The RYA Coastal Skipper course is intended to teach the skills and techniques required to skipper a yacht safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night.
Passage Planning
- Can plan a coastal passage including a consideration of the capability of the yacht, navigation, victualling, weather, ports of refuge, tidal heights and tidal streams, publications required and strategy.
- Knows Customs procedures.
Preparation for sea
- Is aware of safety equipment required for offshore passages.
- Can prepare a yacht for sea including stowage, safety briefing, watch keeping, delegating responsibilities and equipment and engine checks.
Pilotage
- Can prepare a pilotage plan, with consideration of soundings, transits, clearing bearings, buoyage, port or harbour regulations and tidal considerations.
- Can pilot a yacht by day and night.
Passage making and ability as skipper
- Can take charge of a yacht and direct the crew.
- Can organise the navigation, deckwork and domestic duties of a yacht on passage.
- Is aware of the significance of meteorological trends.
- Is aware of crew welfare on passage
- Can use electronic navigation equipment for planning and undertaking a passage, including the use of waypoints and routes.
Yacht handling under power
- Can control the yacht effectively in a confined space under power.
- All berthing and unberthing situations in various conditions of wind and tide.
Yacht handling under sail
- Can use the sails to control the yacht in a confined space.
- Anchoring and mooring in various conditions or wind and tide.
- Can sail efficiently on all points of sailing.
Adverse weather conditions
- Preparation for heavy weather and yacht handling in strong winds.
- Navigation and general in restricted visibility.
Emergency situations
- Recovery of man overboard under power and sail.
- Understands actions to be taken when abandoning to the life raft and during helicopter and lifeboat rescues.
Have a question?
If you have any questions please email us or call on +44 7925 784407 or see our Frequently Asked Questions.
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See what our clients say
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Great week with Jolly Parrot our instructors Ian and Lissie were excellent and prepared us above and beyond for our Yachtmaster assessment at the end of the week. Would definitely recommend for any of your training.
Ben
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Amazing 10 days with my instructor Ian working on my yacht master coastal prep course, which I successfully passed the day after the course. Great company couldn’t recommend them enough booking was easy and very well informed thanks to Rachel working behind the scenes.
Greg
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Absolutely incredible! Recently, I completed Jolly Parrot’s ‘Novice to Day Skipper’ course, and it was one of the best experiences of my life! Not only did I learn to sail, but the course also improved my confidence massively. The instructors were all so lovely and incredibly knowledgeable. Greg was my instructor for the Day Skipper portion and I couldn’t imagine anyone better suited for the job - An excellent instructor with impeccable humour. I met some amazing people during this course (namely my crew mates Bene, Doug and Flo), and overall had a wonderful time :)
Georgia
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Novice to Day Skipper course with Alex & Jason I was eager to learn to sail and at the same time to have relaxing time (holiday-like). It worked well for me, the instructors were cool and I was lucky to meet good colleagues sailors and have good time on the way. Keep rocking Jolly.
Nikola
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16-week Fast-Track I completed the 16-week Fast-Track program with Jolly Parrot, starting as a complete beginner with no prior sailing experience. From the moment I stepped aboard, the instructors—Ian, Greg, Rob, and Jason—became my guides, transforming my raw inexperience into something far more seasoned and confident. With their patience, skill, and unshakable belief in every student, they taught me far more than I could have imagined. If you’re considering joining, I can wholeheartedly recommend Jolly Parrot. The program is well-structured, and the instructors are highly knowledgeable, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to develop their sailing skills.
Tobias
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We spent a wonderful 11 days in November 2021 with Jolly Parrot. I completed the Coastal Skipper Combined course and my wife the Comp Crew. Instructors Flipper, IanG, Hailey, and Tom were all exceptional in their own unique way and we came away with more rounded skills and knowledge as a result of their patient teaching methods. Clive and Rachel did a fabulous job of shuffling schedules and boats to accommodate our different experience levels. Expect to be challenged on the Coastal Skipper course! We made some abiding memories, some long-term connections and friends, and hope to return soon for the next challenge maybe a mile-builder.
James
