RYA Seamanship Skills
On completion of this course, the successful cadet will be capable of manoeuvring a dinghy in a seamanlike manner and making seamanship decisions in moderate conditions.
It will be assumed that every cadet starting this course has already mastered the practical skills and absorbed the background knowledge required for Basic Skills Level 2.
Trained instructors, using appropriate supervision ratios with regard to the location and competence of the cadets, will give tuition. Much of the work afloat will be done without an instructor aboard. The emphasis is on increasing the self-reliance and decision making of the sailor.
Students will be informed of their individual progress throughout the course.
SECTION A: PRACTICAL
Ropework:
- Can tie a fisherman's bend and sheet bend.
- Can do heat sealing and whipping.
Launching and recovery:
- Can leave and return to beach, jetty or mooring, including windward and leeward shore.
Sailing techniques and manoeuvres - is able to:
- Heave to.
- Reef afloat.
- Recover man overboard.
- Be towed by a power vessel.
- Anchor, including principles and techniques for different circumstances.
- Sail backwards.
- Sail in adverse circumstances (no rudder, no centreboard).
- Know how to prepare road trailer and secure trailer ashore.
SECTION B: SAILING BACKGROUND
Sailing theory and background - understands the following terminology:
- Windward, leeward, abeam, forward, aft, ahead, astern, to weather, downwind, amidships, quarter, pinching, sailing by the lee, luff, bear away, planning, sternway, broaching.
Knows and can apply the following International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea (IRPCS):
- Meeting other sailing vessels, meeting power driven vessels, following or crossing narrow channels, action by stand-on vessel.
Capsize recovery:
- Knows how to recover from total inversion (practical session if possible).
Meteorology:
- Knows sources of information on weather patterns for the day.
- Can interpret forecasts and understands local effects.
- Aware of Beaufort Wind Scale and changing weather conditions, including fog.
SECTION C: COASTAL (optional):
- Capable of practical application of Section A on coastal waters.
- Can use local tide tables.
- Understands rate of rise and fall - Twelfths Rule.
- Is aware of tidal streams.
- Has a basic understanding of charts and important symbols.
Experienced sailors direct assessment:
- The candidate must present logged evidence of at least two season's sailing experience. He will satisfactorily complete all of Section A and shall, afloat and ashore, satisfactorily answer questions on section B. Candidates seeking assessment on coastal waters will demonstrate knowledge of Section C.