The RYA Short Range Certificate
It is the minimum qualfication required by law to control the operation of VHF and VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) it covers both fixed and handheld radios.
Course topics include:
The basics of radio operation
The correct frequences (channels) to be used
Distress, emergency and medical assitance procedures
Making ship to shore communication
Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
Global Martime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
Emergency Position Indicating Beacons (EPIRB)
Search and Rescrue (SART)
My course was conducted in a relaxed classroom enviroment and was quite enjoyable it took about 8 hours with a lunch break. A short written exam and practical exam is conducted at the end of the course. Everyone passed. The material in the course is easy to follow. I would highly recomend the course to all skippers as well as crew members who often go to see.
Course cost: £49 upwards plus RYA exam fee £60
While many sailors do operate a radio with out a licence it is illegal to do so. Knowing how to correctly use the radio equipment fould also help to save lives so it is well worth doing the course.
RYA First Aid
I would recomend this course to anyone not just Skippers and Crew. If doing the course could save or prevent one death it woukd have been worth doing.
The RYA course covers all the usual first aid subjects, but from a boating perspective. It is aimed at anyone who goes afloat, whether on inland waters, rivers, estuaries or on cross channel passages.
It is an enjoyable course with both theoretical and practical elements. Fortunately I have not used any of the skills that I learned in the course. But, when I fell of my tender I was fully aware what was happening to me and knew that I only had so much time to get out of the water before I lost dexterity.
Costs from £49
RYA Diesel Engine Course
I would recommend this course to anyone who owns a boat with a diesel engine.
Course Topics include:
The principles of diesel engine operation
The systems and parts of the engine
Fault finding
Rectification of common problems
Bleeding the fuel system
Changing the impeller
Routine maintenance
Winter lay up procedures.
I have used the skills that I learnt in the course a number of times and it was nice to get hands on experience with a marine diesel engine.
Course costs from £49
RYA Sea Survival
A one day course for anyone going to sea, providing an understanding of how to use the safety equipment on board your boat.
Course Topics Include:
Liferafts and the equipment they contain
Survival techniques
The design of lifejackets
Medical aspects of sea survival
Search and recue techniques
Course cost from £99
RYA Offshore Personal Survival
Training for recreational and racing skippers and crews who encounter rough weather and problems at sea.
Course Topics Include:
The one day sea survival course
One day of training in seamanship and emergencies, including heavy weather seamanship, weather forecasting, fire fighting and man overboard recovery.
Course cost from £99
RYA Radar Course
A one day course giving an understanding of radar as an aid to navigation and collision avoidance.
Course Topics Include:
How the radar set works
Target definition
Radar reflectors
Types of radar display
Radar plotting
The use of radar in navigation and collision avoidance
Course cost from £99
