Carbery Sailing’s 9 day Fast Track RYA Day Skipper course starts on a Saturday morning for 4 days theory tuition in the classroom. This is followed by 5 days practical tuition aboard our yacht Merlin, ending Sunday afternoon. This means you only need 5 days off work.

The Fast Track course is designed to teach students to assume full responsibility for the yacht and its crew. This is the ideal course for anyone about to buy their own yacht or undertake a self skippered holiday in Greece or other destinations. Students should ideally have attained Competent Crew level ability or have the necessary experience.

In this shore based phase you will complete the RYA Day Skipper Theory course. Students are taught the basics of coastal and inshore navigation, pilotage, chartwork, position fixing, plotting a course, weather forecasting, an understanding of tides, IRPCS – International Regulations for Prevention of Collision at Sea.

You will also be taught yacht types and the equipment they carry, safety procedures such as distress calls, use of flares, safety harnesses, life jackets and liferafts.

The course includes a general assessment paper as well as one on chart work.

This phase is when you complete the RYA Day Skipper practical course were you will skipper the yacht on short passages in West Cork and there will be much emphasis on boat handling and navigation. A full safety briefing is given before the yacht sails.

Day Skipper students stay aboard Merlin during the practical course. Keeping the crew well fed is an important part of cruising. Apart from breakfasts, meals are organised according to a rota which you will know in advance. When it is your turn, you prepare a meal of your own choosing and wash up afterwards.

You will visit different harbours and anchorages to practice pilotage techniques. The course aims to provide you with the skill and confidence required to plan and undertake a short passage in tidal waters as the skipper and be able to berth the boat safely. Man overboard recovery techniques will also be practised with a dummy, such as a fender tied to a mooring line, substituting for the real thing. The instructor will debrief students after each exercise or passage.

During the course you will cover approximately 100 miles between Union Hall and the Kenmare River in West Cork, including at least 4 night hours sailing to experience night pilotage and identify navigation lights.

The course will finish about 4 pm on the final day, after boat cleaning and individual debriefings.