, to interpreting weather forecasts and mooring.

Included in each course we provide access to our unique online training. This gives you the opportunity to learn some of the necessary theoretical and practical skills even before leaving the comfort of home. The course is RYA approved, and is designed for students who cannot afford the time to attend lengthy shore-based theory classes.

You will also be expected to complete our RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship course online, prior to arrival in Greece. This covers topics such as charts, buoyage, navigation, pilotage, tides, diesel engines, rules of the road and passage planning. The pack includes practice charts, electronic chart plotter download, dividers and a Portland plotter to get you started. So you’ll be fully prepped before your arrival in Greece!

Pre-Course Experience Requirements:

There is no minimum level of experience required to undertake the Combined course. However, participants must be at least 16 years of age in order to reach Day Skipper level at the end of the fortnight.

Accommodation:

All sailing courses are taught on our dedicated training boats, three Beneteau 393s. These are spacious modern cruising yachts, set up exclusively for teaching, equipped with all the essentials. Unlike our flotilla holidays, you will be purchasing a berth, and sharing with fellow students (although you won't be expected to share a cabin with someone you don't know!). On the yachts there are 3 double cabins and a spacious saloon berth. We have a standard instructor to student ratio of 4:1. The instructor will typically occupy the forepeak cabin.

All breakfasts and lunches are included in the cost of the course, as well as two evening meals per week cooked on board. Greece is blessed with an abundance of tavernas, and there will be lots of opportunities to eat on-shore. If you have any special dietary requirements just let your instructor know. One bath sized towel per person, all bed linen, pillows and duvets are included. There’s no need to bring a sleeping bag along. There is a shower on board, and we will be stopping in ports that have showers and facilities ashore.

What is Included:

• 14 days aboard the yacht, with full tuition over 10 days (Mon-Fri)
• Online Competent Crew & Essential Navigation & Seamanship Theory Courses
• The RYA Competent Crew & Essential Navigation & Seamanship course Material
• The RYA Sail Cruising Syllabus and Logbook
• All breakfasts, lunches and four evening meals
• All fuel, water and marina fees
• Towels and bed linen
• Waterproof jackets in sizes S, M, L, and XL
• Sunshine and swim stops

If couples or a group would like training all to themselves(with an instructor, of course!) there is also a private course option, for an additional fee.