Gain familiarity with essential sea terms and the parts of a yacht, including her rigging and sails, so you can follow and act on instructions with confidence.
CategoryRYA Cruising Courses / Beginner / On Water Practical
The Competent Crew course can be completed over two blocks — starting with a two-day session and finishing with a three-day session. This flexible format is designed for those who can’t commit to five consecutive days but still want to complete the full RYA Competent Crew qualification in a structured way.
Created with beginners in mind, the course provides a comprehensive introduction to cruising, with a strong focus on personal safety, seamanship, and helmsmanship. By the end of the training, you’ll have the skills and confidence to step aboard any cruising yacht and contribute as an active, capable member of the crew.
Gain familiarity with essential sea terms and the parts of a yacht, including her rigging and sails, so you can follow and act on instructions with confidence.
Practise setting, reefing, and trimming sails, and learn to use sheets, halyards, and winches to control sail shape and harness the wind effectively.
Develop practical rope-handling skills including coiling, stowing, and securing lines, as well as tying and applying key knots such as the bowline, clove hitch, reef knot, rolling hitch, and sheet bends.
Understand common fire risks and onboard hazards, learn fire precautions and emergency techniques, and gain awareness of gas and carbon monoxide safety.
Learn how and when to use safety harnesses, lifejackets, and buoyancy aids correctly to keep yourself and others safe on board.
Prepare for emergencies by learning the correct steps to retrieve a casualty from the water and understanding the dangers of cold-water shock.
Gain confidence in deploying a liferaft, boarding it safely, and knowing how and when to use distress flares in an emergency situation.
Learn traditional seamanship practices, including the use of burgees and ensigns, maintaining courtesy in harbour, and caring for the marine environment.
Build awareness of the basic “rules of the road” at sea, developing lookout skills and applying simple navigational principles to stay safe.
Get hands-on with dinghies and tenders, covering loading limits, kill cords, safety checks, and rowing techniques.
Learn to use the Beaufort Scale to assess wind strength and become familiar with reliable sources of weather forecasts.
Understand how seasickness affects efficiency and explore practical methods to reduce its impact while underway.
Practise helming the yacht on all points of sail, trimming sails for balance and performance, and holding a compass course under both sail and engine.
Support the smooth running of the yacht by taking part in daily deck work and below-deck routines essential to life on board.
Our Competent Crew 2 + 3 course delivers the full RYA Competent Crew qualification in a flexible split format. Instead of committing to five consecutive days, you’ll begin with an immersive two-day introduction before returning for a three-day block to consolidate and complete your training. This structure is perfect for those with work, study, or family commitments who still want to achieve the internationally recognised RYA certificate without compromising on quality.
The course is designed specifically for beginners and provides a balanced mix of theory, seamanship, and hands-on sailing. Across both sessions, you’ll become familiar with the yacht’s layout, sails, and rigging, learning the key terms and commands used on board so you can respond confidently as part of a crew. Practical exercises cover sail handling, ropework, steering under sail and power, and the everyday routines that keep a yacht running safely and efficiently.
Safety is central to the training. You’ll learn how to prevent and respond to onboard emergencies, from fire precautions and gas awareness to man overboard recovery, liferaft drills, and the safe use of flares. Navigation and lookout duties are also introduced, alongside collision-avoidance rules and practical tender handling. Additional topics such as maritime etiquette, caring for the marine environment, weather forecasting, and managing seasickness ensure you develop the all-round seamanship skills expected of a competent crew member.
By the end of the 2 + 3 day course you will have completed the full RYA Competent Crew syllabus, gaining the confidence, knowledge, and practical ability to serve as an active, reliable member of a cruising yacht’s crew. Whether sailing on Sydney Harbour or preparing for longer coastal passages, this flexible training pathway ensures you are ready to take your place on board and contribute safely and effectively.
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