The RYA course pathway can feel confusing when you’re starting out. Competent Crew, Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper, Yachtmaster… where do you begin, and do you need to do them all in order?
We broke it down in our journal: Competent Crew vs Day Skipper vs Coastal Skipper Explained
The short version: Competent Crew is your introduction, Day Skipper gives you the skills to skipper a yacht on short coastal passages, and Coastal Skipper takes you further offshore with more advanced techniques.
Where are you on the pathway? If you’ve done multiple courses, which one felt like the biggest step up? And for those deciding between courses — ask away, the community has plenty of experience to share.