Competent Crew

You will be taught the fundamentals of crewing such as knots, nautical terms, sail handling and helming, as well as how to “live” in the environment of a cruising yacht. During the RYA Competent Crew course you will spend your time aboard the yacht visiting many of the beautiful harbours and anchorages along the Turkish coast, and if the weather allows, complete a longer coastal passage. With a maximum of 4 students per course, your fully qualified instructors devote plenty of time to your individual needs. Safety is paramount in all RYA courses and you will learn how to operate flares, lifejackets, safety harnesses & liferaft.

You will be awarded the RYA Competent Crew Certificate and be an asset to any crew you join.

Experience Required: No previous experience necessary.

Course Duration: Courses start Sunday morning, boarding from Saturday afternoon after 16:00 returning to the marina around midday on Thursday. Students are welcome to stay onboard Thursday night if that helps with travel arrangements. 

Competent Crew Syllabus

The Competent Crew course introduces the complete beginner to cruising and teaches personal safety, seamanship and helmsmanship to the level required to be a useful member of crew of a cruising yacht.

Knowledge of sea terms and parts of a boat, her rigging and sails

• Sufficient knowledge to understand orders given concerning the sailing and day to day running of the boat.

Sail Handling

•  Bending on, setting, reefing and handling of sails
•  Use of sheets and halyards and their associated winches

Ropework

•  Handling ropes, including coiling, stowing, securing to cleats and single and double bollards
•  Handling warps
•  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, reef knot

Fire precautions and fighting

• 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

Personal safety equipment

• Understands and complies with rules for the wearing of safety harnesses, lifejackets and personal buoyancy aids

Man overboard

• Understands the action to be taken to recover a man overboard

Emergency equipment

• Can operate distress flares and knows when they should be used
• Understands how to launch and board a liferaft

Manners and customs

• Understands accepted practice with regard to: use of burgees and ensigns, prevention of unnecessary noise or disturbance in harbour including courtesies to other craft berthed
• Aware of the responsibility of yacht skippers to protect the environment

Rules of the road

• Is able to keep a safe and efficient lookout at sea

Dinghies

• Understands and complies with the loading rules.
• Is able to handle a dinghy under oars

Meteorology

• Awareness of forecasting services and knowledge of the Beaufort scale

Seasickness

• Working efficiency is unaffected/partially affected/severely affected by seasickness

Helmsmanship and sailing

• Understands the basic principles of sailing and can steer and trim sails on all points of sailing
• Can steer a compass course, under sail and power

General duties

• Has carried out general duties satisfactorily on deck and below decks in connection with the daily routine of the vessel

What’s Included:

Bedding, Towels, Safety Equipment, Tuition, Logbook, Certification.

Not Included: 

Transit Log (compulsory) £??? per boat shared between students, food & drink, fuel, travel to/from venue, Turkish visa if required, Instructors food and drink  (to be provided at students expense)