In short, no! Appropriate RYA First Aid training must include face-to-face training and assessment of practical skills.

Most students do not. You only need invigilation if you want a commercial endorsement or your employer requires it. The standard online assessments are included and marked by an instructor.

For more details about exam invigilation, read our full article here: RYA theory exam invigilation, explained

Yes, we do! If you want to sign up with more than one person, you get a 10% discount on the total enrollment cost.

Each student requires a login, so to get the multi-person discount, add the course to your basket, then add the additional person by selecting the ‘Additional Enrollment’ option. This will automatically discount the total course price in your basket and generate a voucher code for the extra person (or people) to enrol themselves.

After completing the online RYA Marine Radio SRC course, choose an available assessment slot with us or another RYA Recognised Training Centre. We offer scheduled assessment days and can arrange an individual appointment when the published dates are not suitable.

You must be at least 16 on the day of the exam and bring acceptable evidence of course completion or another qualifying radio certificate. You will also need the paperwork requested by the RYA, including a passport-sized photograph.

The RYA exam fee is currently £76 and is separate from any assessment-centre booking charge. Pay the RYA fee before the assessment and bring the resulting application paperwork with you. The official RYA SRC course and exam page has the latest eligibility, payment and document requirements.

Any way you like!

Our instructor support is available from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week, using any channel you choose. From Email to WhatsApp to Messenger, you can get help on whatever channel works for you. We’ll even schedule a call if that’s how you want to chat with us.

We love talking with people! Call us on +44 23 8000 0270

Send us an email, we are here to help you 7-days a week. [email protected]

Send us a text; we are here to help you 7 days a week. +44 23 8000 0270

Send us a WhatsApp; we are here to help you 7 days a week. +44 23 8000 0270

Instagram Messaging: we are here to help you 7 days a week. @mysailingcourse

Facebook Messenger: we are here to help you 7 days a week. @mysailingcourse

Book a video call to chat through your options.

Everything is logged in your briefing room, so you can go back, ask for more details and track all your conversations with an instructor.

If you are unsatisfied with the course and want a refund, you must initiate a return process. Your course pack needs to be returned to us, complete and intact. We cannot offer a full refund for items returned damaged or missing, and replacement charges may be deducted from the course price to reflect this.

To start a return and refund process, go to your account and tap on ‘refund’. You will be issued a refund number and returns label that covers the cost of sending the course pack back to us.

Once your course pack is received, we will refund the card you placed the order with. It can take 5 & 7 days for the refund to appear on your statement. This is in the hands of the card issuer, and we cannot control this. We cannot process refunds to other cards or by other means for security reasons.

The SRC exam must be completed in person at an RYA Recognised Training Centre. An independent examiner assesses both your practical use of a marine VHF radio and your knowledge in a written theory paper; the exam cannot be completed entirely online.

You must be at least 16 on the examination day and provide acceptable evidence of completing an RYA SRC course, an RYA Restricted VHF certificate, or a suitable aviation radio operator certificate. Online-course students should bring their course-completion evidence, the required application paperwork and a passport-sized photograph.

The current RYA exam fee is £76. It is paid to the RYA and is separate from any fee charged by the training centre for hosting or facilitating the assessment. Check the official RYA SRC exam page before booking because fees and administrative requirements can change.

The Day Skipper theory certificate is valid for life. However, like many things, brushing up and learning new skills is continuous. Anyone who thinks they’ve completed their learning is probably not best suited to skipper a boat!

The Day Skipper theory course involves a minimum of 40 hours of teaching and two assessment papers, each lasting 1½ hours.

You can complete the online course at your own pace. Everything is stored, so you can take a break and return anytime. There isn’t a time limit, and you get 12 months of instructor support spread over any timeframe you like.

However long it takes you to complete the course, you will retain access to the content, which will allow you to revise before your practical course.

The RYA First Aid Course is one day and covers all the usual first aid subjects, but it is from a boating perspective. It is aimed at anyone who goes afloat, whether on motor cruisers, sailing yachts, powerboats, RIBs or canoes.

No! Any progress in Sailing Essentials is migrated to your Day Skipper progress, so you won’t have to do it again.

Most students ask for help when doing the navigation modules, so your 12-month instructor support time only starts once you start the ‘How to read the map!’ module of the Day Skipper theory course.

If you are in the UK, delivery is free. If you live further afield, see the ‘Where do you ship to?‘ FAQ for pricing.

Lifetime access!

You have access to the course content for life!

12 months of instructor support on your terms

Once enrolled, you get 12 months of instructor support, but you are in control of when this starts and can pause it should you need a break.

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Course vouchers and gift cards issued by My Sailing Course can be used to pay in full or in part for eligible courses, services or products in our online store. The main conditions are:

• Vouchers are valid for 12 months from the purchase date and must be redeemed before the expiry date shown.
• Digital vouchers are issued automatically after purchase. A voucher sent to somebody else is emailed to the address supplied at checkout. Posted course vouchers are normally issued within 48 hours and sent using a tracked Royal Mail service.
• Redeem the voucher online using its unique code, or contact us if you would like help redeeming it against a My Sailing Course course.
• A voucher becomes void once it has been redeemed. Voucher codes are not tied to an email address, so the purchaser is responsible for sharing the code with the intended recipient.
• Vouchers are non-refundable except during the statutory 14-day cancellation period. They cannot be exchanged for cash, and no change or credit is given when the voucher value is higher than the purchase total.
• Lost, stolen or destroyed vouchers cannot be replaced or refunded.

Read the full Course Voucher & Gift Card Terms & Conditions before purchasing or redeeming a voucher.

The course includes everything you need to earn the Day Skipper theory certificate successfully. The only thing you need to provide is your time.

Course pack

You’ll receive a course pack (dispatched the same day if ordered before 3 p.m. on weekdays) that contains everything you need to complete the course.

Instructor support

You’ll get 12 months of unlimited support from RYA-qualified instructors 365 days a year, all managed using your briefing room.

Course content

You’ll have immediate, lifetime access to over 50 hours of engaging, interactive teaching content, including practice exercises that provide debriefings and support.

Social group

You’ll have immediate access to the Day Skipper social group, where you can meet and connect with like-minded people at the same stage of their journey as you.

Downloadable & support content

You’ll have access to our downloadable & support content. We have over 50 supplementary downloads to help you learn the topics and techniques.

See the ‘What’s included?’ tab on the Day Skipper theory enrolment page for more details.

Our scheduled SRC assessment appointments are booked in three-hour slots, with no more than three candidates in each slot. The appointment normally follows this order:

• Check-in and review of your course-completion evidence, application paperwork and photograph.
• Time to familiarise yourself with the training radios used for the assessment.
• A practical assessment in which the examiner asks you to demonstrate marine-radio scenarios.
• A short written theory paper. Our current assessment schedule allows 30 minutes for this multiple-choice paper.
• Completion of the administration needed for the RYA to process your certificate.

The RYA confirms that the SRC exam contains both a written theory paper and a practical assessment. See the official SRC exam information for current eligibility and payment requirements.

We hope you won’t, but we have a 14-day satisfaction guarantee on our courses. You can ask for a refund if you decide it’s not for you. 

You’ll need to return your unused course pack to us, but using our self-serve returns system is easy.

After passing, you’ll receive a valid RYA First Aid Certificate for three years.

Additionally, RYA First Aid satisfies the prerequisites for qualified small craft skippers operating within 60 nautical miles of a safe haven, including Boatmasters, as well as the requirements for the Senior First Aid certificate required of offshore racers subject to ISAF’s first aid training regulations (OSR 4.08.4).

The MCA and HSE both endorse the training.

Sailing Essentials is our free introductory course. Its bite-sized modules cover seamanship and nautical terminology, safety equipment and procedures, basic meteorology, collision regulations and protecting the marine environment.

The material introduces subjects that also form part of the RYA Day Skipper Theory syllabus. You can work through it at your own pace on a phone, tablet or computer, although a larger screen is helpful when studying detailed material.

If you later enrol on our Day Skipper Theory course, your completed Sailing Essentials sessions are carried into your Day Skipper progress, so you do not need to repeat them.

The Day Skipper Theory course includes the learning, equipment and support needed to work through the syllabus and complete the standard assessments.

• Immediate lifetime access to approximately 40 hours of interactive course content and resources.
• A course pack containing two Admiralty training charts, RYA Day Skipper Shorebased Notes, the RYA exercises and course-information booklet, an RYA Training Almanac, two 2B pencils, a soft rubber, a Portland plotter, dividers and rope for knot practice.
• Twelve months of instructor support, available through your Briefing Room and supported communication channels.
• More than 50 downloadable learning resources and access to the Day Skipper learner community.
• The standard online assessments, an instructor debrief and a course-completion certificate. An invigilated exam can be arranged separately when required for commercial endorsement or by an employer; additional fees apply.
• A 14-day money-back guarantee, subject to returning the course pack.

Orders placed before 3pm are scheduled for same-day dispatch. The RYA describes Day Skipper Theory as 40 hours plus exam time. See the official RYA course information.

Your Essential Navigation and Seamanship enrolment includes the online course, the materials needed for the exercises and support from My Sailing Course.

• Access to the RYA Interactive course and its exercises.
• A course pack containing two Admiralty training charts, the RYA exercise and course-information booklet, an RYA Training Almanac, two 2B chartwork pencils, a soft rubber, a Portland plotter and dividers.
• Access to our free Sailing Essentials course and more than 50 supporting downloads.
• Twelve months of instructor support through your Briefing Room, with the option to extend support later while retaining access to the course content.
• A 14-day money-back guarantee, subject to returning the course pack.

Orders placed before 3pm are scheduled for same-day dispatch. The RYA also confirms that the official course pack includes a chart, plotter, dividers, course handbook and exercises. See the official RYA course information.

Day Skipper theory is an RYA shore-based qualification and the required level of navigational & sailing theory for anyone intending to take the Day Skipper Practical course. It provides an excellent foundation and platform for learning how to put out to sea safely.

The RYA First Aid course is a one-day, classroom-based course designed for people who go afloat. No previous experience or minimum age is required.

• It covers first aid from a boating perspective, including CPR and the drowning protocol, bleeding, head injuries, cold-water shock, hypothermia, seasickness, dehydration and casualty evacuation.
• You will also learn how to request medical advice or assistance by VHF and how to prepare for a helicopter rescue.
• The course is MCA approved and meets the first-aid requirements for RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster and Advanced Powerboat certificates of competence, as well as some commercial work afloat.
• Everyone attending an RYA First Aid course receives the RYA First Aid Book.

See the official RYA First Aid course information for the current syllabus and qualification details.

The RYA Marine Radio Short Range Certificate course prepares you to operate fixed or handheld marine VHF and Digital Selective Calling equipment correctly. The course takes around 10 hours plus exam time and can be studied online or in a classroom, but the final exam takes place in person at an RYA Recognised Training Centre.

• Course subjects include basic radio operation, channels and frequencies, radio rules and procedures, Digital Selective Calling, the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, and distress, urgency, safety and medical-assistance calls.
• No previous experience is required for the training course. You must be at least 16 on the day of the SRC exam.
• The RYA VHF Handbook is included with the course.
• After completing the online learning, you will receive evidence of completion that you must present when taking the exam.

The SRC is the minimum qualification required to operate marine VHF radio equipment on a voluntarily fitted UK-flagged vessel. See the official RYA course and exam information.

Our online Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory course is not yet available to enrol on. You can register your interest with us and we will let you know when it is released.

The RYA course develops navigation knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore practical examinations. It involves 40 hours of learning plus exam time, and assumes knowledge to Day Skipper Shorebased level. Topics include advanced position fixing, course shaping and plotting, tidal knowledge, almanacs and publications, electronic position finding and weather interpretation. See the official RYA course description for the current requirements.

Our scheduled SRC assessments take place in central Guildford, at the lower end of Guildford High Street. The venue is approximately a five-minute walk from Guildford railway station, with parking and tea and coffee available.

You can also take the exam at another RYA Recognised Training Centre if that is more convenient. The RYA requires the practical assessment to take place at a recognised centre; it cannot be completed entirely online. Use the RYA course finder to check other centres and confirm their dates directly with them.

We’re happy for anyone to study with us and will support you wherever you are.

• For UK addresses, delivery is free,
• For European addresses, there’s a £20 delivery surcharge and, 
• Further afield, a £40 delivery surcharge is applied. 

You can start the online course immediately wherever you are based, as many lessons don’t require the course pack.

RYA Day Skipper Theory is designed for prospective skippers and inexperienced crew who want the knowledge needed to make safe decisions aboard a small vessel in familiar waters. It is also valuable preparation for an RYA Day Skipper practical course. Some practical experience is helpful, but it is not required and the RYA sets no minimum age.

The course involves about 40 hours of learning plus assessment time. It covers seamanship, coastal navigation and pilotage, chartwork, electronic navigation, position fixing, course-to-steer calculations, weather and meteorology, tides, passage planning and collision regulations.

Our online course uses short, interactive sessions and includes the two theory assessment papers. See the official RYA Day Skipper Theory course page for the current syllabus.

The RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship course is an introduction to navigation and safety awareness for new or inexperienced skippers and crew, as well as people returning to boating who want to refresh their knowledge. It is relevant to sailing, motor boating, sea angling and diving, and complements practical training such as Powerboat Level 2 or Competent Crew.

The online course takes approximately 8–10 hours. There is no required previous experience or minimum age. Subjects include charts and publications, safety, engine checks, buoyage, tides, visual and electronic navigation, pilotage, collision regulations, anchoring, weather forecasts and passage planning.

You can study at your own pace, with interactive exercises to practise what you learn. See the official RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship course page for the current syllabus.

To pass, you have to finish the course!

It’s easy to say online provides ‘flexibility’ and ‘you can do it in your own time’, but it’s harder to construct engaging course content to overcome specific digital learning challenges and keep students motivated. Through thorough testing, using our classroom students as guinea pigs*, we have structured a course to support how you learn online, building confidence in each topic, tool and skill at every stage.

* No students were harmed in the testing of our content!

Content designed to provide support at every stage

We questioned why the other providers put so much emphasis on their instructor support. Our view is simple: the better the content, the less support a student should need. We are here to support you at every step of your journey but have fed ten years and hundreds of students’ worth of understanding into building content that teaches, supports, reaffirms and checks the knowledge of a topic, tool or technique. And, above all, fun!

Everything you need is included – no hidden ‘extras’

We are the only provider that has no hidden extras. Everything you need to complete and pass the course is included.

You are no longer nine minutes from an ambulance or a professional paramedic at sea.

The course allows you to learn what to do if an accident occurs on a small vessel or in the maritime environment and how to stabilise the situation before calling for help from the SAR Services with this comprehensive training course. Anybody who spends time on the water will benefit greatly from this RYA First Aid course. A validated First Aid certification is also a pre-requisite for individuals taking Yachtmaster and Coastal and Yachtmaster offshore exams or wishing to obtain their instructor qualifications of commercial endorsements.