Topics covered include:
- The Day Skipper Course is aimed at teaching pilotage, navigation, seamanship, weather forecasting, victualling, engine maintenance, sail selection and boat handling up to a standard required to skipper a small cruising yacht by day in familiar tidal waters.
- Your instructor will demonstrate these skills and you will put them into practice as you skipper the yacht on short passages around the beautiful Bantry Bay.
- There is particular emphasis on boat handling for Day Skippers and during the 5 days you will practice mooring under various conditions. You will live aboard for the duration of the course will experience night hours night pilotage and identify lights.
At the end of the course you should be confident to skipper a cruising yacht on short passages by day. Students who successfully complete the Day Skipper course are awarded the Irish Sailing Day Skipper Completion certificate.
*Previous Experience Required before Attending a Day Skipper Practical
At least 5 Days on-board a sailing yacht with 100 nautical miles logged and at least 4 night hours. A knowledge of basic navigation and sailing ability to Competent Crew (see above) is essential.
Summary of Pre Requisites skills / knowledge:
- Be able to work up a course to steer , plot a position fix, know how to find variation identify clearing bearings, transits, forward and back bearings;
- Be able to identify all IALA A buoyage on chart and physically;
- Use a tidal curve to identify tidal heights at any time of day;
- Know how to predict wind strength, direction, and weather from a synoptic chart;
- Be able to hoist, unfurl sails, sail on all points of sail with correct sheeting angles and be able to tack and gybe. Be able to put in, shake out reefs, be able to set up the pole and preventer when sailing on a run;
- Be able to steer a boat under power and have a basic knowledge of anchoring, manoeuvring, and picking up a mooring;
- Be able to tie a reef knot clove hitch bowline , round turn and 2 half hitches, rolling hitch, sheet bend, and buntline coil;
- Know the basic IRPCS rules – often called the Seamans Rules of the Road!
If you are unsure please email us on for more details.
