FAQ's: RYA Dinghy Seamanship Skills

How much will the Seamanship Skills course cost including exam fees?

Up to £400 (Approx $620, or 510 EUROS) depending on where you take it, who you take it with, and whether you have a club discount.

What will you get out of this training course?

You will be able to sail a dinghy safely in most weather conditions and deal with emergencies as they arise.

What are your safe limits on passing this course?

You will learn your limits through this course – potentially to the safe limits of the boat itself. You will be able to sail in difficult conditions safely. 

Is it a theory, practical course, or both?

Though there will be shorebased instruction, most techniques will have a practical element and you will be tested on how you handle the situations as they arise.

Where can you take the RYA Dinghy Seamanship Skills course?

You can do the course anywhere that has RYA accreditation to do the course.

Can you do the course in another country?

Yes

What level of sailing experience do you need before you begin?

You can do this with an RYA Dinghy Level 2 certificate, or be able to sail to that level.

How long does this course take to finish?

2 days though it can be combined with another course over a full week.

What does it involve?

You will learn a variety of safety techniques. These include sailing without a rudder, sailing backwards, and recovering someone who has fallen overboard. You will also learn how to anchor. You will learn how to reef your sails while afloat, and how to heave to – this involves putting your jib aback and pointing into the wind to let the boat drift safely, almost stopped.

How do I progress after completing the Seamanship Skills course?

You can do a variety of other RYA dinghy courses, to include Performance Sailing, Spinnakers and Day Sailing.

Day Sailing will show you the techniques of passage making, and will sit well with this course as you will be able to sail unsupervised across a bay for example.

Also, consider one of the RYA yachting courses.

Does it give you international accreditation?

No.

Where can I learn more about this course?

Take a look at the RYA course webpage for a good idea of what the course entails.

Consider buying this DVD that will detail some of the techniques of advanced dinghy sailing.