Location: Hythe, Southampton, Hampshire
Learn the essential navigation and seamanship skills you need to skipper a yacht safely and confidently.
Our RYA Day Skipper Theory Course is ideal for anyone preparing for the Day Skipper Practical or looking to deepen their understanding of coastal navigation, tides, and passage planning.
You can now split your course fee into 3 interest-free instalments using PayPal Pay in 3, making it easier than ever to start your training.
At Jolly Roger Sailing, we specialise in RYA Shorebased navigation courses.
Our goal is to make your learning journey enjoyable, personal, and practical — whether you’re brand new to sailing or building on existing experience.
Tailored teaching: We match our teaching style to your experience and learning pace.
Bespoke materials: You’ll use resources created by an experienced classroom instructor to reinforce understanding and long-term retention.
Focus on real-world sailing: We teach navigation for confidence and safety — not just to pass the assessment.
You’ll come away with genuine knowledge, ready to plan and navigate your own voyages with confidence.
We use the Digital First teaching philosophy, combining traditional navigation techniques with trusted digital tools used by modern sailors.
This method helps you learn how to:
Plan and execute voyages using reliable digital navigation sources
Understand and verify data accuracy using traditional paper-based methods
Recognise the tolerances of forecasts and predictions
Maintain safety margins and sound judgement when planning passages
The Digital First approach promotes efficiency while preserving the accuracy and independence that every good navigator should have.
All students receive the official RYA Day Skipper Theory Pack, worth £40, containing:
Practice charts
RYA Day Skipper course book
Question papers and exercises
Course completion certificate
You’ll also get a Jolly Roger Sailing notebook and pen — perfect for taking course notes.
You’ll need to bring a navigation plotter, dividers, pens, pencils, rubber and a notebook.
Don’t have a plotter and dividers? We can supply them for a fee
The RYA Day Skipper Theory Course provides a solid foundation in navigation and seamanship for new and developing skippers.
You’ll learn to plan and navigate short coastal passages by day and gain an introduction to night cruising.
Our courses are taught by our Principal Instructor, who has over 50,000 offshore miles, including multiple Atlantic crossings — bringing years of real-world sailing experience into the classroom.
Course duration: 40 hours of tuition plus two RYA assessment papers.
Choose from 5-day intensive courses (usually Monday–Friday) or evening/weekend options to suit your schedule.
If you don’t see a suitable date, please call us on 07834 733323 to discuss flexible options.
The basics of seamanship
Coastal navigation and pilotage
Chartwork and position fixing
Electronic charts and navigation systems
Plotting a course to steer
Tides and tidal heights
Weather forecasting and meteorology
Collision regulations (COLREGS)
Boat construction, parts, and equipment
Safety and emergency procedures – distress calls, flares, lifejackets, and rafts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sally Hare (via Google Reviews)
“Day Skipper Theory via WebEx. Small classes with plenty of individual time if needed. Roger adapts to everyone’s pace and background. He’s patient, clear, and makes learning navigation enjoyable. I fully recommend this course!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Amy Gower (via Google Reviews)
“We had an amazing week learning loads with Roger to complete our Day Skipper Theory. Roger is extremely knowledgeable and approachable. We’ll be booking more courses soon — thank you, Roger!”
Ready to take the helm?
Join us at Jolly Roger Sailing in Hythe, Southampton, and start your RYA Day Skipper Theory journey today.
Choose a date from the course calendar, or call 07834 733323 if you’d like to discuss weekend or custom course options.
| Event Date | 15-11-2025 8:00 am |
| Event End Date | 06-01-2026 6:00 pm |
| Cut off date | 14-11-2025 |
| Capacity | 8 |
| Registered | 4 |
| Available place | 4 |
| Individual Price | £399.00 |