Rose Hogan
We had a fantastic time! The Skipper was brilliant and carefully tailored the experience to suit all the passengers needs. It was safe, exciting, interesting and a lot of fun. Thank you
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Essential Navigation and Seamanship is the RYA introduction to charts, tides, buoyage and the basics of looking after a small vessel. Seawake runs it as a one-day classroom course in Menai Bridge, or online, so you can pick up the tools you need before a longer theory week or before you start making more of the decisions on board.
The day starts with charts and publications, safety, and the tools on the table: plotter, dividers and the handbook. You learn how to read tidal information, how buoyage works, and the engine checks that sit with a safe departure. Pilotage, visual navigation and anchoring follow, together with the rules of the road and how to put a short passage on the chart.
Classroom students work on real charts in Menai Bridge. Online students work through the same exercises and guided scenarios at their own pace. Either route ends with the RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship certificate, a solid first step before Day Skipper Theory if you want to go further.
Classroom days are held at our training centre in Menai Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey, with a fully equipped classroom in the town itself. Online study uses the same syllabus, so you can complete the course in the way that suits you.
They say if you can navigate the Menai Strait then it sets you in good stead for any navigational boating challenge. The classroom is easily reached by taking junction 8A onto the A5 off the A55 at Britannia Bridge, with Pay and Display parking across the road.
No previous sailing or navigation experience is required. The course is written as an introduction, so it suits crew who want the theory behind the decisions as well as anyone refreshing the basics.
Come ready for a full day at the chart table, or for 8 to 10 hours of online study. A willingness to work through the plots and the buoyage is enough. The minimum age on this listing is 17.
What makes a Seawake Powerboat Training course different is our team. We are all enthusiastic powerboaters with a vast amount of experience on the water, and this introduction is taught by instructors who already run Day Skipper Theory and the powerboat tickets from the same classroom.
Our instructors teach using RYA guidelines, their own experience and their local knowledge of the Menai Strait and North Wales coast. Theory is important, and the classroom sits in Menai Bridge so the tidal examples on the chart are the same streams you will meet when you go afloat.
Classroom days are at 40 High Street, Menai Bridge, Isle of Anglesey, LL59 5EF. Take junction 8A onto the A5 off the A55 at Britannia Bridge. Pay and Display parking is across the road from the classroom.
This is the RYA introduction to charts, tides, buoyage and the basics of looking after a small vessel. It suits anyone who wants that foundation before they start making more of the decisions on board, and anyone who wants a shorter first step before Day Skipper Theory.
No previous experience is required. Crew, new skippers and people refreshing the basics all use the same syllabus, working with a chart, plotter and dividers rather than only listening to a talk.
No. The course introduces charts, publications, safety, tidal awareness, buoyage, visual and electronic navigation, pilotage, rules of the road, anchoring, weather and a short passage plan from the start.
If you already spend time afloat, the day will put names and numbers on what you have been doing by eye. If you are new to the chart table, it is written as a first course, with the instructor working through each plot with you.
The classroom version is a single day, typically 6 to 8 hours, at 40 High Street, Menai Bridge. The online version is around 8 to 10 hours, which you can complete at your own pace.
Both routes cover the same topics and lead to the same RYA certificate. Classroom days keep you at the chart table with the group. Online study lets you pause and come back to a plot when it suits you.
You cover charts and publications, safety, engine checks, buoyage, tidal awareness, visual and electronic navigation, pilotage, rules of the road, anchoring, weather forecasts and a short passage plan.
The work is done with a chart, plotter and dividers, so you leave able to put a simple plan on paper. That is the same toolkit you will use later if you move on to Day Skipper Theory.
Yes. Seawake offers the course in the classroom or online. Online students work through interactive exercises and guided scenarios, with the same handbook and plotting practice.
Classroom students sit at the chart table in Menai Bridge, which is useful if you like to ask questions as you plot. The certificate is the same either way, and the tidal examples still sit on the Menai Strait whether you are in the room or at home.
Yes. On completion you receive the RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship certificate. It shows you have the introductory navigation and seamanship covered by the syllabus.
It is a useful first ticket before Day Skipper Theory, or before you start taking more of a share of the navigation on board. Keep it with your other RYA paperwork if you plan to continue.
You receive a course pack with a chart, plotter, dividers, handbook and exercises. Those tools are used in the classroom and can be used again afterwards when you plan a short trip of your own.
Bring a notebook and pen. Online learners receive the same pack so they can plot at home, not only click through screens, and the handbook stays useful after the course.
The minimum age on this listing is 17. That keeps the classroom and the online study at a sensible age for the safety and navigation content, including rules of the road and engine checks.
Younger crew who want time on the water with Seawake should look at the powerboat tickets, which start from a lower age on some courses. This shore-based introduction is written for 17 and over.
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 tidal examples on the chart are the same Menai Strait streams you will meet when you go afloat from the moorings a five-minute walk away.
Essential Navigation and Seamanship is the shorter introduction. Day Skipper Theory is the comprehensive 40-hour course covering chartwork, navigation, meteorology and seamanship in more depth, including course to steer and collision regulations at skipper level.
If you want a first look at the chart table, start here. If you already know you want the full skipper theory, Day Skipper Theory is the course written for that next step.
We had a fantastic time! The Skipper was brilliant and carefully tailored the experience to suit all the passengers needs. It was safe, exciting, interesting and a lot of fun. Thank you
The boattrip was amazing! We enjoyed every minute! Jason our captain told us a lot from the wildlife on Puffin Island. We really recommend this trip, it’s worth the money for sure.
Fantastic experience led by friendly, efficient and interesting people.
The instructor/guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable, and we had great fun on the boat
We loved our boat trip, water doughnuts and speeding along 50mph + was great fun. Our skipper was lovely, very knowledgeable and enthusiasm shone through. Want to come back and see the puffins next year... although this was my soul reason to book this trip it really did not disappoint…
The Rib Tour was amazing! Exhilarating ride on the rib combined with fascinating facts about the coastline and the birds on puffin island. Highly recommended, will be booking the bridges tour next.
Exhilarating but also really informative. A great experience all round and highly recommended
Brilliant! Loved when Jason put the RIB into ‘sports mode’. Perfect mix of adventure and information. Beautiful scenery, great morning in the water. Cheers guys.
What a great experience. Our skipper, Jason, was great. Good chat, very knowledgable and really pushed the boat. The boat is an impressive thing which really moves. Great experience! Will be back to do the other tour.
Excellent!
Uitgevoerd door Seawake, een partner van adventuro.
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Vanaf £120
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Vanaf £190
Hampshire and Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
Vanaf £99
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Vanaf £325
