Course Overview
Day Skipper Plus is designed for sailors who already hold RYA Day Skipper Practical, or have equivalent experience, but want more supported time in command before taking full responsibility for a yacht.
It is particularly useful if you passed the course but still hesitate when leaving a berth, planning an unfamiliar passage, directing a crew or making decisions without an instructor beside you. It also works as a structured refresher after time away from sailing.
The programme bridges the gap between newly qualified Day Skipper and RYA Coastal Skipper Practical. Your instructor concentrates on the areas that feel rusty or uncertain, using skipper-of-the-day rotations, repeated manoeuvres and realistic passage scenarios rather than repeating an entry-level syllabus.
Phuket and the Andaman Sea provide a varied training ground of marina handling, island pilotage, anchorages, traffic, tropical weather and longer coastal legs. The final route remains flexible so the week delivers useful sailing rather than following a fixed sightseeing itinerary.
This is a Phuket Sea School skills-development programme, not an RYA Day Skipper course, and it does not issue another Day Skipper certificate. We arrange it by enquiry so the instructor can understand your experience, confidence and priorities before confirming the plan.
Who Is This Course For?
Recent Day Skipper graduates who want more command practice, qualified skippers returning after a break, experienced crew ready to take the lead, charterers preparing for greater independence and sailors building toward Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster-level experience.
Prerequisites
- RYA Day Skipper Practical certificate or equivalent practical ability
- Around 5 days and 100 nautical miles of logged sailing recommended
- Current Day Skipper Theory knowledge suitable for practical passage planning, pilotage and collision regulations
- Ability to take an active part in a liveaboard sailing week
- Your sailing logbook or a concise account of recent experience so we can plan the right coaching emphasis
From qualification to confidence
Practise being the skipper—not just holding the certificate
The instructor begins with your experience, recent sailing and the situations you still avoid. The week is then built around purposeful repetition and realistic decisions, with responsibility transferred to you as your confidence grows.
Take command
Rotate through skipper-of-the-day roles, brief the crew and make decisions with an instructor ready to coach rather than take over.
Handle the yacht
Repeat berthing, turning, anchoring, mooring and close-quarters manoeuvres until the sequence feels controlled and repeatable.
Plan real passages
Turn weather, charts, hazards, pilotage and alternatives into a practical plan, then lead the passage and review the result.
Refine sailing skills
Improve sail trim, reefing, helming and balance while choosing safe, comfortable tactics for the yacht and crew.
Navigate after dark
When conditions and the route allow, practise lights, watchkeeping, position fixing and pilotage in darkness or low light.
Manage the unexpected
Work through person-overboard recovery, changing weather, equipment problems and contingency decisions without losing command of the crew.
This is coached development, not an examination week. Exercises and route choices remain flexible around weather, safety and the needs of everyone aboard.
Where Day Skipper Plus fits
Day Skipper Plus is the practical middle ground between learning the Day Skipper syllabus and entering advanced Coastal Skipper training.
| Compare | Day Skipper Practical | Day Skipper Plus | Coastal Skipper Practical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Learn to skipper a yacht on short daytime passages | Turn existing knowledge into calm, independent command | Develop advanced coastal passage-making by day and night |
| Best suited to | Aspiring skippers with the required theory and experience | Day Skippers who need mileage, confidence or a refresher | Experienced skippers meeting the RYA sea-time prerequisites |
| Training emphasis | Core practical syllabus and first skippered passages | Personal weak points, repetition and skipper-led scenarios | Complex pilotage, command and demanding passages |
| Recognition | RYA course with certificate when the standard is achieved | Phuket Sea School development programme; no new RYA certificate | RYA course with certificate when the standard is achieved |
| Typical next move | Independent practice, chartering or Day Skipper Plus | More command experience, Mile Builders or Coastal Skipper | Yachtmaster mileage, theory and preparation |
Typical Itinerary
The exact route follows the forecast, sea state and student goals. This representative sequence shows how responsibility normally builds through the five days.
- Day 1: Safety and yacht familiarisation, practical assessment, close-quarters refresher and individual objectives
- Day 2: Sail handling, anchoring and a short skipper-led passage with structured feedback
- Day 3: Passage planning and pilotage into an unfamiliar anchorage or harbour, including weather and alternative plans
- Day 4: A longer command passage, crew rotation, emergency scenarios and night or low-light navigation when suitable
- Day 5: Consolidation passage, selected manoeuvres repeated to confidence, logbook review and personal progression plan
Typical Andaman training routes
A useful training week needs varied pilotage, anchorages and meaningful time under sail. These five-day routes illustrate what may be possible; your instructor selects the final track around the forecast and the skills the crew needs to practise.
Sailing Yacht on This Course
Practical courses are currently scheduled aboard our dedicated liveaboard training yacht from Yacht Haven Marina.
What Is Included
Included
- Five days of practical coaching and supervised skippering
- Use of the nominated training yacht and safety equipment
- Onboard accommodation during the agreed programme
- Simple breakfast and lunch onboard
- Individual feedback and development advice
- Fuel, home-marina fees and normal yacht operating costs during the programme
- Drinking water, tea and coffee
- Provisions for one simple onboard dinner if the itinerary requires an evening at anchor
Not included
- An RYA Day Skipper or Coastal Skipper certificate
- Flights, transfers, travel insurance and personal expenses
- Accommodation before or after the agreed programme
- Non-home marina, park, customs and immigration charges unless expressly included
- Dinner ashore, soft drinks, alcohol, snacks and additional personal provisions
Optional extras
- Course textbook€25 per item
- RYA logbook€20 per item
- Airport pickup€30 per trip
- Onboard air conditioning€5 per generator hour
Bookable extras can be selected on the booking page.
AC charge covers extra fuel, generator running hours and maintenance; settled onboard according to actual use.
Delivery dates and final inclusions are confirmed before payment. External examination or certification fees remain separate unless your written quote explicitly includes them.
Course Syllabus
- Personal skills review and an agreed development plan
- Passage planning, pilotage and supervised skipper-of-the-day passages
- Crew briefings, delegation, communication and watchkeeping
- Berthing, turning and close-quarters manoeuvring under power
- Anchoring, mooring buoys and safe approach planning
- Sail trim, reefing, helming and manoeuvres under sail
- Short-handed techniques where suitable for the crew and conditions
- Paper-chart position fixing, compass work and visual pilotage
- Using chartplotter, AIS and radar information without losing situational awareness
- Weather interpretation, route alternatives and contingency planning
- Collision regulations and practical application in local traffic
- Person-overboard recovery and emergency decision-making
- Night or low-light navigation and watchkeeping when conditions and route allow
- Theory refreshers targeted at gaps identified during the week
- Final debrief, logbook review and a personal progression plan
What you will work toward
- Take command of short coastal passages with clearer decisions and crew briefings
- Approach berthing, anchoring and close-quarters handling with a repeatable plan
- Integrate paper charts, pilotage, weather, AIS and chartplotter information
- Trim, reef and handle sails with greater confidence as conditions change
- Organise watchkeeping, safety routines and emergency responses
- Recognise personal strengths and the specific areas that still need practice
- Leave with a realistic progression plan toward independent charter, Mile Builders, Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaster preparation
How the coaching is tailored
Before confirming the programme, we ask about your qualification, recent sailing, intended use of the yacht and the situations that currently limit your confidence.
- Choose priority skills such as marina handling, anchoring, sail trim, pilotage, night navigation or crew leadership
- Receive short briefings before each exercise and direct, practical feedback afterwards
- Repeat important manoeuvres instead of moving on after a single attempt
- Take progressively greater responsibility as skipper while the instructor maintains a safe coaching environment
- Finish with an honest assessment of readiness for chartering, further mileage or advanced training
Course status and recognition
Day Skipper Plus is a Phuket Sea School development programme for existing skippers. It is not part of the formal RYA course scheme and does not repeat or upgrade your Day Skipper certificate.
- Actual sea time and mileage may be entered in your personal logbook
- Mileage, night hours and specific passages cannot be guaranteed because the route depends on conditions
- If your goal is an RYA Coastal Skipper certificate, you must meet that course’s prerequisites and complete the recognised practical course
The value of the week is greater confidence, judgement and practical command—not another certificate.
Arrange this programme
This programme is organised by enquiry. We first review the participants, goals and preferred dates, then confirm the vessel, instructor, delivery plan and complete quotation in writing.
- No fixed starting dates are published
- An enquiry does not reserve a place or create a payment obligation
- Delivery details and inclusions are confirmed before payment
Recommended to Bring
- RYA logbook and evidence of prerequisite sea time
- Relevant theory notes, charts and navigation tools
- Quick-drying clothing and non-marking footwear
- Sun protection, waterproof layer and soft luggage
Supporting Courses
Current Day Skipper Theory knowledge lets you use the five days for practical command rather than classroom revision. Marine Radio VHF/SRC and further sea miles also support safe progression toward independent charter and Coastal Skipper training.
RYA Day Skipper Theory
Refresh navigation, pilotage, weather and collision-regulation knowledge before using the week for practical command.
View courseRYA Marine Radio VHF (SRC)
Strengthen the radio procedures expected when taking responsibility for a cruising yacht and its crew.
View courseAndaman Mile Builders
Continue consolidating command, watchkeeping and passage experience after the coached week.
View courseLocal Information
Flights and Arrival
Yacht Haven Marina is approximately 20–30 minutes by road from Phuket International Airport in normal traffic. Exact boarding, checkout and examination arrangements are confirmed in the written joining instructions.
Typical Weather
Phuket is warm throughout the year, but the monsoon seasons influence wind, rainfall and route planning. These are typical patterns rather than a forecast.
Mid Oct–Jan
24–31°C
Drier northeast-monsoon period with more sunshine and generally comfortable cruising conditions.
Feb–May
25–33°C
Hot, mostly dry weather. Winds can become lighter and more variable as the season progresses.
July–Aug
24–32°C
Southwest-monsoon sailing with tropical showers, fresher winds and more swell on exposed routes.
Sep–Mid Oct
24–31°C
Typically the wettest and most changeable period, with squalls and routes adjusted to conditions.
Your Next RYA Step
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Day Skipper Plus an RYA certificate course?
No. It is a Phuket Sea School confidence and skills-development programme for people who already hold RYA Day Skipper Practical or have equivalent ability. It does not issue, renew or upgrade an RYA certificate.
How is it different from repeating Day Skipper Practical?
RYA Day Skipper Practical teaches and assesses the recognised course syllabus. Day Skipper Plus starts from the skills you already have and uses the week for tailored repetition, command practice, mileage and the situations that still make you uncertain.
Can the programme focus on skills I choose?
Yes. We review your recent sailing, confidence and goals before confirming the plan. Weather and safety still determine the final route and exercise sequence.
Do I need a Day Skipper certificate?
The normal entry point is RYA Day Skipper Practical or equivalent ability. If you learned through another scheme or practical experience, send us your sailing history and goals so the Principal can check whether Day Skipper Plus is suitable.
What if my theory is rusty?
We can refresh specific points identified during practical exercises, but the week is not a replacement for RYA Day Skipper Theory. If navigation, pilotage or collision regulations need substantial revision, complete a theory refresher before joining.
Will I skipper the yacht myself?
Yes. Participants rotate through skipper-of-the-day responsibilities including planning, briefing, navigation, crew coordination and review. The instructor remains responsible for safe delivery and adapts the level of independence to your ability.
Is night sailing guaranteed?
No. Night or low-light navigation is included when the route, weather, crew and safety plan allow it. We do not force a night passage simply to meet a marketing promise.
How many miles will I log?
You may record the actual sea time and mileage completed, but there is no guaranteed mileage. The forecast, training priorities and need to repeat manoeuvres all influence the final distance sailed.
Is this a good preparation course for Coastal Skipper?
Yes, particularly when you need more command confidence and real passages before RYA Coastal Skipper Practical. It does not replace the Coastal Skipper prerequisites or Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Theory knowledge.
Can I arrange private coaching or different dates?
Yes, subject to instructor and yacht availability. Send us your experience, preferred dates, group size and the skills you want to improve. We will propose the most suitable shared or private format and confirm the quotation in writing.
What accommodation and meals are included?
Onboard accommodation during the agreed five-day programme is included. A simple breakfast and lunch are provided onboard each sailing day, together with drinking water, tea and coffee. Dinner is normally enjoyed ashore at the student's own cost. If the itinerary requires an evening at anchor, provisions for one simple onboard dinner are included. Soft drinks, alcohol, snacks and additional personal provisions are not included. Students share simple meal preparation, washing-up and normal yacht housekeeping as part of cruising-yacht life. Accommodation before or after the programme is separate.
