Competent Crew - Syllabus

RYA Competent Crew Course - Syllabus

1. Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging and her sails.  Sufficient to understand orders given concerning the sailing and day-to-day running of the boat.

2. Sail Handling - Attaching, raising, setting and handling of the sails.  Use of the Halyards and their associated winches

3. Ropework - Handling ropes, coiling, stowing and securing to cleats and bollards. Ability to tie the following knots and to know their correct use:  Figure-of-eight, clove hitch , rolling hitch, bowline, round turn and two half hitches, single and double sheet bend and reef knot.

4. Fire precautions - Awareness of the hazards of fire and the precautions  necessary to prevent fire. Knowledge of the action to be taken in the event of fire.

5. Personal safety equipment - Understands when and how to don lifejackets, safety harnesses and personal buoyancy aids.

6. Man Overboard - Understands the action to be taken to recover a person who has fallen overboard

7. Emergency equipment - Understands how to operate distress flares and knows when they should be used.  Understands how to launch and board a liferaft.

8. Manners and customs - Understands the accepted practice with regard to the use of burgees and ensigns.  Prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in harbour, including courtesies to other craft berthed alongside.  Aware of the responsibility of yacht skippers to protect the environment.

9. Rules of the Road - Is able to keep an efficient lookout.

10. Dinghies - Understands and complies with the loading rules and is able to handle a dinghy under oars.

11. Meteorology - Awareness of the forecasting services and knowledge of the Beaufort scale

12. Seasickness - Working efficiency is unaffected / partially affected / severely affected by seasickness ( delete as applicable )

13. Helmsmanship and Sailing - Understands the basic principles of sailing and can steer and trim the sails on all points of sailing.  Can steer a compass course under sail and power.

14. General Rules - Can carry out general duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection with the daily routine of the vessel.