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Courses are available during the week or at weekends. Planned course dates are listed here.
During the Competent Crew course you will live aboard the yacht for 5 days, and sail at least 100 miles and log a minimum of 4 night hours. There will be a maximum of 4 students.
This course will give you an opportunity to discover the delights of sail cruising, whilst at the same time learning the seamanship skills that will help you to make the most from your time on-board and that will provide a good basis for further sailing experiences.
This 5-day course is for beginners and those who would like to learn basic seamanship and become active crew members. There is no pre-course knowledge or experience necessary. This course can be taken as 5 consecutive days, 2-day plus 3-day weekends, or 3 weekends.
The aim of the RYA Competent Crew Syllabus is to introduce the complete beginner to cruising and to teach personal safety, seamanship, and helmsmanship to the level required to be a useful member of the crew of a cruising yacht, as follows:.
Knowledge of sea terms and parts of the boat, her rigging and sails. Sufficient knowledge to understand orders concerning the sailing and day to day running of the boat.
Sail handling. Bending on, setting, reefing and handling of sails. Use of sheets and halyards and their associated winches.
Ropework. Handling ropes, including coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double bollards. Handling warps. Ability to tie the following knots and know their correct use: figure of eight, clove hitch, rolling hitch, bowline, round term and two half hitches, single and double sheet bend, reek knot.
Fire precautions and fighting. Awareness of the hazards of fire and the precautions necessary to prevent fire. Knowledge of the action taken in the event of fire.
Personal safety equipment. Understands and complies with the rules for wearing of safety harnesses, lifejackets and personal buoyancy aids.
Man overboard. Understands the action to be taken to recover a man overboard.
Emergency equipment. Can operate distress flares and knows how they should be used. Understands hoe to launch and board a liferaft.
Manners and customs. Understands the accepted practice with regard to: use of burgees and ensigns, prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in harbour including courtesies to other craft berthed alongside. Aware of the responsibility of yacht skippers to protect the environment.
Rules of the Road. Is able to keep an efficient lookout at sea.
Dinghies. Understands and complies with loading rules. Is able to handle a dinghy under oars.
Meteorology. Awareness of forecasting and the Beaufort Scale.
Seasickness. Working efficiency unaffected/ partially affected / severely affected by seasickness (delete as applicable).
Helmsmanship and Sailing. Understands the basic principles of sailing and can steer and trim sails on all points of sailing. Can steer a compass course, under sail and motor.
General duties. Has carried out general duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection with the daily routine of the vessel.
(taken from RYA logbook G18/98)
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