Course FAQ's

1. Are you RYA Accredited? YES, we are one of the largest RYA schools in the UK
2. Is everything included, as well as the exam fees and certificate? YES, if you buy the full pack with hardware then all you need to pass the exams and the final certificate are all included. The other pack just excludes hardware but the certificate is included in that too.
3. Do you offer a guarantee? YES, we offer a double money back guarantee. Firstly in the initial 30 days and then we guarantee you pass your exams or your money back.
4. Do you get a choice of examination centres and can you choose the time of year you want to take an exam? You do the exam at home whenever you are ready.
5. How long are the final exams? 1hr 30 mins allowed for each exam.
6. Do you not have an invigilator at home? Yes, anyone who is willing to sign a declaration that you completed the tests in the given time and without the aid of textbooks or CDs etc is able to be your invigilator.
7. What sort of form do the assessments take? The assessments are a set of 12 exercises, completed during the course some are chart work / plotting and the others short answers ( no essays) All are quite straight forward and are designed to give you practice with a subject not just to test you. They are actually intended to be enjoyable, which is the RYA's intention for all of its training courses.
8. What sort of form do the exams take? Test paper 13 is a set of short answer questions covering the range of subjects that you have studied during the course, typically no more than one or two sentences for each answer No diagrams would normally be needed for your answers. Test paper 14 is a set of chart plotting questions, very straight forward and no more difficult than the exercises that you will have already practiced with during the course.
9. Are there any essay questions? There are no essay type questions.
10. Do I have to work through the CD in any particular order or must I start at the first topic (Nautical Terminology)? You may study the subjects in any order but you will find that they are set out in the logical order to progress through the course, on the CD. Use the exercises on the CD to test your own progress and then complete the RYA exercise for each subject and return them for marking and comment.
11. When I have finished an exercise in the RYA booklet, do I post the whole booklet back to you or can I scan and email (or fax) my answers? When you have completed each RYA exercise, return them for marking and comment. Keep a copy of your answers in case of loss. You need not post the whole booklet back but either scan and email or fax the relevant page or answers back. Remember that email is usually the fastest and least expensive method of contact.
12. How long does it take to get my exercises marked and returned? Within one working week from receipt of the completed exercise (Except for totally unforeseen circumstances).
13. Can I do more than one exercise at a time? Yes, you may complete as many exercises as you wish at a time but be careful that without marking, comment and some tutorial help with a previous exercise, you may make considerable errors.
14. What happens if I am only interested in "Sailing boats" - do I still have to complete the section on "Motor boats"? The course does not differentiate between "Sailing boats" and "Motor boats" and you do not need to complete the questions on the type that you are not primarily interested in, but a little knowledge of "That other lot" is always useful.
15. Is there a "time limit" from when I start the course to when I finish it? Yes, the RYA Syllabus is reviewed each year and the exercises and test papers change. As a result you will be expected to complete the course within 12 months as per our terms and conditions..
16. Do I need a GPS to study the theory course? No, you do not need to purchase a GPS or any equipment other than is supplied or advised for the course. The use of the GPS is covered on RYA Practical Courses. If you are intending to continue navigation then I am sure you will purchase a GPS at the correct time and after some research into the most suitable model.
17. Is it better to do the theory course before the practical course or the other way around? It is better to do the theory course before the practical course, as you are then far more able to put in to practice all of the techniques you have learnt. It is however still possible to do a practical course before a theory course.

"We recommend these CDs for interactive learning...overall this is one of the best we’ve seen"
Sailing Today

“If you want to learn the ropes as a beginner or with an RYA course, it's ideal...it makes learning fun and interesting”
Yachting Monthly

“The CD is user friendly, with clear and concise text...quizzes test how much you have learned”
Practical Boat Owner.

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