VHF SRC (Short Range Certificate) course

VHF SRC (Short Range Certificate) is a one day course and teaches the correct use of VHF for ship to ship and ship to shore communication, covering emergency situations and the new GMDSS regulations.

  1. Distress Situations
  2. Urgent situations
  3. Safety situation
  4. Routine communications

Course topics include:

  • the basics of radio operation
  • the correct frequencies (channels) to be used
  • distress, emergency and medical assistance procedures
  • making ship to shore telephone calls
  • Digital Selective Calling (DSC) using simulators
  • Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
  • Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB)
  • Search and Rescue (SART)

The course will be taught and examined using radio simulators and Standard Horizon training radio stations. The exam will also include a short written test carried out by another SRC assessor.

Duration: 

One day: 10.00h to 18.00h plus a 30-60 minute exam at the end of the day.

Pre-requisites:

• Learn the phonetic alphabet in advance

• Read the RYA VHF handbook before the course, this book is included in your course fee and we will give you the choice of receiving it in digital or printed format.

PRICE: 150 €

Price Includes:

  • Use of our Standard Horizon VHF / DSC simulators and training radios
  • Use of our Navtex simulator
  • RYA VHF handbook
  • A full day’s training with an RYA Instructor
  • Tea/Coffee

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:

  •  RYA SCR Exam fee 60 £ (payable to the assessor on the day)
  •  Lunch

The certificate has a lifetime validity!

 

Essential Navigation & Seamanship course 

The RYA course Essential Navigation offers a great introduction to navigation and safety awareness for inexperienced skippers and crew, and those wanting to refresh their skills and knowledges. In fact it’s for anyone interested in sailing, motor boating or diving. This RYA course will give you the essential knowledge needed when you are afloat, from navigational skills and safety to seamanship and passage planning.

RYA Essential Navigation is a highly informative course with lots of opportunities for you to put your new found knowledge into practice.

Course topics include:

  • Charts and Publications
  • Safety
  • Engine checks
  • Buoyage
  • Tidal awareness
  • Visual and electronic navigation
  • Pilotage
  • Rules of the road
  • Anchoring
  • Weather forecasts
  • Passage planning

You will receive a course pack which includes a chart, plotter, dividers, course handbook, exercises and a RYA electronic chart plotter CD.

Duration:

In the classroom, the course is taught over 16 hours with exercises to complete along the way. It can be covered as a series of short sessions or over two full days.

Price: 250 €

 

NB: The RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship is NOT as in depth as the RYA Day Skipper shorebased theory course. If you want to complete the Day Skipper Practical you will need to know the Day Skipper theory syllabus, which is more detailed than the Essential Navigation theory syllabus.

 

Day Skipper 

The RYA Dayskipper course is an extensive and detailed introduction to cruising (under sail and power) for inexperienced or Skippers with little experience. The RYA Dayskipper course gives you the knowledge and confidence to navigate in familiar coastal waters by day but it also includes an introduction to night cruising and navigation, as well as tidal calculations.

Anyone willing to complete the RYA Day Skipper Practical course will need to know the Day Skipper theory syllabus.

Course topics include:

  • The basics of seamanship
  • Ropework – knots and rope types
  • The essentials of coastal navigation and pilotage
  • chartwork
  • electronic charts
  • position fixing
  • plotting a course to steer
  • weather forecasting and meteorology
  • tides
  • collision regulations
  • construction, parts and equipment of a cruising boat
  • emergency and safety procedures including distress calls,use of flares, safety harnesses, lifejackets and life rafts

The course can be taken in tidal or non-tidal waters and your certificate will be endorsed accordingly.

The course is taught over 40 hours with exam papers. It can be covered as a series of short sessions, as an intensive week-long course, or by distance learning.

Price: 500 €

The Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore

This theory course will equip experienced Skippers with the knowledge to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages by day and night. It allows some time for revision of the basics and then moves on to advanced navigation techniques, building on the RYA Day skipper theory course, and will raise your knowledge to the standard required for the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams.

After the theory course the skippers with some experience should feel confident to become a Yachtmaster and practice their knowledges. Most centres will expect you to complete the Yachtmaster Coastal/Offshore theory course beforehand as there is not enough time to teach you theory during the practical course.

Price: 550 €

 

RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased course syllabus:

Position

• Understand dead reckoning and estimated position

• Understand satellite-derived position

• Use of waypoints

• Radar fixes

• Understand areas of uncertainty

The magnetic compass

• Allowance for variation

• Understand causes of deviation

• Allowance for deviation

• Different types of compass

Tides

• Causes of tides – Springs and Neaps

• Tide tables – sources

• Tidal levels and datum

• Standard and secondary ports

• Tidal anomalies

Tidal streams

• Sources of tidal information

• Allowance for tidal stream in plotting a course to steer

• Tide rips, overfalls and races

• Tidal observation buoys, beacons etc.

Buoyage

• IALA system buoyage in Region A

• Limitations of buoys as navigational aids

Pilotage

• Harbour regulations, lights and control signals

• Methods of pre-planning

• Clearing bearings

GPS and chart plotters

• Principles of operation and limitations of use

• Raster and vector charts

• Understand chart datum

• Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source and keeping a seperate record of position

• Importance of paper charts

Echo sounders

• Principles of operation and limitations of use

Logs (speed and distance measuring)

• Principles of operation and limitation of use

Deck log

• Importance of log as yachts official document

• Layout of log, hourly and occasional entries

Meteorology

• Understand basic terms, the Beaufort scale

• Air masses

• Cloud types

• Weather patterns associated with pressure and frontal systems

• Sources of weather forecasts

• Ability to interpret a shipping forecast, weatherfax and weather satellite information

• Land and sea breezes

• Sea fog

• Use of a barometer as a forecasting aid

Rules of the road

• A sound knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

Safety at sea

• Personal safety, use of lifejackets, safety harnesses and lifelines

• Fire prevention and fire fighting

• Distress signals

• Coastguard and Boat Safety Scheme

• Preparation for heavy weather

• Liferafts and helicopter rescue

• Understanding of capabilities of vessel and basic knowledge of stability

Navigation in restricted visability

• Precautions to be taken in fog

• Limitations to safe navigation imposed by fog

• Navigation strategy in poor visibility

Passage planning

• Preparation of charts and notebook for route planning and making, and use at sea

• Custom regulations as they apply to yachts

• Routine navigating in coastal waters

• Use of waypoints and routes

• Use of weather forecast information for passage planning strategy

Marine environment

• Responsibility to minimise pollution and protect the marine environment