Coastal Skipper

Located in Courses | Practical Sailing

RYA/YA Accredited

This is a 5 days (or 3 weekends) course designed to teach you practical sailing and navigation by night, in restricted visibility and in variable weather conditions. It will involve one overnight passage and you will need to have reasonably well developed sailing and navigation skills to succeed in the course. The aim is to enable you to safely plan and enter any harbour by day or night and to safely navigate along the coast line by day or night. The Coastal Skipper has the knowledge needed to skipper a yacht on coastal cruises but does not necessarily have the experience needed to undertake longer passages.

It will involve one overnight passage and you will need to have reasonably well developed sailing and navigation skills to succeed in the course.

The minimum age limit for award of a certificate is 17 years old.

To take the practical examination, candidates require:

  • Radio Operator’s Qualification – A restricted (VHF only) Radio Operator’s Certificate or a GMDSS Short Range Certificate or higher grade of marine radio certificate.
  • First Aid – A valid First Aid Certificate.  First Aid qualifications held by Police, Fire and Armed Services are also acceptable.
  • Seatime – 800 miles logged within 10 years prior to examination, 30 days living on board. 2 days as skipper and 12 night hours.

For holders of the Coastal Skipper Practical Course Completion Certificate, the Seatime requirement is reduced to 400miles, 20 days living on board, 12 night hours, 2 days as skipper. Half the qualifying Seatime must have been conducted in tidal waters.

You will learn:

  • Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht , navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy
  • Knows Customs procedures
  • Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages
  • Can prepare yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks
  • Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of soundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations
  • Can pilot a yacht by day and night
  • Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew
  • Can organise the navigation, deck work and domestic duties of a yacht on passage
  • Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends
  • Is aware of crew welfare on passage
  • Can use electronic navigation equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes
  • Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power
  • All berthing and Unberthing situation in various conditions of wind and tide
  • Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space
  • Anchoring and mooring in various conditions of wind and tide
  • Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing
  • Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds
  • Navigation and general conduct in restricted visibility
  • Recovery of man overboard under power and sail
  • Understands action to be taken when abandoning to the life raft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues

Included:

  • All meals and accommodation on board
  • All tuition
  • Certificate on satisfactory completion
  • RYA/YA log book

The course is recognised by Yachting Australia and the Royal Yachting Association.

This course is an advanced sailing and navigation course and is recognised as such locally and overseas.  You will have the confidence to sail at night and to plan and undertake coastal passages.  This course is an important step towards Yachtmaster Offshore.