RYA Day Skipper Combination Theory and Practical
Booking details
Please select your preferred start date below.
Please select your preferred start date below.
Joining Instructions: Please click here for training course joining instructions.
What is included in the training course cost:
Recommended Reading: RYA Day Skipper Handbook Sail (G71), RYA Yacht Sailing Techniques (G94), RYA Yachtmaster scheme and syllabus (G158)
Prerequisites for taking the Day Skipper Theory and Practical Training Course: RYA Competent Crew (at least 5 days on board a yacht sailing), or suitable sailing abilities to the same level.
Minimum Age: 16+.
Holiday Insurance: We would advise ALL our customers to ensure they have suitable holiday insurance in-place. Yachtsman’s insurance is available from a variety of sources, such as Topsail Insurance, and can cover things like cancellations and personal effects cover.
This training course will enable students to safely plan and undertake day passages in familiar waters, with an introduction to making a night passage, always returning to a port of safe haven. This is the gateway training course to chartering yachts anywhere in the UK and the world. With the skills learnt on the training course you will have a good, solid grounding ready to start your adventures.
To ensure you’re fully prepared and comfortable during your time on board, please remember to bring the following with you:
If you have any questions about what to bring, feel free to ask us ahead of your course. With the essentials ready, you’ll be able to focus on making the most of your training experience!
The RYA Day Skipper Training Course Solent is designed for anyone who has successfully completed the RYA Competent Crew training course and wants to undertake the practical and theory qualification in one sitting over nine continuous days.
Successful completion qualifies students for their International Certificate of Competence (ICC), allowing them to confidently plan and complete passages around Portsmouth, Southampton and the Solent, as well as charter yachts in the UK and abroad.
As a guide we would recommend an absolute minimum of five days (or 100 nautical miles) of tidal waters yacht sailing experience as an active crew member. This requirement is usually obtained by taking the RYA Competent Crew training course. However, If you are short of a few days experience then why not try one of our sailing mile builders!
We sometimes find that students with less than this level of experience struggle to pass and complete the RYA Day Skipper Combination training course.
Throughout your RYA Day Skipper Combined training, you’ll spend nights at a variety of well-appointed marinas around the Solent—think Ocean Village, Yarmouth, Lymington, Hamble, Beaulieu, Chichester and of course beautiful Portsmouth harbour. At each location, you’ll enjoy access to plenty of creature comforts to make your stay as pleasant as possible.
Facilities typically available during your stopovers include:
You’ll find that the marinas complement everything onboard, giving you a chance to stretch your legs, treat yourself to a meal ashore, or simply relax in the marina atmosphere before another day’s sailing adventure.
The RYA Day Skipper Combined Theory & Practical Training Course will enable you to gain the full RYA Day Skipper qualification in just nine days. It’s the fastrack way to gain your skippers licence.
The RYA Day Skipper Combined theory and practical training course is held over 9 days and is conducted from our Gosport Marina base.
You will need to spend your evenings reviewing your theory classes and reading some of the upcoming theory sections ready for the next day. You will have exercises to complete each evening to help consolidate your learning.
The RYA Day Skipper Combined Theory and Practical Training Course covers preparation for sea and the safety briefing, deck work, navigation (both traditional and electronic), pilotage into and out of ports and harbours, meteorology, rules of the road, maintenance and repair work, engines, victualing, emergency situations and actions, yacht handling under power and under sail, passage making, night sailing back to a port of safe refuge, and of course being the skipper of a vessel.
Please be aware that RYA Day Skipper Combination Training Courses completed in the Solent and other tidal waters are demanding. This training course is held in high regard with yacht charter companies worldwide due to the challenging waters, winds, tides and busy waterways you will encounter. Training courses run in the non-tidal waters of the Mediterranean are generally not accepted by the UK yacht charter industry.
All events are subject to weather and tidal conditions. The safety of our students will always be our top priority. As such, schedules and plans may be adjusted at short notice to ensure safe and enjoyable training for everyone onboard. Your experience in these dynamic environments not only sharpens your seamanship but also prepares you for real-world sailing scenarios, where adaptability and safety are paramount.
Our Day Skipper training course also qualifies you for the International Certificate of Competence (ICC).
Our RYA Day Skipper Combination training courses have 4 to 5 students. In some instances sharing a cabin may be required. For optimum learning and personal attention, we maintain a low student-to-instructor ratio—typically 4 students to 1 instructor—ensuring you get plenty of hands-on experience and support throughout your course. (We run a maximum to 5 students to one instructor subject to bookings)
One of the key benefits of our RYA Day Skipper Combination training course is the low student-to-yacht ratio. With just 4 to 5 students aboard each yacht—typically no more than 2-3 Day Skipper candidates—you receive more meaningful, hands-on experience at the helm. (this can sometimes change depending on bookings)
Why does this matter?
Smaller groups ensure you’re not simply a passenger—you’ll be immersed in every aspect of life aboard, setting you up for both success in your exam and real-world sailing adventures. During the course we may not be always 9am-5pm as we may extend some of the days to get the best sailing outcomes as possible to help get you to the highest standard we can and give you the most amount if time to practice and polish your skills.
Training courses run in a single format:
During your RYA Day Skipper (Tidal) Combination Training Course, you will cover theory and practical navigation, pilotage, boat handling, seamanship, skippering techniques, customs and sailing etiquette and the all-important berthing in marinas. You will also potentially cover rafting alongside another vessel, which is common during high season.
The training course includes accommodation aboard our immaculate, well-maintained yachts with breakfast, lunch and snacks and three evening meals onboard with one evening meal taken ashore at the students cost during the practical side of the training course.
During the theory side of the training course we only provide accommodation on a “bed only” basis at extra-cost. (This is strictly subject to availability of spare yachts – Please confirm two weeks prior to your training course commencing).
We also include all fuel and safety kit such as lifejackets and waterproofs (Excluding footwear).
Fancy going VIP and having your own exclusive private training course for you and your friends or family? You can book the whole yacht just for your own exclusive training course from only £1,095 per person. Enjoy the training course in style, with up to five persons on the boat being taught by one of our friendly, experienced Yachtmaster Instructors! What a way to start your sailing adventure!
This is the best way to gain your RYA Day Skippers licence in the shortest possible time frame. This training course will give you the ability to charter a yacht in the UK or abroad.
It’s advisable to ensure that your practical sailing skills are up to scratch, as there is no time on the training course for refreshing skills. You need to be able to helm the yacht, hold a course, operate winches, tack, gybe and sail the yacht into a triangular course. In short, you need to be confident of the skills you learnt on your Competent Crew training course.
This training course is the starting point for your skippering life. It’s all about the journey, visisting new ports, navigating in and out of them safely by day. This course will immerse you in boat life, so get involved, enjoy the banter, ask questions and have a great time. Once you complete this training course, go sailing, charter a boat with friends and family.
Remember with this training course that it’s a full-on nine days! So please be well-prepared for long days a a lot to learn!
We will help you as much as we can but you need to work with us to really get the most out of the full nine days. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for things to be explained in more detail if you don’t understand them. Practice the skills in the evenings to really home your knowledge. But most of all have fun.
Please select your preferred start date below.
The RYA Yachtmaster™ / Coastal Skipper Theory Course brings students with at least the RYA Day Skipper qualification and a sound level of sailing experience, up to Coastal / Yachtmaster™ level (Theory only).
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Theory course!
Once you’ve found your ideal dates, you can secure your place with just a 30% deposit. We understand life can throw up the occasional choppy waters, so instalment payments are available to spread the payment out before your course—just get in touch to arrange what works best for you. If you have any questions or want to chat through the course before booking, don’t hesitate to contact Tom for friendly, expert advice on the phone.
Learn more
The RYA SRC/VHF Radio Course is minimum qualification required by law to operate the VHF or VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) equipment on any British flagged vessel carrying a radio. This is also for anyone who wants to operate a marine radio at sea, weather it is on a Kayak or paddle board, to operating a RIB, Jet ski or a Yacht. This course is one of them you need to stay safe on the water.
Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA SRC/VHF Radio course!
Learn more
RYA Coastal Skipper Practical: Master Solent Navigation in 5 Days
The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical training course is designed for sailors looking to enhance their coastal navigation and passage planning skills at Premier Gosport Marina. As the next progressive step from the RYA Day Skipper qualification, this training course delivers advanced sailing techniques and navigational expertise for executing longer passages. With over 30 years of Solent-based experience, Commodore Yachting equips you with the confidence to tackle essential Channel crossings. View our live course calendar for RYA Coastal Skipper Practical dates at Gosport Marina.
You may notice that the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical isn’t often scheduled during June, July, or August. This is quite intentional. One of the key elements of this advanced course is meaningful night sailing experience. The long daylight hours of summer simply don’t allow us to provide enough genuine night time navigation for every student. To ensure you gain real-world skills—like plotting courses in darkness and handling a yacht after sunset—we schedule these courses more at times of year when darkness reliably falls early enough for proper night passages.
Every aspect of the course is designed for focused, in-depth learning. We limit numbers to just four students per yacht, all learning at the same advanced level. This lets our RYA instructors tailor tuition to the needs of budding Coastal Skippers. Please note: students must be at least 17 years old, and anyone under 18 will need a parent or guardian on board. But don’t worry we do run them but we have smaller numbers in the summer so we can get those night hours in!
Ready to navigate with confidence, day or night? Here’s what’s included in your training:
Learn more
Fun couple of days with the Commodore team doing Day Skipper drills ahead of a YM exam. Very useful and great instruction from Ali.
ChrisCI have used Commodore Yachting for the following courses and would never go anywhere else for training or experience building: Sail - Competent Crew Sail - Day Skipper Sail - Mariner Handling Power - PB2 Power - Own boat tuition Motor Yacht Power - Own boat tuition RIB All the instructors have been great and I have come away with bags of confidence. The Chief Instructor Tom is extremely knowledgable and will guide you as to what steps to take in achieving your goals.
Robert Till