RYA Competent Crew
Become an active, confident crew member with this hands-on course. Perfect for complete beginners, you'll experience onboard living, learn essential sailing skills, and receive continuous guidance from your instructor throughout.
RYA Competent Crew is a popular course aimed at beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers. You will experience living on board a cruising yacht and really get to know the boat.
Through continuous guidance from your friendly and knowledgeable instructor, you'll find the course is entirely hands-on, enabling you to get fully immersed in the sailing experience.
Your time on board will be spent preparing and sailing the yacht on short passages, visiting rivers, marinas and picturesque anchorages across the Solent and Southampton Water. You'll learn how to steer, handle sails, tie essential knots, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the day-to-day duties on board.
Knowledge of how to keep safe and what to do in an emergency is vital, so you'll also learn how to operate flares, liferafts and how to assist the recovery of a man overboard.
What You'll Learn
- Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat
- Rigging and sail handling
- Essential ropework and knots
- Fire precautions and fighting
- Personal safety equipment
- Man overboard procedures
- Emergency equipment and flares
- Helmsmanship and steering
- Meteorology and weather awareness
- Rules of the road
- Dinghy handling
- Manners and customs afloat
Detailed Syllabus
Sea Terms and Parts of a Boat
- 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 winches
Ropework
- Handling ropes, including coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double bollards
- Handling warps
- Essential knots: 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 fire
Personal Safety Equipment
- Understands and complies with rules for wearing 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
- Accepted practice with regard to use of burgees and ensigns
- Prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in harbour
- Courtesies to other craft berthed alongside
- Responsibility of yacht skippers to protect the environment
Rules of the Road
- Able to keep an efficient lookout at sea
Dinghies
- Understands and complies with the loading rules
- Able to handle a dinghy under oars
Meteorology
- Awareness of forecasting services and knowledge of the Beaufort scale
Helmsmanship and Sailing
- Understands the basic principles of sailing
- Can steer and trim sails on all points of sailing
- Can steer a compass course, under sail and power
General Duties
- Carries out general duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection with the daily routine of the vessel
After the Course
You'll be able to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the day-to-day routines aboard a cruising yacht. You'll have the confidence to crew on longer passages and the knowledge to keep yourself and others safe.
RYA Competent Crew is open to anyone, and it's a fantastic opportunity for an enjoyable sailing holiday whilst learning a new skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any sailing experience?
No — Competent Crew is designed for complete beginners. Over five days you will learn everything needed to be a useful and confident member of a yacht crew.
Do I stay on the yacht overnight?
Yes — you live on board the yacht for the duration of the course. This is a big part of the experience and teaches you about life at sea. Bedding is provided, but bring a sleeping bag if you prefer.
What will I learn on the course?
You will learn sail handling, ropework, helming, basic navigation, safety procedures, and how to be a competent member of a sailing crew. By the end you will be confident enough to join other boats as crew.
Will I get seasick?
Some people do feel queasy on the first day, but it usually passes quickly. If you are concerned, take a suitable remedy before the course. Your instructor will have plenty of experience helping nervous starters.
What happens if the weather is bad?
We sail in most weather conditions — it is all part of the learning. In extreme conditions we may adjust the itinerary, and we will contact you as early as possible if the course needs to be rescheduled.
What should I bring?
Waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, non-marking deck shoes, sun cream, and personal items for five days. A full kit list is sent with your joining instructions.
What if I need to cancel?
Please see our terms and conditions for our cancellation policy. We understand plans can change and will always try to move you to an alternative date where possible.