RYA Day Skipper Theory Online
Backed by a recognised practical school
Supported by RYA Yachtmaster™ Examiners from our base at Hamble Point Marina.
Physical charts, plotters and dividers shipped FREE worldwide. 12 months to complete, then lifetime access to revise before every trip.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸 🇦🇺 🇳🇿 🇨🇦 Join 50,000+ students from 115 countries
How the RYA Day Skipper Online Course Works
Sign Up & Receive Your Materials
Immediate access to all online content. Your physical materials — charts, plotter, compass and almanac — shipped the same day.
Study at Your Own Pace
Work through the modules in order. Watch the videos, complete exercises, test yourself with quizzes. You have 12 months.
Take Your Exams Online
When you're ready, complete both exam papers from home. Results within 1-2 working days. Unlimited retakes included.
Receive Your Certificate
Your RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Certificate is posted to you, typically within a day of passing.
What You'll Learn on the RYA Day Skipper Theory Course
The RYA Day Skipper syllabus covers everything you need for coastal navigation and passage planning.
Navigation & Chartwork
Master the art of finding your position and plotting your course.
- Position fixing using bearings & transits
- Course to steer calculations
- Dead reckoning & estimated position
- Waypoint navigation
- Passage planning
Tides & Tidal Streams
Understand the water beneath you and plan around it.
- Height of tide (Rule of Twelfths)
- Tidal diamonds & stream atlases
- Secondary port corrections
- Planning around tidal gates
Meteorology
Read the sky and know what weather is coming.
- Interpreting shipping forecasts
- GRIB files & Beaufort scale
- High & low pressure systems
- Weather fronts & passage planning
Collision Regulations
The rules of the road that keep everyone safe.
- IRPCS steering & sailing rules
- Give-way & stand-on vessels
- Navigation lights & shapes
- Sound signals
Pilotage
Navigate safely into harbours and through channels.
- IALA buoyage system (Region A)
- Cardinal & lateral marks
- Transits & leading lines
- Harbour entry & blind pilotage
Electronic Navigation
Modern tools to complement traditional skills.
- Chartplotters & GPS
- Radar & AIS interpretation
- Integrating electronic & traditional
- Understanding limitations
Safety & Seamanship
Be prepared for anything the sea throws at you.
- Distress procedures & DSC
- Safety equipment requirements
- VHF radio basics
- Man overboard recovery
Each topic includes interactive quizzes so you can test your understanding before the exam.
What's Included in Your £260?
Everything you need to complete your RYA Day Skipper theory. No hidden costs. Nothing extra to buy.
Your Navigator Kit
- Quality Portland plotter & drawing compass
- RYA Training Charts 3 & 4
- RYA Training Almanac
- Urban Truant navigator bag
Online Course
- Full access to all modules
- 32 professional videos
- 3D animations
- 12 months to complete
Exams & Certification
- Both exam papers (General Assessment + Chartwork)
- RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Certificate posted to you
Instructor Access
- Unlimited access to RYA Yachtmaster Instructors & Examiners
- Contact via messaging, email, phone, Teams or Zoom
High Quality Informative AnimationsCheck out one of our new ultra-realistic animations that gives an explanation of cardinal buoys.
Meet Your Instructors
Real instructors. Real conversations. Direct access to elite RYA professionals. No chatbots, no call centres.
Richard Beniston
RYA Instructor Trainer
- One of only 16 RYA Instructor Trainers worldwide
- Yachtmaster™ Examiner - Sail & Powerboat
- RYA Powerboat Instructor, SRC Marine Radio Assessor, Sea Survival Instructor
- 23 years' experience skippering and teaching worldwide
Russell Lake
RYA Yachtmaster™ Instructor
- RYA Yachtmaster™ Instructor - Sail & Powerboat
- Member of the RYA Training Committee
- Established Egypt's first RYA Training Centre
- Featured in RYA publications
Have a question about your training? Our instructors are here to help.
Learn More About Our TeamHow the RYA Day Skipper Online Course Works
Sign Up & Receive Your Materials
Immediate access to all online content. Your physical materials — charts, plotter, compass and almanac — shipped the same day.
Study at Your Own Pace
Work through the modules in order. Watch the videos, complete exercises, test yourself with quizzes. You have 12 months.
Take Your Exams Online
When you're ready, complete both exam papers from home. Results within 1-2 working days. Unlimited retakes included.
Receive Your Certificate
Your RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Certificate is posted to you, typically within a day of passing.
Our PlatformSailing Course Online is designed to work seamlessly across PCs, Macs, tablets and smart phones enabling you to learn at home or on the move.
Enriched Learning Experience
Animations Provided Step by Step
Videos
See Key Content in Action
The RYA Day Skipper Exam
You'll complete two exam papers to earn your RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Certificate. Both are taken online, from home, whenever you're ready. Unlimited retakes included.
General Assessment
Tests your theoretical knowledge:
- Navigation principles
- Meteorology
- Collision regulations
- Safety procedures
Chartwork Assessment
Tests your practical navigation skills:
- Plot courses
- Fix positions
- Calculate tides
- Plan a short passage
Your RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Certificate is posted to you. Plus lifetime access to your course materials — perfect for revision before your first charter.
After Day Skipper: Your Pathway to the Helm
Your RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Certificate is the foundation for everything that follows.
RYA Day Skipper Theory
Online course with exams included — what you're completing now.
RYA Day Skipper Practical
Qualify to skipper a yacht in familiar waters by day. Available at Hamble Point Marina.
International Certificate of Competence (ICC)
Charter bareboat yachts across the Mediterranean and beyond. Day Skipper theory + practical qualifies you.
RYA Coastal Skipper Theory
Extend your range to coastal passages and overnight sailing. Available online through us.
RYA Yachtmaster Coastal & Offshore
The gold-standard qualification. Theory online, practical with training partners.
We can support your entire journey from theory to helm.
Why Choose Sailing Course Online?
We're not just an online provider — we're a recognised RYA Training Centre with real instructors, real boats, and real experience.
Backed by a Recognised RYA Practical School
We're an RYA Recognised Training Centre at Hamble Point Marina — real sailors teaching real skills.
Supported by Yachtmaster Examiners
Your teachers examine Yachtmaster candidates and support your online journey at every step.
Physical Materials Shipped Free FREE
Charts, plotter, dividers, almanac — all included and shipped worldwide. No hidden fees.
Feefo Platinum 2022–2025 4.9★
837 verified reviews. We're the only provider using Feefo's independent review system — every review is 100% genuine.
24-Hour Full Course Trial FREE
Not a "preview lesson." Complete access to every module, free, before you commit. No card required.
Lifetime Access After Passing
Your course materials stay available forever — perfect to revise before your next charter.
What Our Day Skipper Students Say
RYA Day Skipper Theory Course: Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the course, exams, and certification.
Free Trial - 24hrs Unlimited Access!
- See for yourself how easy it is to learn at your own pace with 24 hours' free access to our RYA Day Skipper Online Course.
- 24hrs Full Free Access
- We are the only RYA Training Centre to give you full access to the course before purchasing.
- Get started immediately, without payment
Ready to Start Your RYA Day Skipper Course?
Not Sure Yet?
Our free trial gives you complete access to every module, video and animation for 24 hours. See exactly what you're getting before you commit. No obligation. Just full access to decide if this is the right course for you.
Start Your Course Today
Join thousands of students who've earned their Day Skipper certificate with us.
Everything included
- 12 months access + lifetime after passing
- Unlimited exam retakes
- Physical materials shipped FREE
- 14-day money-back guarantee
or start your free 24hr trial above