| Competent Crew and Day Skipper courses | | | | you have done the Shorebased course and the |
| The qualification that most charter companies | | | | Competent Crew course you are then in an |
| require you to have in order to charter a boat | | | | excellent position to do the Day Skipper Practical |
| from them is the RYA Day Skipper Practical | | | | course. |
| Certificate. Generally this qualification is recognised | | | | Many people start having done the very excellent |
| all over the world, however, a few charter | | | | RYA Day Skipper Shorebased course wanting to |
| companies don't recognise it. Those that don't | | | | do the Practical course but having not actually |
| recognise this qualification accept instead the | | | | done the Competent Crew course. This is fine |
| International Certificate of Competence (ICC). An | | | | providing they have sufficient experience to be |
| ICC can easily be obtained from the RYA by | | | | Competent Crew standard as described above. |
| sending off your DS Practical certificate and a | | | | To be a Skipper is to take on a very great |
| small admin fee to the RYA. | | | | responsibility. You are responsible for the safety |
| To get the DS Practical certificate you need to | | | | and well being of all those on board and for the |
| take a 5 day practical Day Skipper course. This | | | | yacht. You need to know what you are doing |
| can either be taken over 5 consecutive days or | | | | before you can tell other people what to do. We |
| over 2 weekends, one short and one long | | | | have to learn to walk before we can run. |
| weekend. To be eligible to take this practical | | | | Course Administrators always try to ensure a |
| course you need to:a) Know How to Sail a Bit | | | | person signs up to the correct course. They |
| Already. | | | | discuss on the phone the experience they have. It |
| If you have taken a 5 day Competent Crew | | | | can be difficult without actually sailing with |
| course then you would be fine to go onto do a | | | | someone to determine if they are already a |
| Day Skipper Practical course. If you have been | | | | Competent Crew. Consider someone that has |
| out with friends/family a lot then it really depends | | | | been on 2 weekend trips in the Solent with |
| on how much you have participated in actually | | | | friends and a week flotilla holiday in the Med. This |
| sailing the boat. If you can sail a triangular course | | | | is a sufficient amount of time on the water to |
| (ie know when and how to tack and gybe and | | | | become a Competent Crew but if there was no |
| how to set the sails to a ball park setting), know | | | | wind in the Med and they motored all week and |
| how to raise and lower the sails, know what to | | | | the 2 weekend trips in the Solent involved sailing |
| do with the mooring lines and fenders when you | | | | on 1 tack from Hamble to Cowes or Yarmouth |
| come alongside and know your knots then you | | | | and back then whilst it is all good experience it is |
| could be deemed to be competent already and | | | | not sufficient to make someone a Competent |
| could skip the Competent Crew course. If not | | | | Crew. |
| you should do the 5 day Competent Crew | | | | Learning to be a Skipper is not something that |
| practical course. Like the Day Skipper Practical this | | | | should be rushed or seen as a chore. Of 'having' |
| can either be taken over 5 consecutive days or | | | | to do courses. The courses are a lot of fun. Just |
| over 2 weekends, a short and a long.b) Have | | | | simply being on the water is a lot of fun. You are |
| done the Day Skipper Shorebased theory course | | | | in the same boat (sorry) as the other people on |
| or have knowledge to the equivalent level. | | | | board and often a great bond forms with our |
| This course teaches you about navigation, | | | | students. They often go on to sail together again. |
| weather, collision regulations and safety. So once | | | | |