RYA Day Skipper Practical - Whitsundays

Spend five magnificent days living and learning in the enchanting Whitsunday Islands aboard one of our yachts.

The week will be divided into short passages, coaching exercises, skills, and drills. With expert guidance from a friendly instructor, you will develop your yacht handling and seamanship skills and improve your knowledge of pilotage and navigation. You will be free to make your own decisions as skipper wherever possible.  

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

RYA Day Skipper Course – Key skills & training

🛠️ Yacht Preparation & Deck Work

• Perform engine checks, sail selection, and stowage above and below deck.
• Learn how to victual a yacht efficiently.
• Reef and change sails to match prevailing conditions.
• Take charge during mooring, anchoring, and picking up a buoy.

🗺️ Navigation & Pilotage

• Master chartwork, visual fixes, and GPS navigation.
• Learn log keeping, dead reckoning (DR), and estimated position (EP).
• Understand tidal heights, streams, and course adjustments for leeway and drift.
• Navigate using IALA buoyage, pilotage plans, transits, echo sounders, and clearing lines.

🌦️ Meteorology & Rules of the Road

• Interpret weather forecasts and use a barometer for weather prediction.
• Learn collision regulations (COLREGs) for safe navigation.

⚙️ Engines & Maintenance

• Understand the properties and uses of synthetic fibre ropes.
• Gain an overview of fuel and water filter changes, impeller replacement, and bleeding the fuel system.

🚨 Emergency Procedures

• Perform man overboard recovery and use distress signals (flares, liferafts, VHF distress calls).
• Learn how to secure a tow and coordinate a helicopter rescue.

⛵ Yacht Handling & Passage-Making

• Steer and trim sails effectively on all points of sail.
• Navigate by compass steering and plan short coastal passages.
• Gain experience in night pilotage and daily vessel routines.

Locations and sailing conditions 

🏝️ Whitsunday Islands – Tropical Sailing Paradise (July & August)

• Breathtaking scenery, pristine anchorages, and crystal-clear waters.
• Enjoy steady trade winds, perfect for relaxed yet exhilarating sailing.

🐬 Marine life encounters

• Expect to see dolphins, whales, and, of course, Flying Fish! 🐋✨

The yacht and the instructor

RYA-Qualified Instructors – Learn from highly experienced professionals, delivering expert guidance in Flying Fish’s signature friendly and professional style.

⚓ Safety & Ratios – We strictly adhere to RYA teaching ratios and safety guidelines, ensuring a safe and effective learning environment. 

The group is limited to five students to ensure you get maximum hands-on experience. 

You and your fellow students sail on board one of our Beneteau 40 cruiser-racer yachts and participate in all aspects of boat operation. 

Private course option - great fun, great value 

You can assemble a group of up to five people and pay for only four spots. This is an excellent option for families or friends, and children are welcome.

If you are interested in a private course, please use the enquiry button at the top of the page to contact us. 

• You have 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 rudimentary, we recommend you consider joining a RYA Day Skipper Shore-based Theory course for a comprehensive introduction. Or complete Essential Navigation and Seamanship online to cover the basics. 

• William Jamieson - Sydney, Australia
• RYA Day Skipper Practical 
• 
• "My wife and I had an absolutely amazing experience with Mathew on Let Loose. His kindness, patience and teaching methods helped us build the confidence we needed to tackle our next adventure - bareboat skippering in Gippsland in a few weeks time. We’ve worked with several RYA instructors, but we founds Mathew’s gift for teaching beyond compare.  Thank you so much. We will be back!"
• Rob Scott - Queensland, Australia 
• RYA Day Skipper Practical
• 
• "I cannot speak highly enough of the RYA Day Skipper course Flying Fish offers. The combination of expert instruction, practical hands-on experience, a world-class boat, and a stunning environment made this a truly unforgettable experience. I am confident about taking on the responsibilities of a Day Skipper, and I owe it all to Jim and your fantastic team. Thank you once again for providing such an outstanding course. I look forward to levelling up with the Day Skipper to Yachtmaster Fast Track soon."
• Lyndsay Barnes - UK
• Yachtmaster Offshore Fast Track
• 
• “ Joining the Flying Fish Yachtmaster programme was one of the best decisions I ever made, My new office is floating on Sydney Harbour. If you’re considering doing the course, sign up now and don’t give it a second thought. But be warned, it could change your life ”

• 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 Shore-based Theory.

• 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, coffee and water.  

Qualifications and experience

• 150 sea miles logged
• RYA Day Skipper Practical certificate
• On successful completion of the RYA Day Skipper Practical, you will be able to apply for the International Certificate for Operator of Pleasure Craft (ICC) from the RYA for a cost of approximately UK 50 pounds. You will then be able to Skipper/Charter vessels in the Mediterranean and other countries worldwide.