RYA Yacht Cruising Instructor
The RYA Cruising Instructor course is for commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmasters who want to become professionally accredited to teach RYA courses. This qualification opens doors to instructing at over 2,400 RYA-recognised training centres in 58 countries. It provides an excellent springboard into professional yachting.
Description
As a certified RYA Cruising Instructor, you will find numerous job opportunities at RYA-approved schools in Australia, the UK, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean.
Working as a yacht instructor is a great way to enhance your sailing and seamanship skills, while also developing your leadership, yacht management, and communication abilities as a skipper.
During the week, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the RYA instruction method and the friendly, professional coaching style that characterises Flying Fish.
By the end of the course, you will be ready to start training the next generation of sailors at RYA training centres worldwide! 🌎⚓
Course content overview
Candidates operate in a role-play scenario, taking turns practising in the instructor role. We take time to develop your understanding of the learning process and the tools you can use to coach your students effectively.
You will also learn to plan your training programme to deliver the syllabus in the time frame.
Key training areas
✅ The RYA Training Scheme – Understanding the framework & progression
✅ Learning Styles & Teaching Models – Adapting to different student needs
✅ Briefing & Debriefing – Communicating clearly & constructively
✅ Practical Skills Instruction – Teaching Competent Crew & Day Skipper courses
✅ Onboard Theory Presentations – Delivering engaging and effective lessons
✅ Coaching Techniques & Exercises – Refining your approach for maximum student progress
✅ Course Planning – Structuring lessons for success
The yacht and the instructor
The course is run by a very experienced, qualified RYA instructor trainer aboard one of our Beneteau 40-foot training yachts.
The final day of the course is an assessment/moderation run by a second independent trainer.
Location and sailing conditions
We will practice our skills sailing around Sydney Harbour and the adjacent New South Wales coast.
We plan the itinerary on a day-to-day basis to take the best advantage of the weather conditions.
The sailing conditions are generally excellent, alternating between warm 'Nor-easter' sea breezes and cool, fresh southerlies.
What's included
- Tuition, logbook, pre-course reading.
- Life jackets and safety harnesses are provided; 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 on board
Qualifications and experience
- 150 sea miles logged
- RYA Cruising Instructor
Before you start
- You hold a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or Ocean certificate.
- As an instructor, you are also required to be an RYA accredited member.
- Once you have registered for the course, you will receive some pre-course study.
What next?
- As a qualified RYA Yacht Cruising Instructor, you are ready to apply for work running courses up to the Day Skipper level at any RYA sailing school worldwide.
- With two years of instructing experience, you can progress to the RYA Yachtmaster Instructor qualification, which allows you to teach the higher levels of the RYA training scheme.