If you have some yachting experience that includes basic navigation and practical sailing skills, then you are ready to be a day skipper for short passages. The RYA Day Skipper certification enables you to safely take charge of a 30- to 45-foot cruising yacht with your family and friends for a weekend or a holiday. Skippering a yacht involves work, practice, dedication, and some key sailing skills like crew organization and watch keeping, but the RYA Day Skipper course prepares you to charter a boat or be the captain of your own ship.

The Royal Yacht Association administers the Day Skipper qualification, which proves you have the knowledge required to skipper a yacht on shorter, coastal cruises during daylight. It is part of a series of qualifications that include Competent Crew, Coastal Skipper, and Yachtmaster.

If you’ve already taken the RYA Competent Crew Course, the skills learned for Day Skipper will seem familiar. However, the training is more advanced, and you’ll gain experience making key decisions including what to do in case of an emergency, safety management, and where and how to moor the yacht. You’ll become comfortable delegating jobs to crew members and providing them with encouragement and motivation.