RYA Sailing Courses In Spain - Theory Dates for RYA Day Skipper & RYA Coastal Skipper

RYA Day Skipper and RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory Courses are run in our classrooms at Port DÁro near to Barcelona and include accomodation onboard one of our yachts or an upgrade of 100 GBP pp to half board in a luxury villa. We have 5 day RYA Theory Courses with availability as follows : Monday 1st February, Monday 8th February, Monday 15th February. Our RYA Theory Courses in March commence on Mondays, but if you have the flexibility and would like a weekend course please email us, we´ll do our best to help.

RYA Theory Courses 2010

Here are some of our RYA Theory Courses for the next few months. Availability will be posted and updated regularly here so become a follower and receive all the latest and up to date news on our Sailing Courses In Spain/Barcelona London, Swindon, Bristol, Oxford & Wales

RYA VHF 1 Day Course Saturday 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th February
RYA VHF 1 Day Course Saturday 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th March
RYA First Aid 1 Day Course Sunday 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th February
RYA First Aid 1 Day Course Sunday 7th, 14th 21st, 28th March
RYA Radar Course Saturday 13th and 27th February, 14th and 28th March
RYA Sea Survival Sunday 14th and 28th February, 14th and 28th March

For 2010 our 1 Day Diesel Engine course will run on demand and can be added to either of the above courses so arrive a day earlier or add it at the end. Accommodation can be shore based or onboard one of our yachts, fly into Barcelona-Girona just 20 minutes from our base with www.ryanair.com and benefit from low cost flights. As always our courses are designed around you so just email your requirements and we´ll be right back.

We also offer bespoke courses in London, Bristol, Swindon, Oxford and Wales either for groups or Individuals, alternatively, we can travel to a location suitable to you, so just let us know and we´ll put the RYA Theory Course package together for you this year. No One Sails Further for your Sail Training!

Email or call 0034 972 662 494 or 07740 285 595

RYA Theory Courses In Barcelona - London- Swindon - Bristol

Out of date flares are a pressing issue for all Yachtsman. Don´t carry them in France you will be fined if found onboard, elsewhere they represent a sensible back up, but they are dangerous firearms. To dispose of them safely swap them with your new ones at the Chandler when they expire. Our Yacht Great Escape which is Milebuilding with Fastrack Yachtmasters was boarded by crew from a Portugese Warship in the early hours of Friday 29th January 2010 and they not only inspected ships papers, but liferaft and flares to. Our RYA Sea Survival Course will teach you how to use flares safely, or join us for a RYA Competent Crew Course. Use flares safely and dispose of them by swapping new for old at the Chandlery.

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RYA Theory Courses - Costa Brava Sailing

Confused about navigating, three ways to get from A to B.

A Dead Reckon (DR), historical, you did the journey and you think you are at B. Direction, distance from the log, how long e.g you went North & travelled at 5 knots for 1 hour - you´re 5 nautical miles further north than you were an hour ago. Then you realised you had tidal set and drift information to hand, when applied to position B you're somewhere else - position C! That´s an Estimated Position (EP) historical.

The thinking Yachtsman plans in advance - A Course to Steer (CTS) clear of any obstructions and safe. He travels from A and gets to B! First he puts on the tidal set and drift at the beginning of his journey, at position A. Once drawn, he applies his dividers, set with appropriate boat speed (1 hour of boat speed for every hour of tide) to the end of the set and drift line. He makes a mark where the dividers cross his intended route. Now measure that angle, convert to magnetic and you have a CTS (Course To Steer).

RYA Theory Courses - Your Questions Answered Here.

Trimming to weather in light airs - advice from Blue Oyster Sailing Gibraltar

Trimming in light airs is far more important than you might think. Keep the yacht moving at all costs! Blue Oyster Sailing´s advice when sailing to weather, go for twist in the main and the genoa. The main first - kicker off, clew eased, traveller/mainsheet up the track to weather (but keep the boom on the centre line by easing the mainsheet), lastly ease the main halyard a few inches. Second the genoa, don´t sheet too hard, ease and check the twist in the stripes aloft are parallel. Look up and you should see an open slot between the sails and twist. Note your boat speed before and after, you´ll notice the difference.

RYA Theory Courses - Questions Answered Here.

RYA Theory Courses In Spain with Costa Brava Sailing Academy

I am struggling with learning all the chart symbols on Admiralty and Imray Charts, can you help?

We certainly can, check out book 5011 or for Europeans and International Yachtsman Int (International) 1 this contains all the information you need, as long as you carry one onboard you will never need to learn all the chart symbols, just the more common everyday ones.

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When Should I use a Tidal Stream Atlas as opposed to a Tidal Diamond?

Use a Tidal Stream Atlas when you are far enough away from a Tidal Diamond to make it ineffective. The Tidal Stream Atlas will give you a good overview of the set (speed in knots) of the Tide, and the drift (direction) over a wider area. You´ll need to know whether it is Springs or Neaps and the time before or after HW. Remember to use your box of Facts as discussed in the previous question.


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The Facts of Calculating Tide

For a tidal question if there is a date you will need your Nautical Almanac to calculate HW. When you start think of the Facts you will need and write them down!

The Date - immediately correct for DST if you need to.
The Time - of High Water relevant to your journey/position.
The Range -  of HW and LW.
Is it Springs or Neaps - the difference in the Range compared to the panel beside your Tidal Curve.
Period Of Time - for a Tidal Diamond/Tidal Atlas i.e The hours before or after HW that you are there.

We bracket tide half hour before HW half hour after. So HW 1000 hrs becomes HW 0930 to 1030. Draw your diagram to show  the hours before and after HW. You will then know which period of time you are working in relevent to tide. Remember your Box of Facts, write them down immediately.

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Heard the phrase KMT?

Yes we use KMT at both of our sailing schools. Kicker, Mainsheet, Topping lift. Whenever the sail is hoisted ease the Kicker (Vang) ease the mainsheet and tighten the topping lift (supports the boom when not sailing). If the helm wanders off the wind the main will still flog and you should have no difficulty with the hoist. When the sail is aloft with the luff correctly tensioned reverse the process. TMK - ease the topping lift, trim the mainsheet and depending on the point of sail tighten the kicker.

Your questions answered here.

RYA Day Skipper Theory - A Question of Variation

"Hi, just wondered if you had any easy ways of remembering how to calculate Magnetic Variation"?

The books are full of different expressions some easier to remember than others. We use a simple method, think of the chart as being a grid (The lines of Latitude and Longitude) remember this. "Grid to Mag (The Compass) Add the Westerly Variation, Mag to Grid (The chart) Get Rid of the Westerly Variation. Simply do the opposite for the Easterly. The formula works for Deviation in the same way - towards the Compass always add the Westerly. Email  RYA Day Skipper Theory - A Question of Variation

RYA Theory Courses

Welcome to our new online RYA Theory Help Centre. Wherever you are studying if you have a problem you can email us here, we will do our best to help. We run RYA Theory Courses In Spain and in the UK. We have excellent classrooms in Barcelona, Gibraltar and between London and Bristol, in Swindon. Modern facilities with fully qualified RYA Theory Instructors. We offer the complete range of RYA Theory Courses, from RYA Day Skipper, RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster and Yachtmaster Ocean, plus all the one day courses, VHF, First Aid, Radar, and Sea Survival. One to one coaching or small groups, a location to suit you or with us we have a course waiting for you.

We´ll be posting here answers to your questions and any help we can give to help you with your shorebased course. If you would like to join us for your RYA Theory Course please just email us and we´ll get right back to you.

If you are looking for a RYA Practical Course then have a look at www.barcelonaseaschool.com or www.blueoystersailing.com all of our Instructors teach practical courses too.