To gain the RYA Dayskipper qualification you will need to complete three weekends. Or book Day Skipper Practical - 5 days if you prefer. 

Our experienced instructor will guide you and your fellow crew members through the course in a friendly and relaxed manner. You will practice your skills as a skipper, making decisions about what to do and briefing the crew accordingly. 

By the end of the course, you will have the skills and technical knowledge to skipper a small yacht with confidence.

Course content

Yacht preparation and deck work 

• Engine checks, sail selection, stowage above and below decks.
• Understands how to victual a yacht
• Reef and change sails to suit prevailing conditions 
• Take charge on deck when mooring alongside, coming to a buoy, anchoring.

Navigation and pilotage

• Chartwork, taking and plotting visual fixes
• GPS position fixing, waypoints, routes.
• Log keeping, working up DR and EP 
• Tidal heights, tidal streams, course to steer (for leeway and drift). 
• IALA buoyage, pilotage plans, transits, echo sounder, leading, and clearing lines.   

Meteorology and rules of the road

• Understand sources of forecast information 
• Interpret weather forecasts and use a barometer as a forecasting aid 
• Learn the basics of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 

Engines and maintenance  

• Learn the properties and uses of common synthetic fibre ropes  
• Overview of how to change fuel and water filters, pump impeller and bleed the fuel system 

 Emergency situations 

• Man overboard recovery, distress flares, and liferafts 
• Radiotelephone distress message 
• How to secure a tow 
• Helicopter rescue 

Yacht handling and passage making 

• Steer and trim sails on all points.
• Steer to a compass 
• Plan and make a short coastal passage.  
• Night pilotage  
• General duties in connection with the daily routine of the vessel 

Location and sailing conditions

You will sail around Sydney Harbour which provides a fabulous training environment with generally excellent sailing conditions.

The yacht and the instructor 

This course will be run on board one of our comfortable 40-foot yachts by an accredited RYA Yacht Cruising Instructor. 

• Tuition, logbook, pre-course reading.
• Life jackets and safety harnesses are provided and we can loan you wet weather clothing if required.
• All vessels have an enclosed bathroom on board.
• Please bring your own lunch and snacks.
• We provide tea and coffee and pizza takeaway before the night training exercise. 

Qualifications and experience

• RYA Dayskipper Practical certificate (once you have completed three weekends)

• You have completed a Competent Crew course or spent at least one week on a sailing yacht and are confident as a crew member under supervision. 
• You understand the basics of pilotage and are familiar with navigation using paper charts. 
• If your knowledge of marine safety and navigation is very basic we recommend you consider joining a Day Skipper Shorebased Theory course for a comprehensive introduction or complete Essential Navigation and Seamanship online to cover the basics. 

• We recommend anyone operating as a Day Skipper should also hold a First Aid certificate and a Marine Radio Licence
• Your next Flying Fish course should be RYA Coastal Skipper and RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased Theory.

• Tim Keith 
• Day Skipper Weekend
• 
• Thanks to  Flying Fish instructor Matt, for a great learning experience and friendly flexible approach for us all over the weekend. I really enjoyed his teaching and the way we worked as a crew.
• Alison Thursby
• Start Yachting Weeekend
• 
• “ Our instructor, Chris was fantastic. I now understand the basics of sailing and have recommended the course to many others. I look forward to doing a competent crew course soon ”
• Jeanette Kim
• NSW Boat licence
• 
• “ The instructor was awesome! Made the lessons clear, fun and very informative. They focus on water safety and everything you need, to enjoy your time out on your boat. What are you waiting for? Get a boat licence and enjoy our beautiful harbour! ”