RYA Day Skipper Practical - 5 days
The RYA Day Skipper Practical course teaches you to take charge of a yacht with confidence, building on the skills learned at Competent Crew level. On completion, you’ll gain your RYA Day Skipper certificate and can apply for an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) — often required to charter yachts in Europe.
Description

Your week on board is practical, hands-on and designed to build confidence as a skipper. Through short passages, coaching and real skippering decisions, you’ll learn to take charge of a sailing yacht safely and confidently.
By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to skipper a small yacht in familiar waters by day.
RYA Day Skipper – key skills and training
- Preparing a yacht for sea and managing life on board
- Sail trim, reefing and yacht handling under sail and power
- Mooring, anchoring, marina manoeuvres and picking up buoys
- Navigation, pilotage, tides and passage planning
- Basic meteorology and collision regulations (COLREGS)
- Engine checks and basic fault finding
- Emergency procedures, VHF radio use and man overboard recovery
- Watchkeeping and day and night pilotage
Sailing on Sydney Harbour
Sydney Harbour is an outstanding place to learn, with busy waterways, sheltered bays, sea breezes and varied conditions. Your instructor will adapt the itinerary to the weather and give you plenty of opportunities to practise real-world skippering.
We also run Day Skipper courses in the Whitsunday Islands during July and August. View Whitsundays courses.
Your yacht and instructor
You’ll train aboard one of our Beneteau First 40 cruiser-racer yachts with an experienced RYA-qualified instructor and a maximum of five students — giving you plenty of hands-on sailing, time at the helm and individual coaching.
Before you start
- You should have completed RYA Competent Crew or have at least one week’s sailing experience and be confident as a crew member.
- You should have a basic understanding of navigation, pilotage and safety before starting the practical course.
- For the full theory programme, complete RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Theory.
- Alternatively, we recommend our Essential Boating Skills and Knowledge course — a flexible, fully online option that covers the essential knowledge you need before your Day Skipper Practical, without spending a week in the classroom.
- The minimum age for RYA Day Skipper certification is 16.
What's included
- RYA tuition, course materials, logbook and pre-course reading
- Life jackets and safety harnesses
- Wet weather clothing available to borrow if required
- Tea, coffee and drinking water
- Use of onboard bathroom facilities
Please bring your own lunch and snacks.
Certificate and experience gained
- Approximately 150 sea miles logged
- RYA Day Skipper Practical certificate on successful completion
- Eligibility to apply to the RYA for an International Certificate of Competence (ICC), commonly required when chartering yachts in Europe and other destinations
What next?
- 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.
Testimonials
- 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 ”
Faq
- How do I book and what is the payment schedule?
- Book online and pay a 20% deposit to secure your place.
- The balance is due 60 days before the course starts.
- Deposits are non-refundable but can be transferred to another Flying Fish course or event, subject to our booking conditions.
- Receive a 10% discount when booking three or more courses in a single transaction.
- Places are limited, so we recommend booking early.
- View our Terms and Conditions.
- Do I need previous sailing experience?
- Yes. You should have experience equivalent to RYA Competent Crew and be comfortable working as a crew member on a sailing yacht.
- See the Before you start section above for recommended sailing and navigation experience.
- What happens if the weather is bad?
- Courses normally run in all weather. Your instructor will adapt the programme to the conditions, with safety always the priority.
- What type of yacht will I sail on?
- You’ll train aboard one of our Beneteau First 40 cruiser-racer yachts, well suited to practical RYA training and coastal sailing.
- What should I bring?
- Lunch and snacks — tea, coffee and drinking water are provided onboard
- Quick-dry clothing and a warm layer
- Non-slip shoes, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
- Personal toiletries and medications
- Life jackets are provided and wet weather gear can be loaned if required
- Can I book a private course?
- Yes. Private courses are available for groups of up to five people, with only four places charged.
- We can often combine different RYA levels on the same yacht, so some people can complete Day Skipper while others complete Competent Crew.
- This works particularly well for couples, families and groups of friends. Please get in touch and we’ll help arrange the right programme.