VALUE OF TRAINING

THE VALUE OF TRAINING

More than 270,000 people of all ages and abilities undertake some form of RYA training each year. Do you have training plans for 2022?

RYA Day Skipper covers all aspects of yacht sailing. Image: Shaun Roster Photography

RYA courses are recognised the world over for delivering the skills and knowledge to stay safe and enjoy our time on the water. But with no legal requirement to hold a licence to skipper a vessel in UK waters, why is RYA training so popular?

Something for everyone You only need to glance at the courses section of RYA website to see the breadth of courses on offer: from sail and motor cruising to powerboating, small boat sailing, windsurfing and wingsurfing, inland waterways and personal watercraft, specialist short courses and navigation and seamanship theory. In total there are more than 100 different courses covering every boating activity looked after by the RYA.

With many of the RYA’s theory courses now available online and with more flexible options for practical courses to fit in around busy lifestyles, it is becoming more and more convenient for people to take courses wherever and whenever works for them.

Although you do not legally need a license to skipper a vessel in UK waters, RYA qualifications are highly respected worldwide and can be used as proof of competence. So, whether you want to charter a yacht on holiday or start a career at sea, an RYA certificate will prove your experience and ability as a skipper.

For other activities, having a qualification is law. For example, if you have a VHF radio on board your boat or carry a handheld VHF whilst out on the water, you need to hold an operator’s licence to use it.

Whatever your motivation, RYA courses and qualifications offer an opportunity to build confidence, have fun and are often the starting point of a lifelong love of sailing, powerboating or watersports.

They also make our waters a safer and more enjoyable place to be – for everyone who uses them. Top picks With so much on offer, you might be wondering where to start. Here are a few of the RYA’s most popular training courses…

Level 2 Powerboat Handling Duration: 2 days Minimum age: 12 Required experience: None This entry-level course is aimed at anyone wanting to drive small open powerboats for either leisure, work or in connection with another activity such as sailing or rescue.

You will focus onlow-speedclose quarters handling, man overboard recovery, driving atplaningspeed and collision regulations.

For Victoria Jacobs, the course was a way to develop her confidence when her family first bought their 6m RIB.

She decided to do an ‘own boat’ course on their powerboat and nineyear-old son Thomas was also able to come along and do the RYA Level1Start Powerboating course (minimum age 8).

“My husband is boat mad and has a lot of experience, which meant when we first got the RIB he used to end up doing everything,” explained Victoria. “I wanted to be able to contribute to the family fun and to have the confidence to take over should something go wrong.

“I loved all of it, but for me the best thing was seeing how much Thomas learnt and enjoyed it, as well as gaining confidence myself. I now know my family is much safer on the water.”

Day Skipper Practical Sail Duration: 5 days Minimum age: 16 Required experience: Basic sailing ability, five days, 100 miles and four- night hours on board a sailing yacht. Navigation and theory knowledge to Day Skipper Shorebased level RYA Day Skipper is a qualification which enables you to safely take charge of a 30-45ft sail cruising yacht and its crew by day in familiar waters.

Level 2 Powerboat Handling is an entry-level course Image: Victoria Jacobs

As well as giving you the confidence to enjoy your boat and stay safe, it shows charter and boat share companies that you have enough knowledge and practical experience to look after their boats too. You will also be able to apply for an ICC (International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft), which means you can go cruising abroad.

The course covers all aspects of yacht sailing: how to trim sails, plan a passage, moor and anchor safely, as well as learning how to make key decisions on everything from safety management and equipment to the well-being of everyone on board.

RYA chief instructor of the Sail and Motor Cruising schemes, Vaughan Marsh explained: “RYA Day Skipper is a challenging and fun course which comes with fantastic rewards. When you feel able to head off on a sailing trip with your friends and family – that is when the hard work really pays off.”

The RYA Day Skipper course can also be taken on a motor cruiser. Marine Radio (SRC) Duration: 7 to 10 hours in the classroom or online, plus independent exam Minimum age: 16 Required experience: None The RYA Marine Radio Short Range Certificate is the minimum qualification required by law to operate VHF and VHF Digital Selective Calling equipment in the UK.

The one-day course and exam covers the basics of radio operation, distress, emergency and medical assistance procedures and everything you need to know to be able to operate the radio.

Arnaud Coville took the course online last summer and said: “The course itself was very good. It was easy, very didactic and the instructions are fool proof. The best thing was I could choose the timing and duration of the sessions.” Learn to Wingsurf Duration: Up to 4 hours Minimum age: None, but always check with the training centre as some will prefer children to be aged 8 and above Required experience: none Wingsurfing, and the more advanced wingfoiling, are the latest watersports to hit our waters. To help make them accessible to everyone, the RYA introduced a new training scheme in 2021.

The RYA Learn to Wingsurf course is aimed at complete beginners and consists of two parts: learning to fly the wing ashore, and then afloat.

By the end of the course you should be able to launch and land safely, travel a short distance across the wind and complete a basic gybe.

Looking to try something new, watersports novice Sarah-Maeva Cialec was one of the first people to take the course last year.

“I thought it was going to be really difficult,” she explained. “But it did not take as long as I expected to get up and feel comfortable on the board. I cannot wait to get back out and try it again.”

Endless opportunities “If you learn how to do something properly you enjoy it more, which fuels the encouragement and motivation to continue and learn more,” explained Amanda Van Santen, chief instructor of the RYA Dinghy and Windsurfing training schemes.

“Enjoyment is ultimately the only reason anyone stays in any sport, but why people enjoy something varies. Personal challenge and achievement are huge. Many people also want to give back to the sport they love and getting trained enables them to do that as skilled volunteers or professional.

“Getting trained gives people the opportunity to develop a lifetime’s enjoyment on the water and that is what we want.”

For more information about RYA courses and to find an A recognised training centre near you visit: www.rya.org.uk training

Wingsurfing is growing in popularity, so why not take a course this year. Image: Sarah-Maeva

The RYA covers all forms of boating, including dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing, inland cruising and narrowboats and personal watercraft.