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RYA learning pathway – why choose a RYA sailing course?

February 28, 2026

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is the UK’s national governing body for all forms of boating—including dinghy/yacht sailing, motor cruising, windsurfing, and powerboating, seting internationally recognized standards for training, safety, and racing. RYA training courses are delivered worldwide through 2,500+ recognized training centres worldwide. 

The RYA learning path provides high-standard structured, progressive training system with globally recognized certification, from beginner to  professional qualifications.

The key benefits of RYA Sailing Courses:

  • World-Recognized Certification: RYA/MCA Yachtmaster certificates are recognized internationally, enabling you to skipper yachts worldwide
  • High-quality training standards and expert instruction: training is provided through recognized training centers exclusively by RYA qualified instructors
  • Focus on safety and best practices: courses emphasize crucial seamanship skills, including navigating and handling emergency situations
  • Structured Learning Path from beginner to professional levels – enabling enhanced credibility in the sailing community and opportunities for networking and building sailing skills

Key RYA Learning Pathways

The RYA offer courses in Sail cruising (Yachts), Dinghy sailing, Motor Cruising, Powerboating and maritime supporting skills like courses in Navigation and seamanship, Marine Radio (SRC) and First Aid. 

Being a recognized training center for sailing we will focus on Sail cruising/Yachting courses we offer:

Competent Crew

a basic sailing course on a yacht. Intended for beginners with little or no experience. It teaches sail handling and manouvering, steering, basic sea terms, rigging and sails, meteorology basics and wind awareness, knots, safety, preparation for docking, anhchoring and buoy catching, dinghy operating and understanding the basics rules, manners and customs of life onboard a yacht.

More about RYA competent crew course

Day skipper

the intermediate level and the first course with a widely accepted certificate that enables you to charter a small sailing yacht (around 30-50ft) and manage her crew in familiar waters during daytime, up to 20-25 miles from a nominated departure port.

The course will teach you navigation and passage planning, chart plotters, weather forecasting, safety and boat and crew preparation,  rules of avoiding colisions, piloting in and out of harbours and channels, emergency situations, night cruising – short: small yacht boat commanding under power and sail in varying conditions.

The RYA Day Skipper Sail certificate also allows you to apply for an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) to the RYA without need for further assessment.

Minimum requirements: experience and knowledge of competent crew course  (or similar beginners sailing course on a yacht) – at least 5 days, 100 miles and 4 night hours on a sailing yacht and theoretical knowledge of the Day skipper theory level.

More about RYA day skipper course

Coastal skipper

an advanced skipper course that enables you to confidently and safely skipper a small yacht on coastal or offshore passages in unfamiliar waters by day and night and in adverse weather conditions. 

It will teach you preparation of the yacht and crew for long passages, night cruising and piloting, watch-keeping system, advanced navigation, blind navigation and coastal passage planning, storm sails, safety brief, life raft use, helicopter rescue procedure, emergency situations, advanced meteorology and advanced Rules of avoiding collision at sea.

More about RYA coastal skipper course

Minimum requirements:

Sailing experience and knowledge to experienced Day Skipper level – at least 15 days, two days as skipper, 300 miles, eight night hours and theoretical knowledge to Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory course level.

The RYA Coastal Skipper Sail certificate also allows you to apply for an International Certificate of Competence (ICC) to the RYA without need for further assessment.

All the practical RYA courses allow student – instructor ratio to be maximum 5:1, meaning there will be no more then 5 students on a course. 

The courses are either in shared format (you book one spot on a course) or offered as a RYA private course (you book the whole boat and instructor/programme). 

In our training center we do not have a minimum number of participants required. We will proceed with the course even if you are the only applicant. We understand that you have taken a vacation, booked flights and rearranged your life to take this course and we take it seriously. 

With us you can also book RYA theory online courses: RYA Day Skipper, RYA Coastal Skipper/​ Yachtmaster Offshore and RYA/​MCA Yachtmaster Ocean and their combinations required for the practical course as well as the VHF/SRC radio online course (which comes with a final in-person exam that can be done in our base).

To be able to charter a sailboat in Croatia (and most other EU countries) you are required to have a minimum Day skipper certificate and the VHF certificate.

Do you need help?

We organise sailing courses for all knowledge levels – beginners, advanced, cruising, skippers and custom made courses.

Our Courses

FAQ

What are RYA sailing courses and certificates?

British Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) training scheme is the world’s biggest, best and most reputable yachting training scheme. With more than 50 years of tradition, the RYA offers more than 100 courses – from beginner to professional level – through 2.400 recognised training centres in 58 countries. Each year, more than 270.000 people learn how to sail on sailing yachts or dinghies, operate a powerboat, motor yacht or jet ski, surf and race on the RYA courses. More than 25.000 professional RYA instructors deliver the RYA courses, and the RYA publishes more than 100 publications to support its courses. Also, over 25.000 professionals working on commercial vessels worldwide have RYA Certificates of Competence. The RYA certificates for recreational and professional boaters are recognised and accepted worldwide. With the RYA Day Skipper or the RYA Coastal Skipper certificate and a VHF – SRC Marine Radio certificate, you’ll be able to charter a sailing yacht in Croatia and most countries worldwide. Center of Sailing is an RYA recognised training centre.

What are the advantages of the RYA courses?

1. Internationally recognised and accepted certificates, 2. Quality educational materials and methods, 3. Professional instruction by trained instructors, 4. Specific goals and training for each level of the program, 5. Special students discounts on chartering one of the boats in our fleet

What’s the RYA courses pathway?

First, you join the RYA Competent Crew course to learn sailing, knots and basic seamanship. Then you follow with a Day Skipper Theory course and a Day Skipper (practical) course to start sailing on your own. The RYA Day Skipper certificate, accompanied by the RYA VHF – SRC Marine Radio certificate, is the minimum requirement to charter a yacht in Croatia and worldwide. The RYA Coastal Skipper course is the next step if you want to sail day and night on longer coastal and offshore passages. It also puts an excellent foundation for the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster(TM) qualifications. 

Which RYA sailing courses and certificates does the Center Of Sailing offer?

We offer the RYA Competent Crew (practical) course, the RYA Day Skipper Theory course, the RYA Day Skipper (practical) course, the RYA VHF – SRC Marine Radio course, the RYA Coastal Skipper course. We also offer a Day Skipper Fast Track program and refreshers of RYA courses. After successfully completing these courses, students get awarded the appropriate RYA certificate. The RYA certificates for recreational and professional boaters are recognised and accepted worldwide. With the RYA Day Skipper or the RYA Coastal Skipper certificate and a VHF – SRC Marine Radio certificate, you’ll be able to charter a sailing yacht in Croatia and most countries worldwide.

What does it mean that the Center of Sailing is an RYA recognised training centre?

Center of Sailing is an RYA recognised training centre, which means we comply with the high standards of the RYA training scheme. Our RYA instructors are trained professionals who did most of the RYA courses they now teach. The equipment of our yacht and the way we operate comply with RYA’s strict safety standards, and we must pass an RYA inspection every year. The RYA licences us to run the RYA courses following a structured program accompanied by all necessary handbooks and training materials published by the RYA. The RYA also authorises us to issue the RYA certificates for successful students after the courses. To enable our students to expand and broaden their sailing skills, we also offer non-RYA courses – Sail Faster! and mile-building Dubrovnik Adventure.

What to pack/wear for/on a sailing course?

Warm weather: hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, shorts, T-shirts, swimwear, non-marking deck shoes or trainers, flip flops (only on land), spare set of clothing. Cold weather: lightweight jacket, fleece, hoodie, comfortable trousers, non-marking deck shoes or trainers, sailing boots, waterproof sailing jacket and trousers, warm underwear, and a spare set of clothing.  Special sailing gear: We strongly advise taking a pair of good-fitting sailing gloves. Here are some brands and stores where you can find sailing gear: Decathlon, Gill – Sailing Point, Musto, Helly Hansen, Slam, Henri Lloyd. Please use soft foldable bags because of the limited storage on board. In case you can’t avoid a hard-shelled trolley we have some storage place in our office. Please take all the medicines (prescription and non-prescription) needed for the whole course duration.

Do I need my safety equipment?

No, our sailing yachts are equipped with all required safety equipment, including liferaft, self-inflatable lifejackets and harness lines.

What’s included in the price of a sailing course?

The course, Instructor, Accommodation in shared cabins – single-use of cabins available, Free unlimited wi-fi on board, Fuel, Cooking gas, Final cleaning, Docking fees in the base marina – ACI Jezera, Bed sheets, Covers, Duvets, Pillows, Pillowcases, Towels (beach towels included), Cleaning utensils, Kitchen towels, Bathroom soap, Mosquito repellent, Plates, glasses, cups, cutlery, Tourist tax, VAT. Additionally, for the RYA courses: RYA Instructor, RYA course materials and handbooks, RYA certificates - after successful completion of the course, RYA log books with mileage signed in. Not Included: Flights and travel costs, Travel and medical insurance, Docking/buoy fees in other marinas/bays, Food & drinks – for the crew and the instructor

What are the additional costs of a sailing course?

Food & drinks, for the crew and the instructor, Docking/buoy fees in other marinas/bays, Flights and travel costs, Travel and medical insurance

What facilities are available onboard?

Depending on the course booked, the yachts are equipped with 2, 3 or 4+1 cabins and (1 or 4 toilets with sinks, mirrors and hot water showers). The kitchen includes the most important – a fridge, sink, two gas cooking rings and a small oven.   Offshore there are 12 VOLT and USB chargers for computers and phones. 220 Volt power is available only when docked in a marina or port. Since our routes are sometimes out of the coverage of telephone networks, there may be interruptions in communication.