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How Wind Vane Steering Works

What Happens when you Activate your PLB or EPIRB?

Using a lead line

Isobar weather maps explained

Christmas gift suggestions for the sailor in your Llife

What is a saloon berth?

Why learn to sail in Gibraltar?

The pros and cons of in-mast furling

Flag etiquette onboard a boat

Our favourite weather apps for sailing

What is a Katabatic Wind?

The difference between a backing and veering wind

Preparing for Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Shorebased Theory

Which First Aid certificates are valid for Yachtmaster qualification?

The benefits of own boat tuition

Actions to be taken onboard a yacht in a fire

How to use the traveller on a yacht

Considerations when choosing batteries for your yacht

What is a GMDSS Short Range Radio Certificate?

Perfect Gifts for any Sailor

An overview of the RYA SafeTrx app

How to navigate your small yacht in a Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS)

Top tips on keeping your crew safe

The best books for learning knots

Top tips for keeping your offshore crew happy

When to adjust the backstay and what it achieves

How to keep an effective lookout at sea

Am I ready for an RYA Day Skipper Course?

Liferafts - different types and where to stow onboard

What is a Personal Locator Beacon?

How to use the Kicking Strap or Vang

What is 'Heaving To' and when would you 'Heave To'?

How to pick up a man overboard under power

How to pick up a man overboard under sail

Immediate actions to take in a man overboard situation

An overview of Buys Ballot's Law

What is a drogue and when to use one

The difference between true and apparent wind speed

How to get a ships radio licence

RYA Practical yachting courses overview

Mediterranean mooring technique

What is a call sign and how is one issued?

What are electronic visual distress signals?

Best sailing movies

RYA Online Theory Courses

What is the difference between tide and current

The best sailing watches

Rules of the Road knowledge for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

What is a sea anchor and how to use one?

What knots are taught on the RYA Competent Crew course?

What is a Cunningham and how to use one

Our Top 5 Favourite Sailing Blogs in 2023

Rules of the road knowledge for RYA Day Skipper

Best books for cooking onboard a yacht

Sailing onto a mooring buoy

What flares should you carry onboard?

Books for Yachtmaster Offshore preparation

What is leeway?

Sailing Glossary

What is an MMSI number and how to register one

Best yachting deck shoes

Neap and Spring tides explained

Best sailing podcasts

How to take a 3 point fix when sailing?

How to motor onto a mooring buoy

How to pole out a headsail

The best gifts for a sailor

The best sailing gloves

How to choose mooring lines for a yacht

What are the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea (IRPCS)?

What should you include in a ship’s log?

What is a Yachtmaster Instructor and what can they teach?

What happens when a propeller gets wrapped?

What is a storm jib and how to use one

RYA navigation courses explained

How to use an anchor windlass

How to tow a yacht

How to prepare your moored yacht for heavy weather

Why is a lifeline a lifesaver - and why can it be a danger?

Our Professional Yachtmaster Fast Track Training Program

Best books for yacht racing

What is a low pressure system?

What is a SART?

Gas safety tips for your boat

How to Free a 'fouled' or stuck anchor

Best books for offshore cruising

What should you keep in a grab bag?

What is the difference between a Sloop, Ketch, Yawl and Schooner

What is a kedge anchor and when to use one

What is a Tri-Sail and How to Use One.

What Navigation is covered on the RYA Day Skipper Course

What is the Mistral and how do I know it's coming?

Accidents at Sea - Update on Reporting Requirements

Our favourite knot tying apps

What is a Cruising Instructor and what can they teach?

The costs involved with owning a yacht

What is covered on the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course

How to prepare a yacht for sailing in heavy weather / storm conditions

Tips for anchoring overnight

What to look for during a sea trial

Our Favourite Yachting Magazines

Best books on weather for yachtsmen

How to use a compass deviation card

Actions a skipper and crew should take in restricted visibility

What is the Clew Outhaul and how to use it

What is covered on the RYA Day Skipper Theory Course

Best books on sail trim

Recommended anchor and chain size for a yacht

Tips on getting a marine mortgage.

Should I buy a new or used yacht?

What happens when a yacht is struck by lightning?

What is a grib file and how to read one

Preparation for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Exam

What is the difference between Raster and Vector charts?

Minimum requirements for RYA yachting courses

What's included in a used yacht survey?

What insurance do you need when owning a yacht?

How long does it take to learn how to sail a yacht?

RYA Courses for singles

Learn to sail on holiday in Gibraltar

What is the difference between a Gybe and a Tack?

The minimum requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore examination

What qualifications do I need to sail my own yacht?

How to plan a Yacht Charter holiday

The minimum requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal exam

What is a Digital Radar?

Introduction to the RYA SafeTrx App

Best books for sailing and navigation

How to prepare for your first night sail

Can I take my lifejacket on a flight?

What are ‘Mile Builders’ and who are they for?

How and why you should log a transit report via VHF radio.

Where to dispose of distress flares

What qualifications you need before buying a yacht in the UK

The Safety Brief - A Guide for Skippers - Above Deck

The Safety Brief - A Guide for Skippers - Below Decks

Who are the MCA?

What is a Sacrificial Anode?

Here's What You Can do With a Commercially Endorsed RYA Certificate.

Simple Rig Checks on Your Yacht

How to gybe safely

Understanding true and apparent wind when sailing

What is an STCW10 Certificate and who needs one?

What is diesel bug and how to avoid it

Minimum requirements for the RYA Day Skipper Practical Course

What's included on our RYA Sailing Courses

Where to go to get a job in the yachting industry

How to read a Navtex message

Engine spares you should carry onboard

Considerations when writing a pilotage plan

How to Service & Maintain Your Lifejacket

MCA qualifications used in the yachting industry

What is an RYA Training Centre and why you should use one

How to find a job in the yachting industry

How to use a boat RADAR

How to prepare a yacht for a lift out by boat hoist

Crew roles within the yachting industry.

What to pack for an RYA Competent Crew Course

10 great reasons to sail with Jolly Parrot Sailing

What is the difference between a symmetric and asymmetric spinnaker?

The procedure for a VHF radio check

Offshore Sailing - How to setup a watch system

How to use tell tales to trim a sail?

What is Navtex

Come and sail with us in Sunny Gibraltar this winter

Five simple ways to start yachting

The places we visit on our RYA Sailing Courses

What are the qualities of different types of modern line and their uses?

What is a Cruising Chute?

How to apply chart corrections

How to use an EPIRB

What is a Spinnaker?

How to climb a mast safely

Types of distress flares and how to use them

What is a Danbuoy?

How to safely use an inflatable tender

Top 10 things to do when visiting Gibraltar

What to pack on an RYA Day Skipper Course

Piracy in the 21st century and how to avoid its dangers

Follow Jolly Parrot live on AIS.

What is an EPIRB?

The skipper's guide to Round the Island Race

A Beginner’s Guide to Round the Island Race

Gain your RYA Day Skipper Theory & Practical in just one week!

Novice to RYA Day Skipper in 2 weeks!

Where can I visit three Countries on two Continents on an RYA Course?

How to prepare a passage plan

What is the Levanter cloud and how is it created

How to use a Barometer when sailing

Learn to sail whilst on a Charter Holiday

What is SOLAS V and who does it apply to?

What is the procedure for changing a boat name?

Why you should take your RYA Yachtmaster Exam in the Mediterranean

How to antifoul your yacht

How to winterise your yacht

Mile Building Sailing opportunities in the Mediterranean.

How to choose a good anchorage

Which is the Best Sailing Course for Beginners?

We've entered Round the Island Race

How to navigate across the Atlantic with just a stick, a watch, a pencil and good company!

How to launch and board a liferaft

What is involved in an RYA Coastal Skipper Course?

How do I get into sailing?

What is the Professional Practices and Responsibilities (PPR) Course?

Five reasons to charter a yacht in Gibraltar

How to prepare for a helicopter rescue from a Yacht

How to register a boat in the UK

What's covered in an RYA ICC Sailing Course

What’s the difference between an ML5 and ENG1 Medical?

How long does it take to get an RYA Day Skipper ticket?

Five phrases that have a nautical origin

How to interpret a shipping forecast

5 tips for buying a used yacht

What's included with a Yacht Charter?

What age limits exist on RYA Yachting Courses?

What is an RYA Commercial Endorsement and how do I get one?

What is AIS and how to use it?

Preparation for an RYA Coastal Skipper Course

Why do we keep a Log?

Who are the Royal Yachting Association (RYA)

How do I prepare for a Yachtmaster Exam?

Can I get my RYA Day Skipper qualification commercially endorsed?

What qualifications are needed to own and sail a yacht?

What is an RYA ICC course and who needs one?

What is compass deviation and how do you apply it?

Why do I need to know knots?

What is the difference between a Pan Pan call and a Mayday call?

Why is tide so important when passage planning?

The 7 most common knots onboard a yacht

What is the warm sector ?

How do I know if a storm is coming?

What is a High Pressure System ?

What is a Yachtmaster ‘Prep Week’ ?

How much experience do I need to become a RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore?

What is magnetic variation and how to apply it ?

What to pack for a Mediterranean Yacht Charter

What is covered on an RYA Day Skipper Practical Course?

What engine checks should you do before sailing?

Recommended preparation for the RYA Day Skipper course

How to send a distress message by VHF radio

Preparation for an RYA Competent Crew Course.

What to consider when anchoring?

What is the difference between ‘In Mast’ and ‘Slab’ reefing?

What’s covered on an RYA Competent Crew Course?

How do I apply for an ICC Certificate?

Basic safety checks to undertake when joining a charter yacht

Why do we have adjustable car positions for our headsail sheets?

How long are RYA Certificates valid?

What is ‘Victualling’ and what are the considerations?

RYA Day Skipper Course in the Mediterranean

What is a gybe?

Can I take my RYA Day Skipper Practical Course without first passing my Day Skipper Theory Exam?

What precautions you should take when sailing in fog?

Do I need travel insurance for an RYA Sailing Course?

Sources of weather forecasts for sailors

What's the difference between RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and RYA Yachtmaster Coastal?

Basic Berthing - A few Tips and Tricks

Our Top 6 Sailing Apps!

What is Port and Starboard?

Learn to sail holidays in the Mediterranean

What is a ‘tack’?

Recommended reading for Competent Crew students

What is the difference between Tidal and Non-Tidal Day Skipper?

Should I learn to sail on a yacht or dinghy?

What is the Beaufort Scale?

What qualifications do you need to charter a yacht in the Mediterranean?

What is a Preventer and when is it used?

Which RYA Sailing Course is right for me?

What is an ICC Certificate and why do I need one?

Learn to sail on holiday in the Mediterranean.

Recommended reading for the RYA Day Skipper Course

What is seasickness and how to deal with it?

RYA Competent Crew Course in the Mediterranean

Why do we reef and what does it achieve?

Learn to sail with Family or Friends

What should I wear on an RYA Sailing Course?