The Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is a British UK institution which is widely recognised, internationally, as being one of, if not THE, best provider of sail and motor yacht training & qualifications in the world!
The RYA believes that knowledge, skills and experience rather than regulation are the foundations upon which personal safety and responsibility are built. The RYA supports a continued ethos of self-reliance and responsibility for one’s own safety afloat amongst the recreational boating community.
Stepping into the world of sailing, whether experienced or for the first time, is exciting and exhilarating. The RYA, following its ethos above, provides both theory (shore based or online) and practical (on-the-water) courses to build confidence, teaching you everything from basic terminology and safety tips to advanced handling sails.
As a beginner, you’ll become a useful crew member, learning how to set and trim sails and even take the helm for the first time; you can then progress all the way to Yachtmaster by following through the training spectrum.
Theory & Practical
Day Skipper
What is this course?
A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills. Learn to skipper a short passage with the instructor on hand to give advice and encouragement and ensure your safety. Experience being in charge, taking credit when it all goes well and being responsible when it doesn’t.
Course pre-requirements
Before this course, the expected level of ability includes:
– 5 days, 100 miles, 4-night hours on board a sailing yacht
– theory knowledge to the level of Day Skipper
(*DS shore-based theory course is strongly advised – read below)
– NOTE: properly recorded logging of experience is ESSENTIAL!
Course contents
Preparation for sea, deck work, navigation, pilotage, meteorology, rules of the road, maintenance and repair work, engines, victualling, emergency situations, yacht handling under power, yacht handling under sail, passage making, night cruising.
Course duration: 5 days
Ability after completion
Personally, and safely skipper a yacht with passengers/crew yacht (not for commercial use), manage your crew efficiently for basic daytime inshore/coastal passages, safely manage your yacht. This RYA Day Skipper is also ICC equivalent.
RYA Day Skipper Theory-details
A comprehensive introduction to cruising for inexperienced skippers.
This course equips you with enough knowledge to navigate around familiar waters by day. A basic knowledge of lights is also included to introduce you to night cruising.
The RYA are continually updating their courses to take into account developments in technology and the electronic navigation aids now available on most cruising boats.
In conjunction with the UK Hydrographic office, they have developed a chart plotter specifically for use on training courses, giving you a realistic insight into electronic navigation. Use of this plotter is an integral part of our Day Skipper shore-based course.
They have northern and southern hemisphere versions of our training materials. So, no matter where you are in the world, the course can be tailored to you.
The course is taught over 40 hours with two exam papers. It can be covered as a series of short sessions, as an intensive week-long course, or by distance learning online.
Course topics include
– the basics of seamanship
– the essentials of coastal navigation and pilotage
– chartwork
– electronic charts
– position fixing
– plotting a course to steer
– weather forecasting and meteorology
– tides
– collision regulations
– construction, parts and equipment of a cruising boat
– emergency and safety procedures including distress calls, use of flares, safety harnesses, lifejackets and liferafts
Theory & Practical
Coastal Skipper Yachtmaster
Coastal Skipper Practical Sailing Course
This course for those with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night. Each trainee will skipper more challenging passages under the guidance of the instructor.
This is a 5-day practical course.
Assumed Knowledge
– 15 days, 2 days as skipper, 300 miles, 8-night hours.
– Navigation to Coastal Skipper shore-based standard.
– Sailing to Day Skipper standard
Course content
Skippering techniques for coastal and offshore passages
Ability after the course
Able to skipper a yacht on coastal passages by day and night
Theory & Practical
Yactmaster Offshore
The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is competent to skipper a cruising yacht on any passage during which the yacht is no more than 150 miles from harbour.
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams can be taken under sail or power and your certificate will be endorsed accordingly. The candidate or a training centre provides the boat and the RYA provides an examiner.
Note: All qualifying sea time and passages must be gained on vessels appropriate to the type of exam i.e. gained in sailing vessels for a sail exam and power vessels for a power exam.
Training Duration
7-Days, this includes 5 days of preparation and the 2-day exam
Course content
There is no formal training course leading up to the exam, but those who have not previously taken RYA courses often find it useful to book themselves in for some informal training at an RYA centre prior to their exam. This training can be tailor-made to your specific needs and helps to fill any gaps in your knowledge that may become apparent.
The exam will include an assessment of your skippering skills, boat handling, general seamanship, navigation, safety awareness and knowledge of the IRPCS, meteorology and signals.
Additional courses
First Aid
First Aid Training Course in English
Why do you need it?
This two-day course covers all the usual First Aid subjects, but from a boating and water sports perspective. It is aimed at anyone who goes afloat, whether on inland waters, rivers, coastal or on offshore passages.
This course satisfies the requirements for Coastal Skipper, Yachtmaster certificates.
Standard 2 days First Aid base training (officially recognized), with special focus on skipper medic topics.
When: 13th & 14th April 2024
Schedule
– Saturday (9.00 – 16.30) in the classroom
– Sunday (9.00 – 16.30) in the classroom
Where: Training is located at the Medical Center, Dornbacherstr. 17, 1170 Wien
Price: 120.00 Eur per Person (to be paid to the club account, see details below)
Deadline for Registration: 13th March 2024
Account Details
Name: Vienna International Sailing Club
IBAN: AT73 6000010210436214
BIC: BAWAATWW
Reference: First Aid Training
Please note that your participation is confirmed upon receipt of payment.
Registration requirements: Payment, Name, Date and place of birth, Mobile number.
Min. number of participants: 10 Max. number of participants: 20
Programme:
Training by Dr. Roswitha Prohaska (taucherarzt.at – Dr. med. Roswitha Prohaska)
Training delivered in English language.
Note: Restaurant nearby for lunch breaks (not included)
Additional courses
Sea Survival & Safety Training Course
The sea survival & safety training course is designed for anyone taking part in water sports, big boat offshore cruising and regattas or any small craft users. The importance of having the knowledge to survive if you end up in an emergency at sea is crucial. Next training date TBC.
Why do you need it?
It is a well proven fact that people with appropriate training are more likely to survive an accident or incident on the water. This course covers life rafts and the equipment they contain, along with the survival techniques that form the central part of the sea survival. You will be taught about how to launch a life raft, what the initial and subsequent actions in a raft are and receive some sound advice on longer term survival. Other topics covered include the design of lifejackets, hypothermia and Search and Rescue techniques.
The sea survival & safety training course includes practical session in a pool and students are encouraged to bring along their own wet weather gear and lifejacket, however this will be provided if needed. The reason you must wear the real kit, is in order to experience first-hand the problems of entering and assisting the entrance of others, into an inflated and uncooperative life raft whilst fully kitted out.
This is a real hands-on course that is taught by an experienced instructor. This qualification is an essential part of the safety course and is also required for those seeking commercial endorsements on a Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Certificate or Competence qualification. No previous experience is required for this course.
Equipment required
– Automatic life vest and replacements (Provided on request)
– For the practical part of the training, you need the following items: Clean rubber boots and wet weather gear, a towel for the practical exercises in the swimming pool.
Example of the two-day training program
Saturday
1. Greeting and Welcome
2. Safety equipment
3. Storm tactic
4. Weather and sea condition
5. Rescuing
6. MOB
7. Behaviour in an emergency at sea
8. Life raft, life vest
9. Practical training in the swimming pool
Sunday
1. Fire extinguishing theory and praxis
2. Pyrotechnic theory
3. Pyrotechnic praxis
4. GMDSS
5. Behaviour in extreme situations
For more information, please contact Frank Honan, Rear Commodore (Training)
Additional courses
VHF Radio
VISC Training program: RYA SRC radio license
Who is it for? All VISC Members
The RYA SRC radio license (Short Range Certificate) is required by law across the world for any skipper (or crew) sailing yachts or motorboats fitted with a DSC radio station. Pre-requirements – None!
By the end of the course, you will
– know all the fundamentals of the GMDSS system
– be able to confidently operate a marine radio following the proper protocol
– understand the benefits of DSC (Digital Selective Calling) and be able to send various types of DSC announcements
– be confident to launch a Mayday or a PanPan Alert
– obtain the RYA SRC radio license
RYA SRC radio license – Program
Online course
This very interactive online course takes you through the whole program in an engaging and interactive way. Thanks to the use of very realistic radio simulators, you will be able to practice the various calls and announcements, including the DSC distress call. You can repeat the exercises as many times as you want.
Online course duration 10 hours plus exam in Vienna. At the end of the online course, there will be a pre-test to be done online, and for the actual final exam takes 2 hours and will be at a testing centre in Vienna.
Cost: 217.00 Euro
VISC Exam Date: TBC
How to book
Simply click the link below, fill out the order form and choose your method of payment. Upon successful payment, you will receive a confirmation of your purchase with the access codes to the online course. You can choose between getting the eBook or the printed book, which will be sent to you by post.
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