RYA Day Skipper Theory Course in Anglesey

The aim of the course is to give prospective skippers and crew a comprehensive introduction to chartwork, navigation, meteorology and the basics of seamanship. It prepares you to make the key decisions needed to skipper a small vessel confidently in familiar waters.

It is a great starting point for those considering progressing on to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Theory course, and it provides a valuable base of knowledge for anyone considering the RYA Day Skipper Practical course.

The course is open to anyone. Some practical boating experience is desirable but not required. You can arrive as crew who want the theory behind the decisions, or as someone who has not yet spent much time at the helm.

If you already boat regularly, the chartwork and collision regulations will put names and numbers on what you have been doing by feel. If you are new, the 40 hours are written as a comprehensive introduction.

This is a shore-based course that runs over 40 hours plus exam time. Seawake offers flexible learning so you can complete the course in the classroom, online or by distance learning.

Classroom days are at 40 High Street, Menai Bridge. Online and distance learning use the same syllabus, so the certificate is the same whichever route you take.

Shore-based learning covers seamanship, coastal navigation and pilotage, chartwork, electronic charts, position fixing, and plotting a course to steer while accounting for tide and leeway.

You also cover weather forecasting and meteorology, tides, and the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. The work is done on real charts and examples, not as a short talk.

The course runs over 40 hours plus exam time. Classroom weeks are typically arranged across consecutive days so you stay in the same chartwork rhythm from Monday through to the exam.

Online and distance learning let you spread those hours in the way that suits you, with the same exam at the end.

Classroom days are at our training centre in Menai Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey. The classroom is in the town itself at 40 High Street, LL59 5EF, with Pay and Display parking across the road.

Take junction 8A onto the A5 off the A55 at Britannia Bridge. The same building is used for our powerboat shore-based sessions, so the tidal examples on the wall are the Strait outside.

Yes. The 40 hours are followed by exam time. The paper checks the chartwork, tides, weather and collision regulations you have been working through, not a separate surprise syllabus.

Passing confirms you have the Day Skipper Theory knowledge needed to skipper a small vessel in familiar waters and to move on toward practical skipper courses if you want them.

A notebook and pen are enough for classroom days. Course materials and charts are provided. Wear comfortable clothing for a full day at the table.

Bring lunch or money to buy it locally if you are in Menai Bridge. Online and distance learners only need a quiet place to work through the modules.

Yes. This course is a great starting point for those considering progressing on to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Theory course. The chartwork, tides and meteorology you learn here are the foundation that course builds on.

It also provides a valuable base of knowledge for anyone considering the RYA Day Skipper Practical course, so the theory is in place before you take a boat on a longer passage.

There is no minimum age on the RYA syllabus itself. On this listing we take students from 16, which keeps the classroom and the exam at a sensible skipper age.

Younger crew who want the same chartwork can look at Essential Navigation and Seamanship, which is written as a shorter introduction.