RYA is the Royal Yachting Association. RYA offers a variety of yachting courses for one and all. Whether somebody is a first- timer who wants to be a most wanted crew member or an experienced captain who wants to enhance his skill into sailing, RYA is here to help!!!
RYA Competent Crew is the course for beginners who are aspiring to learn the skills of an efficient crew member rather than just being a passenger on board. The competent crew course does not require any pre-course experience or any assumed knowledge of sailing or handling the boat from the candidate. The minimum duration of the course is 5 days which is often run for 3 days plus a weekend or over three weekends. In case somebody has already done the Start Yachting Course, the course can be completed in 3 or 4 days only.
RYA Competent Crews course generally has no minimum age limit. The course really helps to get to know the boat by experiencing living on the boat and provides hands-on experience to the virtuallity of the course.
The content of the course is very interesting and has been much appreciated by the candidates taking up the course. The content includes knowledge about the various sea terms, various parts of a boat, rigging and sails of a boat. It provides an actual experience of sail handling, rope work, personal safety equipment, fire fighting and precautions. It also includes various aspects and training modules for dealing with men overboard, how to handle emergency equipment, knowledge about various meteorological aspects with respect to the sea sailing, dealing with sea sickness, helmsman ship or the skills required to perfect the art of steering a ship or a boat. The course also includes the information about the general duties of the crew member while on board, the customs and mannerism one need to inherent in order to be a good and useful crew member, rules of the road and all about the dinghies which is especially a small inflatable rubber open boat with sails and a mast.
At the completion of the course, the candidate is able to steer the boat. He will have all the required information about handling the sails, will be able to keep a lookout and will know how to row a dinghy. He will be able to assist in all the day to day routines of the sailing.
RYA Competent Crews Weeks are very popular with parents as well as with the teenagers themselves! Programmed to coincide with school breaks, these course curriculums are a great mix of sailing instruction and fun activities intended to keep teenagers busy and amused with a lot of learning. The course days include food and soft drinks and are suitable for teenagers between the age group 13 and 17. These sailing activities does not include canoeing, beach BBQs or on shore games. The Accommodation for all these days is on board for the whole duration of the course with boys and girls having separate cabins for them and of course the trainer also accompanies the candidates every time while on board.