RYA Coastal Skipper
When Day Skipper isn't enough anymore.
A full week of advanced practical sail training from Largs Yacht Haven, exploring Scotland’s spectacular west coast and beyond.
Prices start from...
Single Cabins £2,000
Double/Twin Cabin £3,200
Course dates...
Saturday to Saturday
3 – 10 October
Whether you’re joining us on your own or sailing with someone you know, your time on board is set up to feel comfortable, unhurried and considered. Solo bookings include a guaranteed single cabin, giving you your own space to rest and recharge, while friends or couples booking together can choose a well-appointed twin or double cabin and enjoy the experience together.
Get the paperwork done
— we’ll handle the rest
Spaces are limited to keep groups small
Planning a group booking?
Private group booking prices start from £7,200
Our private group RYA courses are ideal for families, groups of friends or organisations who want to train together, building skills and confidence in a relaxed, supportive setting. Each course is tailored to suit a shared goal — whether that’s preparing for a specific trip or charter, or simply enjoying the experience of learning and sailing together up to a maximum of 4 students.
RYA Coastal Skipper Practical
Developing confident command
by day, by night, and in more demanding coastal waters.
Based out of Largs Yacht Haven, this course builds on solid Day Skipper experience and takes your skippering into more advanced territory.
The RYA describes Coastal Skipper as a practical course for sailors wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night, with greater emphasis on passage planning, pilotage, yacht handling, adverse weather and emergency situations.
At Sea Fever Sailing, we shape that into a focused, supportive week where you are encouraged to make decisions, take responsibility, and develop the calm judgement needed to skipper a yacht on more demanding passages.
This is not a beginner course. It is for sailors who already have a strong practical foundation and are ready to stretch into more advanced skippering — with guidance, feedback and plenty of time to practise.
Ready to stretch your horizons?
Coastal Skipper isn’t simply the next certificate after Day Skipper.
It’s the point where experience begins to shape judgement.
You’ll already know how to sail a yacht.
Now you’re learning how to lead one.
Whether your ambition is preparing for Yachtmaster, planning longer cruising holidays, or simply becoming a skipper your family and crew can rely on, this course helps bridge the gap between practical competence and confident command.
This course is ideal for sailors who:
- Have practical sailing skills to RYA Day Skipper standard.
- Have completed Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased theory, or have equivalent navigation knowledge.
- Want to build confidence on longer coastal passages.
- Are ready to take greater responsibility for planning, navigation and decision-making.
- Want to develop the confidence to skipper in unfamiliar waters by day and night.
"As a fellow teacher I can say that your methods are just brilliant: you are constantly evaluating every action your crew is doing, but in a manner, that doesn´t feel like we were actually observed. Which for a teacher is quite rare skill I wish I could have." - Michal
What it’s like to sail with Sea Fever
Collected from sailors who’ve joined us for training and time at sea. Their reflections speak to the approach, environment and experience on board.
“I completed RYA Coastal Skipper with Dónal and had a great experience. As a non-native English speaker, it wasn’t always easy for me, but he explained everything clearly, stayed positive, and evaluated us fairly, even when I was nervous. Getting me to grasp how to use the engine without excessive force was not an easy task:) And as a bonus, he’s an excellent musician who made the evenings just as memorable as the sailing.”
- Michal Maruška, October 2025
Experience matters.
So does the way you learn.
Before your course begins, you’ll speak with Sea Fever Sailing founder Dónal Boyle about your previous experience, your goals and what you’d most like to gain from the week.
Every sailor arrives with different strengths. Some have logged hundreds of miles but haven’t skippered much. Others have plenty of confidence under sail but want to refine their pilotage or passage planning.
That conversation helps us understand where you are now, so we can challenge you appropriately while ensuring you achieve the full RYA syllabus.
With a maximum of four students on board, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to take command, ask questions, practise manoeuvres and receive constructive feedback throughout the week.
No rushing.
No shouting.
Just thoughtful coaching that gives you the confidence to think for yourself.
Prerequisites
The RYA recommends that students joining the Coastal Skipper Practical course have:
- 15 days at sea
- 2 days acting as skipper
- 300 nautical miles
- 8 night hours
- Practical sailing skills to RYA Day Skipper standard
- Navigation knowledge to Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased level
- Minimum age of 17
If you’re unsure whether this course is right for you, we’re always happy to talk it through.
Our Commitment to Sailing Excellence
What’s included...
✔ All meals onboard
✔ Fuel
✔ Marina fees
✔ Cleaning
Not included:
The occasional well-earned pint in a cosy harbour pub— after a satisfying day on the water
Got questions about
Coastal Skipper?
If you’re unsure whether you’ve reached that point, we’d much rather have an honest conversation than encourage you onto the wrong course.
Sometimes Coastal Skipper is exactly the right next step.
Sometimes another week consolidating your experience first will allow you to get far more from it.
Send us a message
Drop us a message and tell us a little about where you’re at with your sailing. Whether you’re ready to book or simply want to ask a few practical questions, we’ll come back to you with clear, honest guidance and help you decide what makes sense next.
Sea Fever Sailing — beyond certification, into confidence.
Real passages. Real decisions.
The course starts and finishes in Largs, but Coastal Skipper is designed to develop the skills needed for longer coastal passages in more demanding waters.
To complete the course, we often head beyond the North Channel and around the Mull of Kintyre, where stronger tides, longer passages and more complex pilotage provide the ideal environment for developing advanced skippering skills.
Depending on the weather and the week’s passage plan, previous courses have included Glenarm, Bangor, Ballycastle and Rathlin Island.
Exactly where we sail is never fixed.
The best classroom is the one the weather gives us.
Small groups. Supportive instruction. Strong foundations.
What you'll learn
Throughout the week you’ll develop your ability to think ahead, adapt your plans and lead your crew confidently while refining skills including:
- Advanced passage planning
- Pilotage in unfamiliar waters
- Yacht preparation
- Boat handling under sail and power
- Close-quarters manoeuvring
- Night sailing
- Managing changing weather and sea conditions
- Emergency situations
- Crew management
- Decision-making throughout longer passages
The RYA Coastal Skipper syllabus focuses on practical skippering in more demanding situations.
Ready to book?
Complete our booking form using the button below.
Life on board
Longer passages deserve proper rest.
After a full day on the water you’ll return to a warm, welcoming yacht, enjoy a home-cooked meal, reflect on the day’s sailing and settle into your own comfortable cabin.
Learning doesn’t stop when the sails come down.
Some of the best conversations happen over dinner, chart in hand, talking through the day’s decisions and tomorrow’s plan.
A guaranteed single cabin, no sharing with strangers
Book as a pair and share a comfortable twin/double cabin
Full bedding and towels
Everything on board is designed to help you relax, focus and enjoy the learning process.
Quality, home-cooked meals, prepared in advance using fresh, local produce
All dietary requirements catered for
