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Day Skipper in Primosten

Experience
Study
Destination
Croatia
Duration
1 week
Ages
18 to 65

Trip overview

Getting your RYA Day Skipper licence opens the gates to a life of pleasure on the open seas and there is pretty much no better place in the world to get this than in the impossibly clear waters of Croatia. Spend a week on your floating classroom as you navigate the islands and channels that line the spectacular Croatian coastline, learning every second of the day and chilling under the stars at night. 

This isn’t just any old Day Skipper qualification. We have teamed up with an official RYA school to provide one of the most recognised qualifications in the world, the RYA Day Skipper Certificate. These guys are the crème de la crème of the yachting world, internationally respected and an RYA qualification will most certainly be taken into consideration by potential employers. 

You will be joining a group of students from all over the world on the Adriatic Coast of Croatia to learn the intricacies of your boat and how to effectively pilot it and other passengers under your own steam. The learning is intense, and you do need to have some prior experience to join the course, though you can get this as part of our Ultimate Sailing Course, which doubles your time in Croatia, so, win-win. With this prestigious qualification under your belt, you will learn everything there is to learn about a boat, the weather and of course, the sea itself. You will build your confidence, test yourself and make friends for life as you lie on deck after a hard day, cold beer in hand with a million twinkling stars overhead. 

Croatia is one of the world’s great sailing locations, a dazzling coastline that stretches the length of the country, dotted with islands packed with history and natural wonder. With some of the most majestic cities in Europe, all linked by the luminous turquoise Adriatic Sea, you will experience one of the great cultural and historic societies in Europe. Intensely friendly and unbelievably proud of their country, the Croatian people will take you under their wing and make sure you feel like one of them. Experience the freshest seafood, wonderful Croatian wine and life on the open seas. 

Immerse yourself in a new culture, make lifelong friends and, best of all, break away from your usual routine back home as you embark on an adventure to study the intricacies of sailing while immersed in the wonders of the Adriatic Sea. 

Inclusions

Intensive Day Skipper Course

Participate in six intense training days at sea, as you learn your craft inside-out from expert RYA certified sailing instructors. In a small group of five people max, you will learn all about navigation, piloting, handling the yacht under power and wind, the ‘rules of the road’ and so much more.  

Dedicated Trip Coordinator

Handpicked from an experienced team who’ve been there, done that and ready to guide you through your entire journey and leave no question unanswered.

Trip visa guidance

If you need a visa, it’ll get approved as cheap and easy as possible with our step-by-step instructions and personal guidance from your Trip Coordinator.

Personal Travel Concierge

You'll get a personal Travel Concierge to plan your flights, insurance or any add-ons to synchronise perfectly with your trip. Deal with a real human and get a personalised booking experience that ticks all your boxes.

Pre-Departure Guide

Our in-depth pre-departure guide will have all the information you need about your trip & destination, at your fingertips.

Private airport transfer

A private chauffeur to take you from Split Airport to the Marina in Primosten to meet up with your instructors and board your yacht.

Onboard accommodation

Your accommodation for the week will be a shared double cabin onboard your yacht. Every morning you can head up on deck and jump straight into the inviting waters of the Adriatic. All linen and towels are included as is the cost of the final boat cleaning.

Meals

Before you set off for your week on the sea, you will join in a big shopping expedition to ensure you have enough food and drink to last the week. Food and drinks are included for the duration of the course. If you choose to dine out, however, this will be at your own cost.

Online theory content

There are two courses you sit before heading out to Croatia. You will take part in the RYA Radio Licence course and an Essential Navigation course, both of which will require a practical part when you arrive in country. There is an additional fee of £60GBP to be paid directly to the RYA for the Radio Licence course exam.

Fees, taxes and petrol

We include all the marina fees, the tourist tax and the diesel used when entering and exiting marinas, so all you have to worry about is learning to skipper your yacht.

Additional learning tools

You will receive a copy of the Royal Yachting Association Day Skipper Handbook and the RYA Scheme Logbook as part of the course.

RYA Day Skipper Certificate

If you’re successful in completing the course, you will receive a certificate in recognition of your hard work and dedication throughout the experience.

Ongoing local team support

From our team and in-country project partners, think of them as your family away from home. Whether you need advice or a shoulder to lean on, you’ll be provided with unlimited support.

24/7 Global Emergency Line

Feel confident knowing we have a worldwide emergency team on standby, 24/7/365, so you can feel safe and secure throughout your whole trip no matter where you are in the world.

GWorld Acess

Stay organised with your personalised portal where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global.

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Global Academy

Gain access to an ever-growing range of skills & languages to learn before & whilst you travel.

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Marketplace deals

Get exclusive access to deals and discounts through our online Marketplace. Save big on a huge range of products and services from our brand partners worldwide.

$250 off your next trip

The “Travel Bug” is a very real thing! Once you catch it, it really doesn’t go away! Book any other trip with us later and save $250. Why would you ever stop travelling?

Just in case it’s not clear already, we’re not an employment or recruitment agency. Read more

Qualification

To qualify for this trip you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be between 18-65 years of age
  • Be a citizen of an eligible country
  • Have no criminal convictions in the past 5 years

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Trip details

Your week-long RYA Day Skipper course is a complete immersion in the world of yachting. You will spend the entire week on the boat, learning everything there is to learn about taking a boat out under your own steam and successfully navigating local waters. There are a wealth of skills to learn here and what is so good about this course is that every single one of them is hands-on. No sitting in a classroom, imagining what it is like to plot a course or read the charts, this is all out there on the open sea, helping to pilot a yacht along the Adriatic coast of Croatia. Being a Day Skipper is a big responsibility, so you will understand that this is an intensive course, but once you have completed it and you have your ticket, it opens up doors to work anywhere in the world. 

Before you click to join us on the high seas, there are a few requirements. In order to get started on your Day Skipper licence, you will first need to have had some experience. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) request that you have clocked up 100 miles and 5 days experience as an active crew member on a yacht and have theory knowledge at Day Skipper level or equivalent. If you don’t, one of the best ways to get this sorted is to partake in our Ultimate Sailing Course, which includes a week’s training on becoming a competent crew member, before undertaking the Day Skipper course. 

Arrive in Croatia with the reassurance that you will be many steps ahead of every other traveller in search of the same experience. There are many ways to explore the country by boat, but nothing that offers such an immersive experience as this. Every night you will help pilot the yacht to a different harbour, getting to explore the unbelievable beauty of the Croatian coastline and the multitude of islands that line it. You will be able to take a morning and evening swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Adriatic and chill on the deck with your newfound friends in the evenings, with the natural beauty of Croatia all around you. True heaven.  

If you want to explore Europe further, then you are in a great spot to do it. You can head down the coast to Montenegro, the current European must-visit country, or jump on a ferry, or take a spectacular train ride to Italy, and from there you have access to all the big hitters of Europe. However, Croatia itself is somewhere you should definitely spend more time, with truly unbelievable cities to explore and a warm, welcoming culture to dive into.   

Requirements 

You must be physically fit for intensive sailing and qualify for a Schengen tourist visa.

You will need to have completed the Yacht Crewing Course or 100 miles on a yacht as an active crew member with 5 days onboard & theory knowledge at Day Skipper level or equivalent. 

Please note: these are the minimum requirements from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). Please take a look at our Ultimate Sailing Course if you don’t meet these requirements.

What extra costs will I have? 

Flights, travel insurance, meals whilst on-shore, souvenirs & spending money.

Trip itinerary

Arrival

You will be collected from the airport and transferred to the Marina in Primošten. If you choose to, you can arrive a few days early to acclimatise and explore the city of Split before your course starts in earnest. 

Day 1

Your trip will start on a Saturday at 4pm. After being transferred from the airport, you will meet up with your crew and team for the week. Then you will do some grocery shopping, safety, course planning and basic information briefing before departing on Sunday morning.

Ongoing

Training is scheduled for 6 days with overnight stays in different harbours/bays every night. The sailing days normally see a departure by 9am, with lunch taken on the go (sandwiches/big salad) and then dropping anchor by 5pm. All in all, it is a long and intense day of sailing, but you will always have some time to chill and go for a swim at the end of it.   A typical day looks like this:  Get up at 7.30/8.00, have a swim, breakfast, briefing of the day, start sailing, a quick stop for lunch, sail until 5pm (ish), drop anchor, have a swim and a drink, cook a meal altogether, chat under the stars. Pure bliss.    Course Content Your intensive seabound course will include the following topics:  Preparation for sea Deck work Navigation Pilotage Meteorology Rules of the road Maintenance and repair work Engines Victualling Yacht handling under power Yacht handling under sail Passage making Night cruising

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Frequently asked questions

Why go with Global Work & Travel?

As the world’s leading gap-year and “work & travel” company, we offer you the ability to not only choose from a number of awesome experiences all over the world but, we'll be your support system from the very first moment you become a Global Traveller! We provide a premium service that allows you to pick the destination of your dreams, get our visa & pre-departure assistance, book great flights and organise the perfect travel insurance or tours for when you arrive. Plus, we’ll back it all up with some cool and exclusive tech features that are with you the entire time.

As a Global Traveller, you’ll get exclusive access to gWorld, our personalised app where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global. This is where you will find exclusive Marketplace deals for discounts with our brand partners, a unique social network to connect you with other Global Travellers when you’re overseas, access to our Academy with an ever-growing range of skills & languages to learn as you travel, invites to bucket-list side trips with other travellers, local meet-ups and so much more. Think all of your favourite apps merged into one, but like, better?

And it doesn't even stop there. We continue to be there from the moment you land with a dedicated 24/7 emergency team, over 100 staff and ongoing support ensuring that you have the tools you need to feel like a local. That’s why 65,000+ Global Travellers from all over the world have chosen to turn their travel dream into reality with us and we can proudly brag that we’ve got the most & best reviews in the biz!

Why should I book now?

Covid-19 threw us a curve ball and pretty much halted all travel. This means that we have a backlog of travellers, just like you, who are desperate to get out and explore the world! Global Work & Travel works on a first-in-best-dressed basis. Booking earlier ensures that you don’t miss out on the best intake, season, placements and more! We recommend our travellers take 6-12 months to plan their trip for a reason - to make sure you’ve got everything organised perfectly, stress-free.

As a Global Traveller you’ll get exclusive access to gWorld, our personalised app where you can keep all of your important documents and trip details in one spot and gain insider access to everything Global. This is where you will find exclusive Marketplace Deals, a unique social network to connect you with other like-minded Global Travellers, access to our Academy with an ever-growing range of skills & languages, and so much more. Think all of your favourite apps merged into one, but like, better?

Why not give yourself something to look forward to by booking that trip!

Can I travel with a friend?

Yes you can! Simply tell your Trip Coordinator after booking that your friend is also going and they can link your profiles. For most of our trips we should be able to have you and your friends placed together or nearby. Meaning that you can live, work, play & travel together!

But wait there's more! Not only can you travel the world with your besties at your side, you can also earn some extra cash towards your own trip just by referring your friends to Global Work & Travel. You can learn more about the great referral rewards program inside your gWorld account once you join.

And for those who decide to go-it-solo, we’ve made it easier to meet other Global Travellers in the same region as you. Just like any other social platform, you’ll be able to interact, share, chat and meet with some really cool people who are doing trips just like you!

What happens if COVID affects my trip?

If you have to make any changes to your departure date, you’re protected with our Lifetime Deposit Guarantee and our Ultimate Corona Booking Flexibility. With this, we will change your trip dates for free. If this doesn’t fit around you and you can’t go on your trip anymore, we will give you a 100% refund in the form of a Trip Credit with us (See terms). If you’re unable to use it, you can also transfer that credit to someone else for them to put towards any trip too.

If you’re affected by Covid-19 while you’re overseas, you will have all the support you need from our team or partners in-country as well as have access to our 24/7 Global Emergency Line. We recommend travellers purchase Global Travel Cover travel insurance that provides Covid-19 medical protection too.

Do I need to be vaccinated to book?

As border restrictions for countries begin to ease, being fully vaccinated will maximise the number of locations you can visit. So while you are not legally required to be vaccinated, and it’s also not a requirement to travel with us, it will limit some of the countries that you can visit and may make it harder to travel through over the next 12-18 months. We highly recommend our travellers look at the current travel restrictions of their destination, speak with a medical professional or get in touch with our team for travel advice.

What happens if I want to cancel my trip?

Our Ultimate Corona Booking Flexibility means you can change your trip’s start date up to 84* days before departure without incurring any charges when you rebook it for any time (or even any other trip) in the next 2 years from your original start date.

In the event that you want to cancel your booking altogether, if you give us over 84* days notice you can do so with only a 50% cancellation fee. Your refund of the balance will come in the form of a Store Credit which you can put towards booking absolutely anything travel related with your Travel Concierge within the next 2 years!

*Some select trips excluded, including Teach (Spain, Italy & Czech Republic) and USA (Summer Camp, Working Holiday and Hotel Professional), and others as listed in Booking Conditions.

How it works

Make your decision

Choose your trip style and destination, and confirm your spot with a deposit. Then, open your gWorld account and celebrate, the hardest part is over and the fun is about to begin.

We become friends

You’ll be matched with a personal Trip Coordinator who knows all the ins & outs. They’ll guide you through everything we need to do together, so you can leave your worries behind.

Time to go

We’ll get your tickets in-hand and your transfers ready. Then, our in-country team or partner will have everything prepared for your arrival. It’s now time for the real adventure to start.

24/7 support

Never stress, knowing we’re there with you when you need us with ongoing & unlimited local team support and check-ins. And just in case, we’ve got an emergency team on stand-by, 24/7.

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