Are you considering attending or are booked to attend a Dinghy Instructor course?

If so, then here are some handy hints to help you prepare:-

Preparation:-

During your course you will be expected to have a certain amount of background knowledge, this will be checked through general teaching, presentations and perhaps a quiz. The items you may be asked about (though are not limited to) are as follows:-

• Tides - How tides occur. Reading & interpreting a tide table. Tidal streams. Springs & Neaps. Rule of twelfths.
• Weather - Sources of weather information. Interpreting a MetOffice inshore forecast. Beaufort scale. Weather patterns including cold & warm fronts. Sea breeze.
• Navigation & Chartwork to Day Sailing standards - including planning a route, chart colours, drying heights, symbols, variation, latitude & longitute. Measuring bearings and distance. Use of a compass.
• Basic aerodynamic theory - How a sail works
• Road rules (IRPCS)
• Terminology - Parts of the boat & sail, Points of sail
• Basic rig set up and tuning

Aids to your preparation:

• RYA Dinghy Coaching handbook (G14)
• RYA Dinghy Advanced handbook (G12)
• RYA Start Sailing Handbook (G3)
• RYA Youth Sailing Scheme Logbook (G11)
• Online video tutorials covering the following subjects (click to view) - Synoptic Charts, Interpreting a tide table, Interpreting tidal diamonds on a chart, Measuring distance on a chart, Measuring bearings on a chart
• RYA resources for Dinghy instructors - Click here