RYA Competent Crew OR Day Skipper

The RYA Competent Crew course introduces the complete beginner to cruising. You will learn about personal safety, seamanship and helmsmanship to the level required to be a useful member of the crew of a cruising yacht.

COURSE DETAILS

Course Duration: 5 Days, or 3 x 2-day weekends
Start and Finish Times: Start at 9:30am on the first day, and finish by 4:30pm on the last day of the course.
Minimum Age: The recommended minimum age for this course is 12-years
Course Format: On the water, on either a yacht or catamaran.

Prerequisites Competent Crew: None. Although we do recommend completing the RYA Essentials – Navigation and Seamanship (online) course prior to this course.

Prerequisites Day  Skipper: A basic ability in practical sailing. A minimum of 5 days, 100 miles and 4 night hours onboard a sailing yacht. Navigation and theory to the RYA Day Skipper Shorebased  level.

The Competent Crew course introduces the complete beginner to cruising and teaches personal safety, seamanship and helmsmanship to the level required to be a useful member of crew of a cruising yacht.

• Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging and sails
• Sail Handling
• Ropework
• Fire precautions and fighting
• Personal safety equipment
• Man overboard
• Emergency equipment
• Manners and customs
• Rules of the road
• Dinghies
• Meteorology
• Seasickness
• Helmsmanship and sailing

Living onboard throughout the course, each night is spent in a new place, allowing you to experience the delights of a real cruise. You will visit many of the quiet bays, anchorages and yacht harbour’s of Moreton Bay, Southeast corner of Queensland or the Whitsundays (depending on chosen course) and in the evenings there is time to relax and reflect on the events of the day.

Click here to view the RYA Competent Crew course syllabus:

Whether you have a desire to sail a monohull or a catamaran we have you covered. You have the option of deciding to be on either vessel when choosing your training dates.

CRUISING YACHT (BENETEAU FIRST 44.7)

The Beneteau First 44.7 is the monohull training vessel in our fleet. A modern racing and cruising vessel the Beneteau First 44.7 provides a good balance of comfort and performance.

CRUISING CATAMARAN (LAGOON 380)

The Lagoon 380 is the catamaran training option in our fleet. Boasting 4 double berths down below, and a kitchen up design. If you imagine yourself sailing on a catamaran then choose this vessel to complete training on.

You will receive an RYA Competent Crew certificate.

Upon successfully demonstrating your competence at the level of Day Skipper you will be issued with the RYA Day Skipper Certificate, and will also qualify for an International Certificate of Competence (ICC).

This is a 5-day practical course, starting at 9:30am on the first day and continuing the following 4-days for a total of five days on the water. This is a liveaboard course, which includes food and accommodation.

We will be in touch with an easy to follow checklist to ensure you have everything you need on the day, but to give you a bit of an idea bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, bathing suit, a warm jumper, change of clothes (minimal wardrobe needed), spray jacket. Be sure to pack this in a flexible soft bag.

All meals are provided. We will send a request for special dietary needs requests in the lead up to the course. We can easily accommodate for any dietary requirements.

PRO INSTRUCTORS

We constantly strive to recruit and develop the most experienced and professional instructors. We expect our instructors to not only guide you through the course syllabus, but to do this in a way that meets your learning style, and to always go above the minimum requirements of the course.

PERFECT LOCATIONS

Our training locations are chosen to provide you with a broad opportunity of learning experiences on the water. All of our locations have access to open ocean, busy waterways, and a range of different learning opprotunities.

EXPERT ADVICE

The team at Sunshine Sailing Australia are here to talk to you. Whether you are a recreational sailor, or someone who would like to enter the commercial superyacht industry, our team is always up for a friendly chat. We can assess your needs and will help guide you down the path that suits your experience and goals.

FAQ’S

Is accommodation provided or do I need to provide my own accommodation?

Accommodation is provided onboard the vessel for all liveaboard courses. The training vessels have ample comfortable accommodations on board. Couples will be provided with their own cabin and double berth. Individual participants may be provided with their own cabin or be in a shared cabin depending on the ratio of the course.

Is food provided and do you accommodate dietary preferences?

Yes, we provide all food onboard for the duration of the course. After registering, you will be asked for your dietary preferences so we can accommodate those. We can accommodate students who are vegetarian, vegan, gluten/dairy free, etc.

COVID-19

We recommend taking out travel insurance to cover you against any impacts of  COVID-19 on your ability to attend a course. If you are required to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19 infection and that interferes with your course dates, we will not be able to provide a credit unless we are able to fill your spot at short notice. Therefore, you may like to have insurance in place to cover you against this unlikely, but unfortunate event.

While it is highly unlikely, in the event that we need to reschedule a course due to COVID-19 affecting out ability to run a course for any reason, we will reschedule your course at no cost. The health and safety of our clients and staff is our top priority. We we will not be liable for any additional costs born out of needing to reschedule the course.