How to Become a Qualified Yacht Skipper: The RYA Route Explained
Learn to sail · RYA training
Learning how to become a qualified yacht skipper is far more achievable than most people imagine. There is a clear, internationally recognised route, it takes around two weeks of training afloat plus some theory, and you can do all of it as a holiday in the Mediterranean. This guide explains every step, how long it takes, and where to train.
3
RYA courses from beginner to qualified skipper
12
days afloat in total, spread over one or two seasons
16+
minimum age for the RYA Day Skipper certificate
5:1
maximum student to instructor ratio on Seafarer courses
The short answer
To become a qualified yacht skipper you complete the RYA Day Skipper Practical course. Most people get there in three steps: a Competent Crew week to learn the ropes, the Day Skipper theory course online, then the Day Skipper practical week. Your Day Skipper certificate never expires and entitles you to the International Certificate of Competence (ICC), the licence most charter companies in Europe ask to see.
On this page
Step zero: the jargon
What does “qualified yacht skipper” actually mean?
In the UK, yacht training is run under the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) scheme. The RYA is authorised by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and its certificates are recognised by charter companies and port authorities around the world. Seafarer is an RYA recognised training centre with over 30 years of yachting experience, and every one of our instructors is RYA qualified.
When people say “qualified skipper” they almost always mean one of two documents, and it is worth understanding both before you book anything.
RYA Day Skipper certificate
The qualification · issued by your instructor on completion
- Proves you can skipper a yacht of roughly 30–45 ft by day in familiar waters
- Earned on the 5–6 day Day Skipper practical course
- Never expires and is accepted by most charter companies worldwide
- Lets you charter bareboat and makes you eligible for the ICC
International Certificate of Competence (ICC)
The licence · issued by the RYA on application
- The official proof of competence that foreign authorities request
- Asked for when you charter in Greece, Croatia, Italy, Spain and Turkey
- Issued free to RYA members who hold Day Skipper or higher; a small admin fee otherwise
- Valid for 5 years and renewed by a simple paper exercise. Read our ICC guide
The pathway
The RYA route to becoming a yacht skipper, step by step
The courses below build on each other, and you can see how the whole scheme fits together on our RYA Yachtmaster scheme page. Nobody is forced through every stage: if you already have sailing experience you may skip straight to theory, and your instructor will assess your level on the first day of any practical course.
0
Optional taster · Practical
RYA Start Yachting
Not sure yachting is for you? Start Yachting is a short introduction with no commitment: two days in the UK, or run over a relaxed week at our Mediterranean schools alongside a beach club holiday. Perfect for families and anyone who wants to dip a toe in first.
1
Step 1 · Practical
RYA Competent Crew
The course for someone who has never been on a yacht. You learn to steer, handle sails, tie the essential knots, help with mooring and anchoring, and live comfortably aboard. It is the broadest course in the scheme and, as an instructor, I see experienced sailors benefit from it too: there is always another layer of detail to learn, and it is the ideal refresher if you have not sailed for a while.
2
Step 2 · Theory
RYA Day Skipper Theory (Shorebased)
With a week of sailing behind you, the theory stops being abstract. The Day Skipper shorebased course covers coastal navigation and chartwork, tides, pilotage, weather, the collision regulations and safety. It is studied online at your own pace, with the charts and plotting instruments sent to your home, so you can fit it around work over the winter. Buy it with your practical course and you receive £50 off the practical.
3
Step 3 · Practical · You qualify here
RYA Day Skipper Practical
This is the course that turns you into a skipper. You take charge of the yacht on short passages under the eye of your instructor: planning the route, bringing the boat into harbour, directing your crew and keeping everyone safe and comfortable. You also complete at least four hours of night sailing. To join you need 5 days at sea, 100 miles and 4 night hours, plus theory knowledge to Day Skipper level, all of which the first two steps give you. On completion you receive your RYA Day Skipper certificate.
4
Step 4 · Paperwork
Apply for your ICC
With Day Skipper in hand, the RYA issues your International Certificate of Competence on application, with no further assessment. It is free for RYA members. We can help with the forms at the end of your course so you leave with both qualifications sorted. Already experienced but without an RYA certificate? We also run a direct ICC assessment.
5
Going further · Theory + Practical
RYA Coastal Skipper and beyond
Once you have a season or two of skippering behind you, the Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore theory and the Coastal Skipper practical take you onto longer passages by day and night, heavier weather and advanced boat handling. From there the RYA Yachtmaster exams are the ultimate goal for serious cruising sailors.
Timescale
How long does it take to become a yacht skipper?
Around twelve days afloat plus 40–45 hours of online theory. Many of our students do it within a year: a Competent Crew week one summer, theory over the winter, then the Day Skipper practical week the following season. Some take both practical weeks back to back in the same season. In the Mediterranean each practical course runs over six days as part of a week-long holiday, so there is time for swimming and long lunches as well as learning.
Week 1
Competent Crew
6 days aboard in Greece or Croatia, or 5 days in the UK. You log your first 100 miles and night hours.
At home
Day Skipper theory
40–45 hours online, at your own pace. Most people spread it over 2–3 months.
Week 2
Day Skipper practical
6 days skippering under instruction. You receive your certificate from your instructor on the last day.
Afterwards
ICC and first charter
Apply to the RYA for your ICC, then build confidence on a flotilla or book your first bareboat charter.
| Course | Duration | Minimum age | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Yachting (optional) | 2 days UK, or a week in the Med | 8+ | Greece, UK |
| Competent Crew | 5–6 days | 12+ | Greece, Croatia, UK |
| Day Skipper theory | 40–45 hours online | Any | At home |
| Day Skipper practical | 5–6 days | 16+ | Greece, Croatia, UK |
| ICC | Application only with Day Skipper; up to 4 hours by direct assessment | 16+ | Issued by the RYA |
| Coastal Skipper practical | 5–6 days | 17+ | Croatia, UK |
Course durations and minimum ages follow the RYA scheme. Dates and prices for each centre are on the RYA training centres page.
Where to train
Learn to sail in Greece, Croatia or the UK
Our three RYA training centres teach the same syllabus to the same standard, but they feel very different. In Greece and Croatia you learn in warm, sheltered water and many summer dates run alongside our flotillas, so your evenings are spent in tavernas with other crews, your family can join a flotilla yacht or the beach club, and you see at first hand how accessible cruising is once you are qualified. The UK school in Southampton is the place for tidal experience and lively Solent sailing, with the flexibility of weekend courses.
Greece
Greece Training Centre
6-day courses · Ionian Sea
Warm, sheltered waters and relaxed island passages. Many dates run alongside our Ionian flotillas, with kids’ clubs for families.
- Best for first-timers
- Competent Crew and Day Skipper
- Combine with a flotilla or beach club week
Croatia
Croatia Training Centre
6-day courses · Dalmatian coast
Historic harbours and quiet anchorages in sheltered seas, with enough variety to build real skill and confidence.
- Competent Crew and Day Skipper
- Coastal Skipper practical
- Combine with our Split flotilla
UK
UK Training Centre
5-day courses and weekends · Southampton
Tidal sailing in the lee of the Isle of Wight, home of the Fastnet, Cowes Week and the Round the Island Race. Ideal preparation before sailing abroad.
- Day Skipper over 5 days or 3 weekends
- Refreshers and bespoke tuition
- Tidal and night experience
Every Seafarer course includes tuition with an RYA Cruising or Yachtmaster Instructor, fuel, gas and water, and breakfast and a light lunch aboard. Mediterranean courses also include mooring fees and linen. See what’s included.
Learn at your own pace
Not ready for Day Skipper yet? You have options
We all learn at different rates, and the gap between Competent Crew and Day Skipper is the one most people worry about. The usual sticking point is boat handling under power: there is nothing quite like bringing a 40 ft yacht alongside a concrete harbour wall for the first time. There is no need to rush it.
Refresher and bespoke tuition
Our UK school runs weekend refreshers and bespoke days focused on whatever you need, from mooring practice to tidal navigation. In Greece and Croatia, general skills training runs alongside the standard courses, so you polish the fundamentals with instructor feedback and none of the pressure of a fixed syllabus.
Mile building and specialist courses
More time at sea is the fastest way to confidence. Our specialist courses and Big Boat Sailing weeks add miles, night hours and open-water passages to your logbook before you commit to the next certificate.
A taster before you commit
Combine a week at one of our Greek beach clubs with the Start Yachting taster on our school yacht, or see our sailing for beginners guide for the full range of ways to get on the water.
Assessed on arrival, never set up to fail
Your instructor checks your level on the first day of every practical course. If you are not quite ready for Day Skipper, we deliver a Competent Crew or mile-building week instead, so your holiday is never wasted and you leave with a clear next step.
You are qualified
What to do once you are a qualified yacht skipper
With an internationally recognised certificate in hand you can take friends and family sailing on yachts around the world. It can feel daunting at first, which is natural when the whole thing can be achieved in as little as three weeks. Here is how most of our students build from newly qualified to confident skipper.
First season
Join a flotilla
Skipper your own yacht with our lead crew on standby to advise on mooring, weather and route. Sociable, supportive and the best confidence builder there is. It is what we recommend to most newly qualified Day Skippers.
When you feel ready
Charter bareboat worldwide
Your Day Skipper and ICC open up bareboat charter in Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Spain, Italy, the Caribbean and beyond, at bareboat prices and entirely at your own pace.
Keep progressing
Go on to Coastal Skipper
After a season or two of skippering, the Coastal Skipper theory and practical take you onto longer passages by night, and set you up for the RYA Yachtmaster exams.
Common questions
Becoming a yacht skipper: your questions answered
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht abroad?
In practice, yes. Greece, Croatia, Italy, Spain and Turkey all ask to see evidence of competence when you charter, usually your ICC or RYA Day Skipper certificate, and charter companies will also ask for a sailing CV. In Croatia a VHF radio licence is required on board as well. You never need a licence to sail as crew, on a flotilla with a hired skipper, or on a cabin charter.
Can I go straight to the Day Skipper course?
Only if you already meet the pre-course requirements: 5 days at sea, 100 miles and 4 night hours on a sailing yacht, practical ability to Competent Crew level and theory knowledge to Day Skipper shorebased level. If you have that experience from dinghy sailing, crewing for friends or a previous holiday, you can skip Competent Crew. If not, Competent Crew is the ideal preparation and is counted towards your Day Skipper miles.
How long is the RYA Day Skipper certificate valid for?
The Day Skipper certificate does not expire. The ICC issued on the strength of it lasts five years and is renewed by a simple paper application, which is why we recommend Day Skipper over a direct ICC assessment for most people.
What is the difference between Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper?
Day Skipper qualifies you to skipper a yacht on short passages by day in familiar waters. Coastal Skipper takes that to longer coastal passages by day and night, with advanced boat handling, passage planning and heavy-weather skills. Day Skipper is the standard needed to charter; Coastal Skipper is the next step for sailors who want to go further and the stepping stone to the Yachtmaster exams.
Can I learn to sail on a family holiday?
Yes. Many of our Mediterranean course dates run alongside our flotillas, so one of you can take a course on the training yacht while the rest of the family enjoys a flotilla yacht, a skippered yacht or the beach club, with kids’ clubs in the summer holidays. Children can join Start Yachting from age 8 and Competent Crew from age 12.
Do I need to be fit, or a strong swimmer?
Neither is a requirement. Modern cruising yachts are designed to be handled by a small crew, and our maximum student-to-instructor ratio of 5:1 means tasks are shared sensibly. We sail in sheltered waters, plan sensible days and follow RYA safety standards, with lifejackets worn whenever conditions call for them.
How much does it cost to become a yacht skipper?
Course prices vary by centre and season, and are listed on each of our RYA training centre pages. Mediterranean prices include tuition, mooring fees, fuel, linen and breakfast and lunch aboard, and every course is covered by our price guarantee: find a like-for-like course cheaper elsewhere and we will beat it. Buying the Day Skipper theory course with your practical saves a further £50.
Still not sure where you fit in?
Talk to a sailing expert
We are a small, experienced team of sailors, not a call centre. Tell us what you have done so far and what you would like to achieve, and we will recommend the right course, centre and dates.
Call or email us
Monday to Friday 09:00 to 19:00 · Saturday 09:30 to 17:00
Book with confidence. Seafarer is an RYA recognised training centre with over 30 years of experience, and every payment you make to us is financially protected: ATOL licence 9511 for holidays with flights, ABTOT member 5660 for holidays without.