We’re booked in for our RYA Coastal Skipper with MSA next month and we’re equal parts excited and nervous. For anyone who’s done it — what should we expect?
Specific things we’re wondering:
We did our Competent Crew about 18 months ago in the Solent, so it’s been a while since we were in a classroom. Any tips appreciated!
I can’t speak to Coastal specifically but I did my Day Skipper with MSA and they were fantastic. Really patient instructors and they make the theory accessible. I’d say brush up on your chart work and tidal calculations if you haven’t done them for a while — that was the bit that caught me out.
The Coastal is a step up from Day Skipper but nothing to be scared of. Expect more emphasis on passage planning, pilotage, and yes, night sailing. The night passage is actually one of the highlights — there’s something magical about sailing at night once you get over the initial apprehension.
My tip: get comfortable with the collision regulations (COLREGs) before you go. They’re examined quite thoroughly and they take time to really understand, especially the lights.
Night sailing is brilliant once you relax into it. My advice: practise your light recognition before the course. Download an app like ‘Navigation Lights Quiz’ — it’ll save you a lot of stress. Also, the Mediterranean is great for Coastal Skipper because the tidal component is minimal, so you can focus on the pilotage and seamanship.
Thanks everyone — this is really helpful and calming! Going to download that app tonight and dig out the RYA books. Roll on next month!