Skip to content

Syllabus map

Everything you’ll learn

The SkipperPrep Day Skipper theory curriculum, mapped lesson by lesson: 12 modules, 65 lessons, roughly 29 hours of guided study. Work through in order, or jump straight to the topics you need.

Module 1 · SEAMANSHIP

Seamanship & Boat Knowledge

The language of the sea and the anatomy of a sailing yacht: hull, rig, sails, ropework, boat handling, anchoring and the engine checks every skipper performs.

  1. 1.1Parts of a YachtHull, keel, rudder, deck fittings and the essential vocabulary used aboard.25m
  2. 1.2Sails and RiggingStanding and running rigging, sail parts and the controls that shape them.25m
  3. 1.3Ropework and KnotsThe essential knots, hitches and rope-handling skills for cruising.30m
  4. 1.4Boat Handling Under Power and SailPoints of sail, tacking and gybing, prop effects and slow-speed handling.30m
  5. 1.5Anchoring and MooringAnchor types, choosing an anchorage, scope, and coming alongside.30m
  6. 1.6Engines and Boat SystemsDaily engine checks, fuel, batteries, gas and water systems afloat.25m

Module 2 · NAVIGATION

Chartwork Fundamentals

Reading nautical charts with confidence: position, direction, distance and depth, the compass, and the plotting techniques that underpin all navigation.

  1. 2.1Understanding Nautical ChartsChart projections, scale, datums and how to choose and correct charts.30m
  2. 2.2Chart Symbols and AbbreviationsDepths, drying heights, dangers, seabed types and the symbols that matter most.25m
  3. 2.3Latitude, Longitude and PositionThe coordinate grid, reading positions from the chart scales and plotting them.25m
  4. 2.4Direction: True, Magnetic and CompassThe three norths, variation and deviation, and converting between them.30m
  5. 2.5Distance, Speed and DepthNautical miles, knots, logs, echo sounders and time–speed–distance sums.25m
  6. 2.6Plotting Tools and TechniquesPlotters, parallel rules and dividers — and standard chartwork notation.25m

Module 3 · NAVIGATION

Position Fixing

Where are we? Dead reckoning, estimated positions and visual fixes: the deduction skills that keep working when the electronics don't.

  1. 3.1Dead ReckoningProjecting your position from course steered, speed and time.25m
  2. 3.2The Estimated PositionImproving DR with tidal stream and leeway to produce an EP.30m
  3. 3.3Position Lines and Visual FixesCompass bearings, the three-point fix and the cocked hat.30m
  4. 3.4Transits, Clearing Bearings and SoundingsPosition lines without instruments: transits, clearing lines and the echo sounder.25m
  5. 3.5Fixing in PracticeChoosing methods, fixing frequency, logging and cross-checking GNSS.25m

Module 4 · TIDES

Tides & Tidal Calculations

Why the sea rises and falls, how to work out the height of tide anywhere and anytime, and how moving water affects your course over the ground.

  1. 4.1How Tides WorkSprings, neaps and the astronomy behind the tides.25m
  2. 4.2Tide Tables and Heights of TideChart datum, tidal levels, and finding depths from tide tables.30m
  3. 4.3The Rule of TwelfthsA quick mental model for the rise and fall between high and low water.20m
  4. 4.4Tidal CurvesUsing standard port curves to find height at a time, or time for a height.35m
  5. 4.5Secondary PortsApplying time and height differences to standard port data.30m
  6. 4.6Tidal StreamsTidal stream atlases and diamonds: which way the water is moving, and how fast.30m

Module 5 · NAVIGATION

Course to Steer

The classic vector triangle: offsetting tidal stream and leeway so the course you steer produces the track you want over the ground.

  1. 5.1Ground Track vs Water TrackWhy your heading and your track over the seabed are different things.25m
  2. 5.2Constructing a Course to SteerThe one-hour vector triangle, step by step.35m
  3. 5.3LeewayEstimating and applying the wind's sideways push on your course.20m
  4. 5.4Course to Steer in PracticeLonger crossings, multiple tide hours, and the classic mistakes.30m

Module 6 · PILOTAGE

Coastal Navigation & Pilotage

Buoyage, lights and the close-quarters craft of taking a boat safely into and out of harbour with a plan you can follow under pressure.

  1. 6.1IALA Buoyage (Region A)Lateral and cardinal marks, and the buoys that mark special features and dangers.35m
  2. 6.2Lights and Their CharacteristicsReading light characteristics on the chart and identifying them at night.30m
  3. 6.3Making a Pilotage PlanTurning chart study into a simple plan you can follow from the cockpit.30m
  4. 6.4Executing PilotageClearing bearings, back bearings and depth as real-time guardrails.25m
  5. 6.5Harbours, Marinas and TrafficPort signals, small-craft channels, and staying clear of big ships.25m

Module 7 · NAVIGATION

Electronic Navigation

GNSS, chart plotters, AIS and radar: using modern electronics well, understanding their limits, and integrating them with traditional methods.

  1. 7.1GNSS FundamentalsHow satellite positioning works, its accuracy and its failure modes.25m
  2. 7.2Chart Plotters and Electronic ChartsVector and raster charts, zoom pitfalls, and safe plotter setup.30m
  3. 7.3Waypoints, Routes and XTEBuilding and checking routes, and steering to a track with cross-track error.25m
  4. 7.4AIS and Radar BasicsSeeing and being seen: what AIS and radar can and cannot tell you.30m
  5. 7.5Instruments and the Modern Nav StationDepth, log and wind data, and blending electronics with paper navigation.20m

Module 8 · METEOROLOGY

Weather & Meteorology

Pressure systems, fronts, wind, fog and forecasts: reading the sky and the synoptic chart to make sound go/no-go decisions.

  1. 8.1Air Pressure and Weather SystemsHighs, lows, isobars and the general circulation that drives our weather.25m
  2. 8.2Fronts and DepressionsThe life of a low: warm fronts, cold fronts and the weather each brings.30m
  3. 8.3Wind, Sea Breezes and Sea StateGradient wind, local effects, the Beaufort scale and fetch.30m
  4. 8.4Fog and Poor VisibilityRadiation and advection fog, and preparing for visibility to close in.20m
  5. 8.5Getting and Reading ForecastsMarine forecast sources and the precise language they use.25m
  6. 8.6Weather Planning for PassagesSynoptic charts, weather windows and making the go/no-go call.25m

Module 9 · COLLISION REGS

Collision Regulations

The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea: who gives way, what the lights and shapes mean, and what the sound signals are telling you.

  1. 9.1Foundations: Lookout, Speed and RiskThe rules that always apply: lookout, safe speed and judging collision risk.25m
  2. 9.2Give-Way Rules Between VesselsHead-on, crossing and overtaking — under power and under sail.35m
  3. 9.3Narrow Channels and Traffic SchemesKeeping right, not impeding, and crossing traffic separation schemes.25m
  4. 9.4Navigation Lights and Day ShapesIdentifying any vessel at night, and the day shapes that flag its status.35m
  5. 9.5Sound and Light SignalsManoeuvring signals, warnings, and signals in restricted visibility.25m
  6. 9.6Conduct in Restricted VisibilityHow the rules change when you cannot see other vessels.20m

Module 10 · SAFETY

Safety & Emergency Procedures

Personal safety gear, the boat's safety equipment, man overboard recovery, VHF distress procedures and handling emergencies at sea.

  1. 10.1Personal Safety EquipmentLifejackets, harnesses, tethers and dressing for the conditions.25m
  2. 10.2The Boat's Safety EquipmentFlares, fire fighting, liferafts, EPIRBs and grab bags.30m
  3. 10.3Man OverboardImmediate actions, keeping sight, and recovery under power and sail.30m
  4. 10.4VHF Radio and Distress ProceduresChannel 16, DSC alerts, and the Mayday and Pan-Pan procedures.30m
  5. 10.5Emergencies AfloatFire, flooding, steering failure, grounding, towing and helicopter rescue.30m
  6. 10.6Crew Health and First Aid BasicsSeasickness, cold, sun and the first aid situations sailors actually meet.25m

Module 11 · PASSAGE PLANNING

Passage Planning

Appraisal, planning, execution and monitoring: turning everything you've learned into a complete, legal and practical plan for a coastal passage.

  1. 11.1Appraisal: Gathering InformationSOLAS V obligations and the sources every passage plan draws on.25m
  2. 11.2Planning the RouteWaypoints, tidal gates, ports of refuge and contingency thinking.30m
  3. 11.3Preparing Boat and CrewVictualling, briefings, watch systems and pre-departure checks.25m
  4. 11.4Execution and MonitoringKeeping the plan alive underway: logs, fixes and decision points.25m
  5. 11.5A Complete Worked Passage PlanA full example plan for a coastal passage, from appraisal to arrival.35m

Module 12 · PRACTICAL PREP

Practical Course Preparation

What to expect on a Day Skipper practical course: the skills you'll demonstrate, what to pack, the vocabulary you'll use, and how to keep building afterwards.

  1. 12.1What to Expect on the Practical CourseHow a typical practical course runs, and what instructors look for.20m
  2. 12.2The Skills You'll PractiseHelming, sail handling, mooring, MOB drills and skippered passages.30m
  3. 12.3Kit and PackingClothing, footwear and personal kit that actually earns its space.15m
  4. 12.4The Language of the CockpitCommands and responses used aboard, so nothing surprises you.20m
  5. 12.5After the Course: Building ExperienceLogging sea time, chartering, the ICC and the road to Coastal Skipper.20m