DAY SKIPPER PRACTICAL

You spend the full course living on the yacht, with all meals provided. One of the expert Julio Verne Nautica instructors will work through the full syllabus with you, covering everything you need to know to be a competent and useful crew member on any future yachts you sail on.

A training holiday

Each day, you will sail to somewhere new, visiting the wonderful harbours and anchorages of the Rias Baixas. You will finish each day both on the mainland and on beatiful anchorages, and there’s usually the chance to head into one of the local pubs for a well earned beer and chat about the day’s training.

In the best place to learn to sail

The Rias are easily one of the best sailing areas in the world, with their great variety of locations, sheltered waters, gentle tides and lots of fishing boats on the move. As we described in our overview of the Rías Baixas, this is really the only place to learn to sail.

• Move from crew to skippering a yacht
• Navigation, short passages & some night sailing
• Lots of marina handling skills
• The certificate you need to charter a yacht

Safety is absolutely paramount when heading out onto the water. You will be training on top class yachts with the latest safety equipment, fully inspected by the maritime authorities every year.

90% of crew join solo, so these are excellent courses if you are coming alone. There is nearly always a 50:50 mix of men and women, of all ages. It’s a small, fun group of like-minded people, all working toward the same goal.

You can expect 4 other crew on board, giving a maximum of five.

• Warm clothes including hat, scarf, gloves and thermal underwear.
• Sleeping bag
• Polarised sunglasses
• Sun block
• Wash kit
• Towel
• Flip flops (great for shower blocks)
• Swimming gear
• Phone charger
• Sailing boots and some deck shoes or non-marking trainers

Everything must be packed into a soft holdall that can be rolled away

• All meals and snacks on board
• Life jackets
• All mooring fees

What’s not Included

• Sleeping bag
• Two evening meals ashore
• Waterproof boots
• Oilskins

The Day Skipper course teaches pilotage, navigation, seamanship and boat handling up to the required standard to skipper a small cruising yacht safely by day in tidal waters with which the student is familiar.

Preparation for sea

• Is able to prepare a yacht for sea, including engine checks, selection of sails, securing and stowage of all gear on deck and below.

Deck Work

• Can reef, shake out reefs and change sails to suit prevailing conditions
• Can prepare an anchor, mooring warps and take charge on deck when mooring alongside, coming to a buoy, anchoring, weighing anchor and slipping from a buoy or alongside berth.

Navigation

• Is proficient in chartwork and routine navigational duties on passage including: Taking and plotting visual fixes Use of electronic navigation equipment for position fixing
• Use of waypoints
• Working up to DR and EP
• Estimating tidal heights and tidal streams
• Working out course to steer to allow for tidal stream, leeway and drift
• Knowledge of IALA buoyage
• Maintenance of navigational records
• Use of echo sounder and lead line

Pilotage

• Can prepare and execute a pilotage plan for entry into, or departure from, harbour
• Understands the use of leading and clearing lines
• Use of transits and surroundings as aids to pilotage

Meteorology

• Knows sources of forecast information
• Can interpret shipping forecasts and use a barometer as a forecasting aid

Rule of the road

• Has a working knowledge of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

Maintenance and repair work

• Understands and is able to carry out maintenance tasks
• Knows the properties and uses of common synthetic fibre ropes

Engines

• Knows how to change fuel and water filters, pump impeller and to bleed the fuel system

Victualling

• Understands how to victual a yacht

Emergency situations

• Is able to take correct action as skipper for recovery of casualty overboard
• Understands distress flares and how to use a liferaft
• Can operate a radiotelephone in an emergency and send a distress message
• Understands how to secure a tow
• Understands rescue procedures including helicopter rescue

Yacht handling under power

• Can bring a boat safely to and from an alongside berth, mooring buoy and anchor under various conditions of wind and tide
• Can steer and trim sails effectively on all points of sailing

Passage making

• Can plan and make a coastal passage, taking account of relevant navigational hazards and limitations imposed by the type of boat and the strength of the crewx

Night cruising

• Has experienced sail cruising at night, including leaving and entering harbour.
• Understands the special consideration for pilotage plans, keeping a lookout and identifying marks by night.

Seasickness

• Working efficiency is unaffected/partially affected/severely affected by seasickness

Helmsmanship and sailing

• Understands the basic principles of sailing and can steer and trim sails on all points of sailing
• Can steer a compass course, under sail and power

General duties

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