RYA Competent Crew

Course length

5 days or 3 weekends

Pre-requisite experience

None

Course overview

An introduction for beginners who want to become active and useful crew members. Introduces the fundamentals of sailing a moderate-size cruising yacht and by the end of the course you should have the confidence and ability to keep a lookout, handle sails, steer, row a dinghy and assist in all other day-to-day activities. During the course you will cover approximately 100 miles, plus 4 night hours on watch.

RYA Competent Crew Syllabus

Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging and sails

• Sufficient knowledge to understand orders given concerning the sailing and day-to-day running of the boat

Sail handling

• Bending on, setting, reefing and handling of sails
• Use of sheets and halyards and their associated bollards

Ropework

• Handling ropes, including coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double bollards
• Handling warps
• Ability to tie the following knots and to know their correct use: figure of eight, clove hitch, rolling hitch, bowline, round turn and two half hitches, single and double sheet bend, reef knot

Fire precautions and fighting

• Awareness of the hazards of fire and the precautions necessary to prevent fire
• Knowledge of the action to be taken in the event of a fire

Personal safety equipment

• Understands and complies with the rules for the wearing of safety harnesses, lifejackets and personal buoyancy aids

Man overboard

• Understands the action to be taken to recover a man overboard

Emergency equipment

• Can operate distress flares and knows when they should be used

• Understands how to launch and board a liferaft

Manners and customs

• Understands accepted practice with regard to: use of burgees and ensigns, prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in harbour including courtesies to other berthed craft
• Aware of the responsibility of yacht skippers to protect the environment

Rules of the road

• Is able to keep an efficient lookout at sea

Dinghies

• Understands and complies with the loading rules
• Is able to handle a dinghy under oars

Meteorology

• Awareness of forecasting services and knowledge of the Beaufort scale

Seasickness

• Working efficiency is unaffected/ partially affected/ severely affected by seasickness

Helmsmanship and sailing

• Understands the basic principals of sailing and can steer and trim sails on all points of sail
• Can steer a compass course, under sail and power

General duties

• Has carried out general duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection with the daily routine of the vessel