Cambridge
School of Navigation John Starkie, PhD, RNR
RYA
Essential Navigation and Seamanship
A 16 hour (two days) RYA course, with continuous assessments, to learn the basics of chart work and navigation.
The next course is 1800 to 2200,
4, 11, 18, 25 February 2026.
£150 per person
Prices include books, charts, instruments, assessments.
but you'll need your own A4 notebook & pen.
Horningsea, near Cambridge
ENS Syllabus
Charts, Publications & Terms, Buoyage, Navigation, Safety, Anchorwork, IRPCS, GNSS, Chartwork, Tidal streams & heights, Weather Forecasting, Passage planning, Pilotage
RYA Day Skipper Theory
A 40 hour course leading to two assessments for the RYA Day Skipper Theory certificate.
This course is 40 hours of classroom instruction plus 40 hours, or more, of homework.
The next course will be in 3 hour sessions, over 14 Tuesday evenings, 1830 to 2130,
From 6th January, 2026
£450 per person
Gift vouchers for birthdays and Christmas!
Prices include books, charts, plotter, dividers, pencils & rubber, assessments
Tea, coffee & biscuits
but you'll need your own notebook (A4) & pen.
In the village of Horningsea, near Cambridge,
14 Tuesday evenings
From 6 January
2026
Full
Full ?Wednesdays?
Day Skipper Theory Syllabus
Nautical terminology, Ropework, Anchorwork, Safety, IRPCS, Position, course & speed, Charts & publications, Drawing instruments, The compass, Chartwork, Tidal streams & heights, Visual aids, Meteorology, Passage planning, Restricted visibility, Pilotage, The marine environment
15 Thursday evenings
Jan, Feb, March
April 2026
RYA
Coastal Skipper &
Yachtmaster Theory
A 40 hour course leading to three assessments for the RYA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Theory certificate.
This course is 40 hours of classroom instruction plus 40 hours, or more, of homework.
We teach this course in 3 hour sessions (1830 to 2130) over 15 Thursday evenings
8th January to 16th April 2026
£500 per person
Prices include books, charts, plotter, dividers, pencils & rubber, assessments
Tea, coffee & biscuits
but you'll need your own notebook (A4) & pen.
In the village of Horningsea, near Cambridge,
We are reluctant to teach Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Theory
to candidates who do not have a working knowledge of Day Skipper Theory.
Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory Syllabus
Position fixing, The Compass, Tidal streams & heights, Buoyage, Lights, Pilotage, GNSS, Meteorology, IRPCS, Safety, Passage Planning
The core theme is Passage Planning with a long, detailed assessment
Telephone Mentoring
On-line courses
Some people value support during an on-line course.
Taking an on-line course needs self-discipline and a commitment of time and energy. Working alone is lonely.
Many of the concepts of navigation are not intuitive and are easy to misunderstand.
We offer 10 hours of telephone mentoring, in 1-hour periods, for £100,
the timing of 'phone calls by agreement.