PRACTICAL COURSES

These can be booked per person on our scheduled tuition yacht which will accommodate up to a maximum of 5 students with our qualified English speaking instructor. Alternatively, if you are chartering your own yacht for a holiday, we also offer an own yacht tuition option, where all or part of your party (up to maximum 5 students) can participate in the tuition. This can be a mixed ability group with some crew members qualifying at different levels according to previous experience and ability.

Start Yachting Course
This course provides a short introduction to sail cruising for novices. By the end of the course, you will have experienced steering a yacht, sail handling, ropework and be aware of safety on board. The Start Yachting course is, in effect, the first 2 days of the Competent Crew course.

Please note that as most of our courses are 6 days long if you take this course we cannot guarantee that you will disembark the training boat on Poros Island.

Previous experience required: None

Recommended reading: RYA Competent crew handbook (ref CCPCN)

Duration of course: 2 days

Competent Crew Course
This course will teach you how to be a competent crew member of a cruising yacht. With successful completion of the course you will be able to steer the yacht under sail and power, understand the principles of sailing and points of sail, sail trim, safety routines such as 'man over board', understand knots and rope-work, row a dinghy and generally safely contribute to daily routines. Children over 9 can be awarded a Competent Crew certificate, whilst learning to sail in such an attractive and warm environment is a pleasant holiday in its own right

This is the ideal course for novices and for dinghy sailors who want to start sailing on cruising yachts.

Previous experience required: None

Recommended reading: RYA Competent crew handbook (ref CCPCN)

Duration of Course: 6 days

Day Skipper (non-tidal)

This course is for those who already have some sailing experience and knowledge of navigation, and wish to progress to skipper level. The course provides a good foundation for you to safely and confidently skipper a cruising yacht, skipper a flotilla yacht and is recognised by charter companies in Greece and elsewhere.

On this course you will learn to skipper a yacht safely in non-tidal waters. In addition to boat handling and pilotage, the emphasis is on giving you experience of being in charge. You will be asked to skipper the yacht on a short passage, with the instructor on hand to give advice and encouragement. The course also covers preparation of a yacht for sea, yacht handling under sail and power, navigation, pilotage and passage making, rules of the road, emergency situations, meteorology and basic boat maintenance.

As we are in Greece, you will get plenty of practice in techniques like 'Med mooring' so you will be able to moor safely and competently and look professional when you bring your own boat into the quay.

Previous minimum experience: 5 days / 100 miles, including 4 night hours.  This experience should have been in the form of active participation in the sailing of a similar sized yacht - ideally a Competent Crew course.

Theoretical knowledge: RYA Day Skipper Shorebased, or equivalent level from experience/self study. For students requiring additional assistance with areas of the shorebased course some extra tuition can be given but this is no substitute for being properly prepared before you arrive on Poros.

Recommended Reading: RYA Day Skipper-shorebased handbook (Ref DSN), for students who have completed the shorebased course. The Complete Day Skipper (Tom Cunliffe), RYA Navigation handbook (Ref G6) & exercises (ref G7)

Duration of Course: 6 days

Coastal Skipper (non-tidal) 
This sailing course is for experienced skippers only. This is an advanced course for those with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation. It is the highest level of non-tidal course under the RYA scheme. You will learn the skills needed to skipper a yacht safely, by day or night, throughout the Mediterranean and other non tidal waters. As well as advanced boat-handling under power and sail, dealing with heavy weather passage planning and pilotage, at least one long night passage will be undertaken.

RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper examinations for those who have successfully completed the practical course and have the appropriate theory certificates can be arranged.

Previous minimum experience: 15 days (2 days as skipper) / 300 miles, including 8 night hours. Ideally you should hold a day skipper certificate.

Theoretical knowledge: RYA Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Shorebased or equivalent. For students requiring additional assistance with areas of the shore based course some extra tuition can be given but this is no substitute for being properly prepared before you arrive on Poros.

Duration of Course: 6 days

RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Preparation & Examinations
This course is designed for those advanced sailors who want to take the RYA/MCA exams for a Certificate of Competence - Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster Offshore. The 6 day course is split into 4½ days training and 1½ days of examination and recovery! The training will cover boat handling, navigation, pilotage, safety with an emphasis on crew and yacht management

Certification required before exam: Restricted (VHF only) Radio Operator's Certificate and First Aid Certificate.

Also note that 50% of the qualifying experience shown above can be gained in non-tidal waters.

Duration of course: 6 days 

SHOREBASED THEORY COURSES

The shorebased courses are designed to complement the practical courses. The longer courses, Day Skipper Shorebased for example, giving essential background information for the practical courses. The shorter courses cover subjects that are important to give students a rounded knowledge. Our shorebased courses are run on Poros Island.

Basic Navigation & Safety Shorebased
This course provides a basic introduction to navigation and safety for anyone new to boating.

Course content: Previous experience required: Some practical experience desirable

Assumed knowledge: None

Duration of course: 2 days (16 hours, plus "homework")

Day Skipper Shorebased
A comprehensive introduction to chart work, navigation, meteorology and the basics of seamanship. You will learn how to make decisions on board regarding the safe passage of the vessel you are skippering.  

Previous experience required: Some practical experience desirable

Assumed knowledge: None

Duration of course: 5 days (40 hours, 2 exam papers, plus "homework")

Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased
This is an advanced course in navigation and meteorology for candidates for the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate.

Previous experience required: Day Skipper Shorebased course

Assumed knowledge: Navigation to Day Skipper Shorebased standard

Duration of course: 6 days (40 hours, 3 exam papers, plus "homework")

Marine Radio Short Range Certificate Course (VHF Radio)

If you operate a marine radio (fixed or handheld) you are required by law to hold an operators licence. This course teaches you the procedures for the safe operation of a radio and gain the qualification.

Previous experience required: Phonetic alphabet would be helpful.

Assumed knowledge: None - although knowing the phonetic alphabet is useful.

Duration of course: 1 day (8 hours minimum

COMBINED SHOREBASED THEORY & PRACTICAL COURSES

PYA runs combined courses to suit your requirements. Typical combinations of  RYA shorebased theory and practical courses, which allow you to quickly advance through a stage in the RYA Sail Cruising Scheme have been outlined below. Taking a shorebased course immediately followed by the practical course allows you to put all that you have learnt into practice immediately.

Day Skipper

This is a two week package which combines the RYA Day Skipper theory & practical courses. The course breakdown would be as follows: 

Duration of course: 13 days 

Coastal Skipper

This is a two week package which combines the RYA Coastal Skipper theory & practical courses. The course breakdown would be as follows:

Duration of course: 13 days