PASA RYA Fastrack Course Itinerary
Week 1
Introduction to the course. Our Chief Instructor will brief you on the syllabus. You will learn sailing terminology whilst sailing in Gibraltar Bay and around some of the local ports in Spain and Morocco. We teach you crewing skills this week - how to tie up a boat, how to hoist the main and how to make a cup of tea under sail or a dinner at sea.
Week 2
This week you will spend your days in the classroom learning about charts, navigation, seamanship and weather. You will learn to use a hand held compass and a Portland plotter and dividers while you work through exercises from the RYA course book. At the end of the week you will sit the RYA Day Skipper theory assesment.
Week 3
This week is Day Skipper week. Out and about around local ports, you will now be putting your theory skills to good use by plotting courses across the Straits and piloting into harbours. We introduce you to anchoring, picking up mooring buoys and rescuing a man overboard. At the weekend you will do a VHF Radio Operator course.
Week 4
Back into the classroom for Coastal Yachtmaster theory. We will build on Day Skipper theory by going into more advanced navigation techniques. We also take an in depth look at meterology - weather fronts, forecasts, clouds and heavy weather sailing. At the end of the week you will sit the RYA Coastal Yachtmaster theory assesment.
Week 5 & 6
Now you will begin building miles on a two week offshore passage. Leaving Gibraltar on Monday for Portugal or Morocco, you will be introduced to watch systems as we plan to split the weeks into a number of 60 mile non stop passages. You will be responsible for planning a 60 mile passage, organising your crew and taking charge of the boat.
The instructor will take a step back and allow you to run the boat to the best of your ability,but will be there to guide you should you need a hand. Each student needs a minimum of 2,500 tidal miles and five skippered passages, two as skipper. You will have more 60 mile passages to gain and wil become increasingly confident in handling a boat under different weather conditions and different sea states. This week you will be piloting into new harbours or anchoring for the night.
Week 7
Skills and drills week in Gibraltar Bay. You will learn close quarter handling of a yacht by sailing in and out of an anchorage and on and off of a mooring buoy. You will learn sail trim, short tacking, triangulating a spinnaker pole, sailing exercises and mooring under difficult conditions.
Week 8 & 9
A two week milebuilding trip. You may experience all types of conditions such as storm conditions, spinnaker runs, night passages. Each day at sea teaches you something new whether you are navigating to a new port or a familiar port in the dark. Come back to Gibraltar for a Diesel Engine course at the weekend.
Week 10
Back to base to sharpen your navigation. This week we will look at boat systems - how to check rigging, service a winch, service the engine, At the weekend, we do a Sea Survival course, split between the classroom and an open air swimming pool.
Week 11 & 12
Back to building miles and practicing passsages. Assuming all students are at the right level and there are at least three of you, you will bring self skippering. Now you are in charge of the boat without an instructor so you and your fellow students will experience what it is really like to be in charge of a yacht. The decisions are yours to make
Week 13
This is when it all comes together and we make you a fully competent sailor. Each day you will practice exercises in the bay under the guidance of our chief instructor. You will be put through your paces with simulated engine failures , steering failures and all sorts of emergency situations. You will sail onto walls, into harbours, onto anchorages, as well as being tested on your theory
Week 14
A final week of Yachtmaster Prep with the Chief Instructor. More sailing exercises until we feel you are at a higher ability than necessary for the exam to ensure you pass. On Friday evening, the examiner will get on board. Each candidate will be examined by a RYA Examiner
