RYA Competent Crew Practical Course Syllabus

The RYA Competent Crew Sailing course  is taught on board a sail cruising yacht of 7-15 metres length of waterline (LWL).

This course introduces you to sail cruising.  You will learn about personal safety, seamanship and helmsmanship to a level that will make you a useful crew member of a sail cruising yacht.

No previous experience is required.

The course can be taken as

• 5 days in duration if taken consecutively
• 3 sets of 2 days
• 2 days  followed by 3 days

Syllabus

1. Sea Terms and Parts of a Boat, her Rigging and Sails

Understands

• Orders given concerning the sailing and day-to-day running of the boat

2. Sail Handling

Can

• Bend on, set, reef and handle sails
• Use sheets and halyards and their associated winches

3. Ropework

Can

• Use sheets and halyards and their associated winches
• Handle ropes, including coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double bollards
• Handle warps
• Tie the following knots and knows their correct use: figure-of-eight; clove hitch; bowline; round turn and two half hitches; reef knot; rolling hitch; single and double sheet bend

4. Fire Precautions and Fighting

Understands

• The hazards of fire and the precautions necessary to prevent it
• The action to be taken in the event of fire

5. Personal Safety Equipment

Understands

• How to comply with guidance for the wearing of safety harnesses, life jackets and personal buoyancy aids

6. Man Overboard

Understands

• The action to be taken to recover a man overboard
• How cold water shock can affect a casualty in the water

7. Emergency equipment

Understands

• How to launch and board a life raft
• Distress flares and knows when they should be used

8. 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
• The responsibility of the boating community to protect the environment

9. Rules of the Road

Can

• Keep an efficient lookout at sea

10. Tender Usage

Understands

• The loading rules and complies with them
• The use and importance of a kill cord
• Safety equipment for tenders

Can

• Handle a dinghy under oars

11. Meteorology

Knowledge of

• The Beaufort Scale

Understands

• The forecasting services and where to obtain a forecast

12. Seasickness

Working efficiency is unaffected/partially affected/severely affected by seasickness (delete as applicable)

13. Helmsmanship and Sailing

Understands

• The basic principles of sailing

Can

• Steer and trim sails on all points of sailing
• Steer a compass course, under sail and power

14. General Duties

Can

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