RYA Dinghy Day Sailing
On completion of this course, the successful sailor will have a confident, safe approach to planning and executing a short cruise in a dinghy.
It is assumed that that every cadet starting this course has already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for Basic Skills Level 2. In addition, sailors wishing to cruise independently should ensure that they understand and can carry out the manoeuvres in the Seamanship Skills part of the syllabus.
The course will be supervised by a Coastal Senior Instructor and will normally be conducted on coastal waters.
Trained instructors, using appropriate supervision ratios with regard to the location and competence of the cadets, will give tuition. The course will include the planning and execution of a short cruise.
Cadets will be kept informed of their individual progress throughout the course.
Candidates who hold the RYA Day Skipper Shore Based Course Completion certificate or higher level cruising award may gain exemption from the chart work part of Section B.
SECTION A: PRACTICAL
Rigging:
- Can prepare and equip a boat for cruising including safety and navigational equipment, clothing and food.
- Can stow gear correctly
Sailing techniques and manoeuvres:
- Can plan and undertake a day sail including a consideration of pilotage/navigation and collision avoidance.
- Can use anchor to effect lee shore landing and departure.
Adverse conditions:
- Is able to self rescue following total inversion.
- Understands how to improvise in the event of gear failure.
SECTION B: SAILING BACKGROUND
Sailing theory and background:
- Has knowledge of boat handling in strong winds and difficult conditions (practical where possible).
Navigation:
- Can plan a day's cruise in coastal waters, including knowledge of: publications available particularly charts, tide tables, tidal stream atlases.
- Navigational instruments and their limitations afloat.
- Use of GPS including waypoint navigation.
- Confirming position by another source.
- Tidal heights and tidal streams (rule of twelfths), probable changes in the weather and the interaction of weather and tidal streams.
- Decision making in adverse circumstances including passage alternatives and refuges.
- Magnetic compass: variation and deviation.
- Interpretation of charts.
- Use of transits and bearings to steer course and fix position.
- Recording position and principles of dead reckoning.
First aid:
- Working knowledge including resuscitation and hypothermia - those holding a valid first aid certificate are exempt from this item.
Meteorology:
- Knows sources of information on weather patterns for the day. Understands main characteristics of high and low pressure systems and simple interpretation of synoptic charts. Has awareness of changing weather conditions.
Experienced sailors direct assessment:
- The candidate must present logged evidence of at least two season's sailing experience. The candidate will complete all of Section A, demonstrating a competent, purposeful and safe approach. He will answer questions on Section B and wherever possible demonstrate skills satisfactorily afloat and ashore.