Competent Crew Syllabus (Explained)

Our 5-day Competent Crew Course syllabus is designed to equip you with all the necessary knowledge and skills you need to be an effective crew member. This includes personal safety (yours, and others), navigation, and helmsmanship.

You can sign-up to the practical course and take part either by yourself, or with family, friends, or a partner. You will be living and eating on the yacht, and each night we will visit a different marina, harbour, or anchorage. Participants are often a mix of individuals and groups. The course is not just educational, but also a fun and rejuvenating experience.

But what are the details of the Competent Crew syllabus, and what can you expect to be doing daily?

Competent Crew syllabus (practical course)

The aim of the Competent Crew syllabus is to introduce the complete beginner to sailing so you can reach the level required to be a useful member of the crew of a cruising yacht.

The syllabus sections are:

• Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging, and sails: This gives you the knowledge you need to understand the sailing and daily running of the boat.
• Sail handling: This syllabus section will teach you bending on, setting, reefing, and how to handle sails. Use of sheets and halyards plus their associated winches.
• Ropework: You will learn how to handle ropes, including coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double bollards. It also includes learning how to tie the essential eight knots and to know how and when to use them properly: figure-of-eight, clove hitch, bowline, round turn and two half hitches, single and double sheet bend, reef knot.
• Fire precautions and firefighting: Increasing your awareness of the dangers of fire and the steps necessary to prevent fires breaking out onboard, plus knowing what to do in case of a fire.
• Personal safety equipment: Learning the rules on, and reasons why we wear safety harnesses, lifejackets, and personal buoyancy aids.
• Man overboard: Understand what you need to do if someone falls overboard.
• Emergency equipment: This part of the Competent Crew syllabus will teach you how to operate distress flares and understand the right circumstances in which to use them. This syllabus section also includes learning how to launch and board a life raft.
• Manners and customs: Learn the accepted practice regarding the use of burgees and ensigns, prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in harbour including courtesies to other craft berthed alongside. Become aware of what your responsibility as yacht skipper is to protect the environment.
• Rules of the road: Learn how to keep an efficient look-out when at sea.
• Dinghies: You will be taught to understand and comply with the loading rules, plus be taught to handle a dinghy under oars.
• Meteorology: Awareness of forecasting services and knowledge of the Beaufort Scale.
• Sea sickness: The Competent Crew syllabus also has a section on how to deal with sea sickness.
• Helmsmanship and sailing: Understands the basic principles of sailing and can steer and trim sails on all points of sailing. Can steer a compass course, under sail and motor.

You will also be assessed on how you carried out general duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection with the daily routine of the vessel.

Want to get started?

We appreciate that sailing can seem intimidating at first, particularly when you see the syllabus of the Competent Crew course. However, with the expert training and support you will receive from the First Class Sailing team over the five days, it will be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.

Sailing is a process, and everyone starts as a beginner. Our experienced instructors will guide you through each step of the course syllabus, providing support and encouragement along the way. You will also get support from the team of other people with you, all of whom are beginners starting from the same point.

The most important thing is to keep an open mind, don’t be worried about your perceived ability (or lack of), listen closely to instructions, and trust in yourself.

It’s going to be a great 5 days!

If you have any questions about the RYA Competent Crew course or would like to check for available dates, please call us on 020 3006 3717.

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Posted by: First Class Sailing