Difference between RYA Theory courses

[pioneer_11]

I have been looking at doing an RYA day skipper theory course online. Looking around different places I have seen pretty big differences in price. Hamble School of Yachting (which was recommended to me by the skipper I did comp crew with) is the most expensive I have found offering the course at £360 while a few places such as Navonline are offering the course in the mid 200's.

Is there a significant difference in the quality of theory courses from different places? and if so would it be worth spending the extra money for to get a course from somewhere like hamble that I know is good over somewhere like more of an unknown.

Thanks

 

[KompetentKrew]

Copy-pasting my reply from this previous thread:

Having had the dubious pleasure of doing both, I thoroughly recommend Skippers Online (formerly known as Kipper Sailing) over Navathome.

Clearly both are qualified instructors, but Navathome comes across like a retired computer programmer decided to create a website, but he doesn't have any experience of user interface design and everything is a bit cludgy and clumsy. You can't navigate through the answer fields using your tab key, and they took exception when I complained about it. When I did it a couple of years ago they were still using flash animations, and the site had to be whitelisted in Safari.

Skippers Online is, in contrast, much better presented - he uses an off-the-shelf online education platform and has concentrated on the quality of the tutorials. The lessons are displayed larger and much clearer, with consistent style and better narration. An advantage of the 3rd-party platform is that you can download an app and download the lessons to your phone or tablet for offline viewing.

They both have a free trial of the first lesson, so try them for yourself and see the difference in quality.

You will also find a discount if you google "skippers online discount code".

 

[Daydream believer]

For that sort of money 3 weekends in person at a sailing school offering tuition (theory) would help far more. The interaction in person with the instructor for a start. Then talking and comparing notes with 5__6 others is well worth it. On top of that it gives you an insight into the school if you decide to do the practical.
alternatively, buy a book & save your money.

edit
i mean in a classroom Not on a boat

 

[baart]

alternatively, buy a book & save your money

I would second that. Day skipper theory is not that complex and there are several books available from RYA plus a lot of resources online. That kind of money can be better spend on mile building weekend with an experienced skipper.

 

[Graham376]

Does night school still exist? 25+ years ago I did my coastal skipper theory (others did day skipper) at evening classes run at local school, cost was minimal.

 

[Hacker]

Night schools exist in some areas. My partner and I did DS theory in Sheffield about 5 years ago. I did YM theory using Navathome. Personally I found the online one was much better.

 

[srm]

Does night school still exist? 25+ years ago I did my coastal skipper theory (others did day skipper) at evening classes run at local school, cost was minimal.

Not sure about that.

However, teaching RYA theory evening class was my entry into education, and over 20 years as a lecturer in Maritime Studies. During that time I was at the start of online courses and developing remote/distance learning and teaching using video conference.

I would strongly recommend a face to face course if possible rather than using online material, and I have teaching experience in both environments (though a lot of evening class instructors used to be keen amateurs with no teaching background so standards varied). If you have to study remotely preference would be on-line materials plus live video tutorials to consolidate each section and introduce the next.

However, as two earlier posts point out Day Skipper theory is an introduction to the basics. If you are comfortable in studying by finding your own materials/books then you can probably cover it all yourself with the RYA course book as a guide to the topics. If you then want a course spend your money on the Coastal/Yachtmaster theory course.

Perhaps I should not say this now (as courses and certificates seem to be required for just about everything) but my first RYA course as a student was five days afloat with the last two being the direct entry Yachtmaster exam with four candidates. My first contact with the theory courses was teaching them. I went on to be a YM Instructor and cruising school principal.

 

[salad]

Urban Truant is another option (no affiliation I'm just a customer). I'm doing mine with them now. £230 with a voucher code. They send you all the stuff you need to get going including plotter and dividers, training almanac and so on. I'm only part way through but £230 seemed like a bargain to me. Theres nothing local, so I was pretty much forced to use online options.

My plotter arrived smashed (cheers DPD), but I was sent another almost immediately, so that was good service. Web site interface is good, too.

 

[Oiltrash]

Also used urban truant - and whilst I have seen better computer based learning it’s pretty good and they are good on follow up support - and price is good - if only the plotters fitted in their branded bags ?

 

[pioneer_11]

I would second that. Day skipper theory is not that complex and there are several books available from RYA plus a lot of resources online. That kind of money can be better spend on mile building weekend with an experienced skipper.

Ok I wasn't aware that was a possibility (I assumed the courses were required to get the certification). Can you recommend what books I should get get for the theory?

 

[baart]

I used these:
Rya Navigation Handbook,
Rya Navigation Excercises,
Rya Day skipper shorebased notes
and Tom Cunliffe's Complete Yachtmaster.

Good info here -
RYA Dayskipper & Yachtmaster Shorebased Courses - Penzance Sailing Club

And here - Sailtrain: Training for RYA Competent Crew, Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster sailing courses.

Colregs -

plus whatever else you can find on youtube.
It is worth getting Rya log book as well as it gives you clarity on what is expected at each level and you will need it when you do the practical anyway. Good luck.

 

[Skylark]

I’d endorse the recommendation to buy a G158 Logbook and read carefully the DS Practical course syllabus.

Read carefully the definition of “can”, on page 9. It’s perfectly possible to do the DS Practical without first having done the equivalent Shorebased course but note that there are a lot of “can” within the sections of Navigation, Pilotage, Rules of the Road and Passage Making. A solid foundation on these sections is built within the Shorebased course. There will not be time, and it’s unfair to the other students, to teach this foundation on the practical course, it’s assumed that you have it.

It’s hence not uncommon for students who do not have a solid foundation of Shorebased knowledge to not be able to demonstrate the required level of proficiency, hence not quite ready to be awarded the practical course completion certificate without further study.

 

[KompetentKrew]

It’s perfectly possible to do the DS Practical without first having done the equivalent Shorebased course

I have the impression this should be agreed in advance with the instructor taking the Practical course. The instructor with whom I did my Competent Crew and Coastal Skipper at Phoenix (who also teaches at BOSS) was insistent that students take the theory before his Practicals. I guess he might make exceptions for people he knows are capable, but he said that examining the theory can be quite a bit of extra work.

 

[Skylark]

I have the impression this should be agreed in advance with the instructor taking the Practical course. The instructor with whom I did my Competent Crew and Coastal Skipper at Phoenix (who also teaches at BOSS) was insistent that students take the theory before his Practicals. I guess he might make exceptions for people he knows are capable, but he said that examining the theory can be quite a bit of extra work.

That’s a great thought but keep in mind that many/most instructors are freelance and rarely, if ever, involved in the booking process.

RYA is, quite rightly, clear that you can enter the cruising scheme wherever you think fit, hence the statement that it’s not necessary to have done the accompanying Shorebased course but that it is assumed that a level of knowledge equivalent to, is held. This is tested as I described above within the practical syllabus where, for example, the student must demonstrate a level of proficiency in a relevant section.

It fairly quickly becomes apparent to the instructor if the student does not have the foundation of Shorebased knowledge whereupon the process of managing expectations takes place.

There is nothing more difficult than sending a disappointed student home at the end of the course but the laid-out standards are there to be maintained. If done well, however, he/she will go home disappointed but enthused and motivated to receive and action plan required to close the gaps and get the job done ✔

 

[ylop]

Ok I wasn't aware that was a possibility (I assumed the courses were required to get the certification). Can you recommend what books I should get get for the theory?

do you NEED a DS Theory Cert for something specific (E.g. commercial endorsement?) - I don’t know if you can sit the exam without doing the course. If it’s just to sit the practical then theory cert is not required, but you must be at that standard. Instructors do report a common problem with DS practical candidates not having enough theory.

 

[Marceline]

re: Commercial Endorsement, would I need to have my Day Skipper endorsed (just about to start the Theory) or is it more Yachtmaster level this is crucial ?

 

[ylop]

re: Commercial Endorsement, would I need to have my Day Skipper endorsed (just about to start the Theory) or is it more Yachtmaster level this is crucial ?

Depends what you are going to do!

 

[Marceline]

I'd love to be a crewmember (or skipper if I get that far) of a Sail cargo ship in a few years (there's a couple of companies who are doing that now, and hopefully other companies spring up)

I'd not heard of Commercial Endorsement til a few days ago (am still very early days learning), but if it'd be better to get a CE for my qualifications I guess now I'm about to complete Competent Crew soon and start prepping for Day Skipper Theory I'd not want to miss out doing all the courses but then lacking something crucial.

For 'Commercial Endorsement' is it being sponsored by a company, or is it more a higher invigalisation standard from RYA ?

 

[Skylark]

I'd love to be a crewmember (or skipper if I get that far) of a Sail cargo ship in a few years (there's a couple of companies who are doing that now, and hopefully other companies spring up)

I'd not heard of Commercial Endorsement til a few days ago (am still very early days learning), but if it'd be better to get a CE for my qualifications I guess now I'm about to complete Competent Crew soon and start prepping for Day Skipper Theory I'd not want to miss out doing all the courses but then lacking something crucial.

For 'Commercial Endorsement' is it being sponsored by a company, or is it more a higher invigalisation standard from RYA ?

At this stage of your training I would not worry about commercial endorsements. For now, give Comp Crew and DS Theory your full attention. Hope you enjoy them both, best of luck.

For a little coffee time reading, the RYA site explains it all. Here’s a link.

commercial-endorsements

 

[Marceline]

Thanks ever so much Skylark