Keelboat news and development: Combined Day Skipper course

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Combined Day Skipper course

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Keelboat classes
Forum Name: Keelboat news and development
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URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10953
Printed Date: 25 Jun 25 at 6:33pm
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Topic: Combined Day Skipper course

Posted By: Nihil
Subject: Combined Day Skipper course
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 1:45pm

Hi all,

So, I've decided I want to do my day skipper and am currently eyeballing the Hamble School of Yachting combined course which does both the theory and the practical in one big hit.

I've got a laser which I sail pretty regularly and have RYA lvl 2 (Dinghy and powerboat). I've also done two three day trips around the Solent in 37ft yachts including some basic racing. Just got back from one in fact and found that my dinghy and powerboat experience was really quite useful when helming and crewing.

My question is what do people think of the combined course? Strikes me that doing the practical with the theory still buzzing around in my head might be sensible. Also any suggestions on where is best to do it? Hamble look pretty good and I live in London, so they seem a good bet.

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Laser 197679

Replies:

Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 2:04pm

Are you wanting to stop at Dazed Kipper, or do you see yourself as being on a path to YM?

I don't regret doing the shorebased YM, then years later the YM practical and exam.

If you do every ticket on the way it can be expensive. OTOH it can be a series of nice holidays.

Posted By: Nihil
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 2:14pm

Well baby steps, but I think YM in the long run. I'd always written off big boat sailing as being for boring old people, then I went again for the first time in years this weekend and decided it was amazing, I was an idiot, and that I really enjoyed the idea of getting quite good at it.

No interest in racing really, but my skipper at the weekend had his ocean masters and was telling me about all sorts of amazing trips he and his wife had done. So I think the answer really is 'I'll get the qualifications as I need them and as I gradually get the experience I need rather than making a big deal about qualifications from the start.'

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Laser 197679

Posted By: blueboy
Date Posted: 03 Jul 13 at 5:55pm

Just depends on what you prefer really. I did the Day Skipper theory as night school and Coastal Skipper as distance learning and if I were to do it all again, I'd go for distance learning. From what I recall, the Day Skipper practical didn't engage the theory much anyway. The practical spends a lot of time on boat handling in marinas etc, which is pretty important to get right on a boat that weighs a few tonnes.

If you plan to sail in the Solent, Hamble is as good as anywhere. I did mine in the Solent. Were I to do it again, I might go somewhere prettier.