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RYA Theory courses given by The Iberian Sea School can be from one student to a maximum of six. Most theory courses take place in the Iberian Sea School classroom at Olhos de Agua near Vilamoura as shown in the photographs above, with lunch in a restaurant about 50 metres away.
Course Completion Certificates will be issued on successful completion of these courses and of the examination during the second half of the fifth day of each course.
Day Skipper / Watchleader
Duration 5 days
This is an elementary course in basic seamanship,
which includes knots, navigation and meteorology. It is suitable for beginners.
Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore
Duration 5 days
A more advanced course in navigation and meteorology, suitable for students who have already completed the Day Skipper theory or who have a background of sailing, motor cruising or offshore racing experience with some expertise in navigation. This course is definitely not for beginners.
Yachtmaster Ocean
Duration 5 days
A course in astro-navigation and worldwide meteorology. A knowledge of terrestrial navigation and basic meteorology up to the standard of the Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster offshore shorebased course is assumed.
Day Skipper Shorebased Course Syllabus
A comprehensive introduction to chartwork, navigation, meteorology and the basics of seamanship. You will find the course invaluable if you want to learn how to start making decisions on board.
- Nautical terms: Parts of a boat & hull – General nautical terminology.
- Ropework: Knowledge of the properties of synthetic ropes in common use.
- Anchorwork: Characteristics of different types of anchor – Considerations to be taken into account when anchoring.
- Safety: Knowledge of the safety equipment to be carried, its stowage and use. (See RYA Boat Safety Handbook, C8) – Fire precautions & fire fighting – Use of personal safety equipment, harnesses & life jackets – Ability to send a distress signal via VHF radiotelephone – Basic knowledge of rescue procedures including helicopter rescue.
- International regulations for preventing collisions at sea: Steering & sailing rules (5, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 12 to 19) – General rules (all other rules).
- Definition of position course & speed: Latitude & longitude – Knowledge of standard navigational terms – True bearings & courses – The knot.
- Navigational charts & publications: Information shown on charts - Chart symbols & representation of Direction & distance – Navigational publications in common use – Chart correction.
- Navigation drawing instruments: Use of parallel rulers, dividers and proprietary plotting instruments.
- Compass: Application of variation – awareness of deviation & its causes – use of hand-bearing compass.
- Chartwork: Dead reckoning & estimated position including an awareness of leeway – techniques of visual fixing.
- Tides & tidal streams: Tidal definitions, levels & datum – Tide tables – Use of Admiralty method of determining tidal height at a standard port & awareness of corrections for secondary ports.
- Visual aids to navigation: Lighthouses & beacons, light characteristics.
- Meteorology: Sources of broadcast meteorological information – Knowledge of terms used in shipping forecasts, including the Beaufort scale and their significance to small craft – Basic knowledge of highs, lows & fronts.
- Passage planning: Preparation of navigational plan for short coastal passages – Meteorological considerations in planning short coastal passages – Use of waypoints on passages – Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source – keeping a navigational record.
- Navigation in restricted visibility: Precautions to be taken in, and limitations imposed by, fog.
- Pilotage: Use of transits, leading lines & clearing lines – IALA system of buoyage for Region A – Use of sailing directions –
- Marine environment: Responsibility for avoiding pollution & protecting the marine environment.
RYA Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course Syllabus
- Position: Dead reckoning and estimated position – Satellite derived position – Use of waypoints to fix position – Radar fixes – Techniques of visual fixing – Fixing using a mixture of position lines – Relative accuracy of different methods of position fixing – Areas of uncertainty.
- The Magnetic Compass: Allowance for variation – Change of variation with time & position – Cause of deviation – Swing for deviation (but not correction) – Allowance for deviation – Different types of compass.
- Tides: Causes of Spring & Neap tides – Sources of tide tables – Tide levels & datum – Standard & secondary ports – Tidal anomalies (Solent etc).
- Tidal Streams: Sources of tidal information – Tidal stream information in sailing directions & Yachtsmen’s Almanacs – Allowance for tidal streams in computing a course to steer – Tide rips, overfalls & races – Tidal observation buoys, beacons etc.
- Buoyage: IALA system buoyage in Region A – Limitations of buoys as navigation aids.
- Lights: Characteristics – Ranges (visual – luminous & nominal) – Rising & dipping distances – Light lists.
- Pilotage: Harbour regulations & control signals – Methods of pre-planning – Clearing lines – Use of soundings – Transits & leading lines.
- GPS and Chart Plotters: Principals of operation & limitations of use – Raster and Vector charts – Datum – Importance of confirmation of position by an independent source & keeping a separate record of position – Importance of paper charts.
- Echo Sounders: Principals of operation & limitations of use.
- Logs (speed & distance measuring): Principals of operation and limitations of use.
- Deck Log: Importance of log as vessels official document – Layout of log, hourly & occasional entries.
- Meteorology: 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 & sea breezes – Sea fog – Use of a barometer as a forecasting aid.
- Rule of the road: A sound knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, except annexes 1 & 3.
- Safety at Sea: Personal safety, use of lifejackets, safety harnesses & lifelines – Fire prevention & fire fighting – Distress signals – Coastguard & boat safety Scheme – Preparation for heavy weather – Liferafts & helicopter rescue – Understanding of capabilities of vessel & basic knowledge of stability.
- Navigation in restricted visibility: 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 & making, and use at sea – Customs regulations as they apply to vessels – Routine for navigating in coastal waters – strategy for course laying – Use of waypoints & routes – Use of weather forecast information for passage planning strategy – Sources of local & national regulations.
- Marine environment: Responsibility to minimise pollution & protect the marine environment.
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RYA Theory Courses 
