Learn the principles of stability and buoyancy, conduct essential engine checks, secure equipment above and below deck, and choose the appropriate sails for the conditions.
CategoryRYA Cruising Courses / Intermediate / On Water Practical
The Day Skipper (3 x 2-day weekends format) course is designed for those who want to gain their RYA Day Skipper qualification while fitting training around work or family commitments. Spread across three weekends, the course combines theory and practical skills, giving you time to consolidate your learning between sessions.
Aimed at aspiring skippers with some sailing experience, the course covers pilotage, navigation, passage planning, and boat handling, alongside key seamanship and safety skills. You’ll take turns as skipper on short passages, learning to make decisions with confidence and take full responsibility for the yacht and crew.
By the end of the six training days, you’ll be equipped to skipper a small cruising yacht in familiar waters by day, opening the door to more advanced qualifications and independent sailing.
Learn the principles of stability and buoyancy, conduct essential engine checks, secure equipment above and below deck, and choose the appropriate sails for the conditions.
Gain confidence handling anchors and mooring lines, including making fast, weighing anchor, and slipping berths. You’ll also practise reefing, shaking out reefs, and changing sails to match the weather.
Understand the capabilities and limits of AIS, work up dead reckoning and estimated positions, and factor in set, drift, and leeway. Practise plotting fixes, using electronic aids, calculating tidal effects, navigating with waypoints, following buoyage, and keeping accurate logs.
Plan and execute safe harbour entries and exits using leading lines, transits, soundings, and clearing bearings to navigate confidently in confined waters.
Interpret shipping forecasts, monitor barometric pressure, and source reliable forecasts to make safe passage decisions.
Apply the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) in both open water and close-quarters situations.
Understand the properties of common ropes, carry out simple maintenance tasks, and keep the yacht in sound working condition.
Develop working knowledge to prevent engine problems, perform routine checks, clean filters, estimate fuel needs, and troubleshoot minor issues.
Plan and manage supplies effectively for short coastal passages, ensuring adequate food and resources for the crew.
Recognise distress signals, practise liferaft drills, towing procedures, helicopter evacuation protocols, cold-water survival, casualty care, and man overboard recovery as skipper.
Practise manoeuvres in confined waters, berthing, leaving a dock, picking up moorings, anchoring, and understanding how sea state and propulsion affect handling.
Improve your understanding of keel dynamics, wind and current effects, and sail plans. Safely approach moorings and anchors under sail, and trim sails on all points.
Plan and conduct passages that account for hazards, crew ability, and vessel limits, while understanding marina locks and the limitations of chart plotters.
Experience sailing after dark, applying special pilotage considerations and keeping an effective lookout while recognising navigational marks at night.
The Day Skipper course is one of the most popular RYA qualifications, designed for sailors who are ready to take the step from crew member to skipper. At Sailcorp, we offer this course in a flexible 3 x 2-day weekend format, making it easier for those who cannot commit to a full five-day block. By spreading the course over three weekends, students benefit from shorter bursts of training with time in between to reflect, review, and return refreshed for the next stage of learning.
The course is aimed at sailors with some prior experience — typically those who have completed Competent Crew or who already have time on the water as an active crew member. It builds the confidence and skills required to take command of a small cruising yacht in familiar waters during daylight hours.
Across the six training days, you’ll cover both practical seamanship and shore-based decision-making. Subjects include navigation using charts and tidal calculations, pilotage techniques, collision avoidance rules, and weather forecasting. You’ll also practise passage planning, preparing you to take a yacht safely from port to port. Practical boat handling forms a key part of the course, with time spent manoeuvring under sail and power, berthing, anchoring, and learning how to manage the yacht and crew in a variety of conditions.
One of the unique features of the course is the opportunity for each student to act as skipper on short passages. Under the guidance of your instructor, you’ll gain first-hand experience of planning, executing, and evaluating your own decisions, building the confidence required to skipper independently. Safety runs throughout the training, with emphasis on crew management, seamanship, and anticipating potential risks.
The 3 x 2-day weekend format makes the Day Skipper course accessible to a wider range of people. It’s perfect for those with weekday commitments, giving you the flexibility to learn without taking extended time away from work or family. The structured breaks also allow you to review notes and practise your developing skills between weekends, helping to reinforce learning and ensure steady progress.
By the end of the course, you’ll be awarded the internationally recognised RYA Day Skipper qualification. This certificate confirms that you are capable of skippering a cruising yacht by day in familiar waters, and it is an excellent stepping stone towards more advanced qualifications and broader sailing opportunities.
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