Day Skipper to Yachtmaster: What’s the Progression?
If you’ve completed your RYA Day Skipper and you’re thinking about Yachtmaster, the first thing to understand is that there isn’t a shortcut between the two. Courses will improve your knowledge and an instructor can help you develop your skills, but you still need time on the water. You need to skipper boats, make your […]
What Can You Do After RYA Day Skipper?
Finishing your RYA Day Skipper is a good achievement, but don’t be in too much of a rush to collect the next certificate. The best thing you can do now is use what you’ve learned. Get out on the water, plan your own passages, visit unfamiliar harbours and start making the decisions yourself. Day Skipper […]
Powerboat vs Motorboat Course – Which One Is Right for You?
Most people don’t start by asking whether they need a Powerboat course or a Motorboat course. They start by buying a boat, thinking about buying one, or deciding they would like to spend more time on the water. The question about training usually comes afterwards. That is why there is no single answer. The right […]
How to Prepare for Boating at Night
Darkness changes boating faster than many people expect. A route that feels straightforward in daylight can become much less familiar once shore lights appear, depth perception drops away and navigation marks become harder to identify. Knowing how to prepare for boating at night is less about making night passages complicated and more about removing avoidable […]
Should You Learn on Your Own Boat or a School Boat?
You can learn a great deal on a training boat, then step onto your own vessel and realise the real learning starts there. That is why deciding whether you should learn on your own boat or a school boat is not a simple either-or choice. The right option depends on what you need most: a […]
Is Online Navigation Theory Enough to Navigate Safely?
You can complete an online navigation course, pass the assessments, understand buoyage, plot a course neatly and still feel uncertain the first time the weather changes, the tide is stronger than expected and you are approaching a busy harbour entrance. That is really what sits behind the question: is online navigation theory enough to navigate […]
What Should You Wear for Powerboat Training?
Powerboat training does not demand expensive sailing clothing, but it does reward sensible preparation. A calm morning alongside can become a windy afternoon once you head out into open water, and even on warm days the combination of speed, sea breeze and occasional spray can make conditions feel much cooler than expected. The aim is […]
Planning a Birthday Boat Charter
A birthday on the water has a very different feel from a celebration on land. Instead of booking a table or hiring a function room, you have changing scenery, fresh air and the freedom to enjoy time together somewhere a little less ordinary. When everything comes together, it creates the sort of occasion people remember […]
Can Beginners Drive a Powerboat Safely?
Many people ask the same question before they ever step aboard a boat of their own: “Can beginners drive a powerboat safely?” The simple answer is yes, provided they learn in the right environment and build their skills gradually. Safe powerboating is not about natural talent or previous boating experience. It comes from understanding how […]
How to Read Solent Tide Tables Properly
A tide table looks simple until you try to use it to get into a drying harbour, clear a shallow bar or work out why the boat is labouring against the stream off Calshot. That is usually the point where people realise that learning how to read Solent tide tables is not just theory. It […]